Shelled pteropods are widely regarded as bioindicators for ocean acidification, because their fragile aragonite shells are susceptible to increasing ocean acidity. Therefore, my work focuses on calcification of shelled pteropods. How vulnerable are shelled pteropods to ocean acidification, and do they have the ability to cope with acidified conditions? As pteropod shells are built based on a complex interplay of their biology and direct environment, I am fascinated by the story their shells could tell us.
Keywords
Calcification, shelled pteropods, calcifying zooplankton, ocean acidification, micro-CT, fluorescence microscopy, experimental incubations
Researchinterest
Their wonderful shell shapes, incredible diversity and significance in the marine environment inspired me to study shelled pteropods during my PhD.
Despite the cheerful appearance of pteropods, their future might be rather grim because their existence is considered to be threatened by changing ocean chemistry, driven by increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. However, pteropods could be more resilient to ocean acidification than previously thought. Therefore, by unravelling the secrets their shells withhold I aim to understand how vulnerable pteropods are to ocean acidification.
I quantify pteropod shell growth and calcification using state-of-the-art techniques, such as micro-CT scanning, fluorescence microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Based on the combination of field studies to assess their natural variability and shipboard experiments, I aim to gain a comprehensive insight into their calcification responses and possible acclimation capacity to an acidifying ocean.
Keypublications
- Wall-Palmer, D., Janssen, A.W., Goetze, E. Choo, L. Q., Mekkes, L., Peijnenburg, K.T.C.A. 2020. Fossil-calibrated molecular phylogeny of atlantid heteropods (Gastropoda, Pterotracheoidea). BMC Evolutionary Biology 20, 124.
- Burson, A., Stomp, M., Mekkes, L., & Huisman, J. 2019. Stable coexistence of equivalent nutrient competitors through niche differentiation in the light spectrum. Ecology, 100(12), [e02873].
- Janssen, A. W., Burridge, A. K., Mekkes, L., & Peijnenburg, K. T. C. A. 2018. History of the Clio pyramidata-complex (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Euthecosomata, Cliidae) in the northern and central Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean and Mediterranean, restoring its original concept. Basteria, 82(4-6), 83-102.
- Wall-Palmer, D., Burridge, A. K., Goetze, E., Stokvis, F. R., Janssen, A. W., Mekkes, L., ... Peijnenburg, K. T. C. A. 2018. Biogeography and genetic diversity of the atlantid heteropods. Progress in Oceanography, 160, 1-25.
- Manno, C., Bednaršek, N., Tarling, G. A., Peck, V. L., Comeau, S., Adhikari, D., ...Mekkes, L., … Ziveri, P. 2017. Shelled pteropods in peril: Assessing vulnerability in a high CO2 ocean. Earth-Science Reviews, 169, 132-145.
Teachingactivities
Current
Supervision of Boris Prast, MSc student Fresh Water and Marine Biology (UvA)
Variability in response to OA of Heliconoides inflatus pteropods collected along an Atlantic meridional transect
Used techniques: Fluorescence microscopy to elucidate shell growth, micro-CT scanning and shell weight measurements.
2019
Supervision of Guadalupe Sepulveda, MSc student Fresh Water and Marine Biology (UvA)
Calcification of Limacina retroversa pteropods in response to past, present and future conditions in the Sub-Antarctic
Used techniques: Fluorescence microscopy to elucidate shell growth, micro-CT scanning and shell weight measurements.
2019
Supervision of Gintare Bielkinaite, MSc student Fresh Water and Marine Biology (UvA)
Shell growth of coiled and uncoiled shelled pteropods (Limacina helicina, Limacina retroversa, Styliola subula, Creseis virgula)
Used techniques: Fluorescence microscopy to elucidate shell growth, micro-CT scanning and shell weight measurements.
2018
Supervision of Livia Sinigaglia, MSc student Fresh Water and Marine Biology (UvA)
Depth distribution of shelled pteropods
Livia attended NICO expedition Leg 2, from Canary Islands to Curacao and was part of our “Plankton Team” to help collecting plankton samples and conducting onboard experiments.
Teaching assistant: Biological Oceanography course, University of Amsterdam (Nov 2017, 2018, 2019)
In themedia
“Sapiens” promotion video
Podcast Makkelijk Praten
Online Spotlight
New Scientist Article
NRC, Article with Katja Peijnenburg
Nieuws en Co, Radio interview
Tijd voor Max, Radio interview
Vroege Vogels, Radio interview, with Katja Peijnenburg
