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A study of fish microbiome in a changing Arctic environment (FishMICRO)
Call year: 2023
Status: active
IADC_id: 778
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Arctic marine ecosystems are warming twice as fast as the global average and profound changes in the structure and functioning of local ecosystems are expected for the fjords on the west coast of Svalbard. The increased temperature in the West Spitsbergen Current is leading to the so-called “Atlantification”, resulting in a progressive replacement of Arctic fauna (e.g., polar cod Boreogadus saida, Arctic stanghorn scuplin Gymnocanthus tricuspis) with boral poleward-expanding species (e.g., Atlantic cod Gadus morhua, shorthornsculpin Myoxocephalus scorpius).rnEukaryotes and their associated microbiomes form a so-called “metaorganism” or holobiont. This previously overlooked aspect is, in fact, now recognized as a powerful tool to assess the ability of animals to respond to environmental changes, and this holds particularly true for fragile and key ecosystems such as the Arctic environment. Deciphering the factors determining holobiont composition and the impacts and roles of the different partners in these complex systems is becoming of primary interest. Microorganisms associated with the host, indeed, behave as a dynamic and self-adjusting compartment in response to the environment, and it has been thus argued that the microbiome potentially affects host fitness and adaptation. In Kongsfjiorden, we therefore aim at unveiling the diversity and potential role of host-microbiome interactions within a changing Ocean, an aspect so far neglected in the climate driven research in the area. Given the lack of understanding of this aspect, we propose here a baseline study of fish microbiome in Arctic, to describe microbial communities associated to these species, investigate their relation with climate variables and use this baseline information to predict future changes. We believe that FishMICRO will thus largely contribute to our understanding of Arctic marine ecosystems as a whole.rnThe project is thus intended to provide a fundamental baseline of the composition, changes and potential role of microbiome in local species and invasive ones in response to climate-related impacts. The project aims at reaching the following objectives:rn1 – Characterize the microbiome of Arctic and boreal poleward expanding fishes to provide a new baseline for evaluating climate related changes in the Arctic ecosystems, on which no data are available until now;rn2 – Compare the inner and outer microbiome of boreal poleward expanding fishes (such as the Atlantic cod) with those available in public databases (e.g., SRA);rn3 – Evaluate and compare the variability of Arctic and boreal fish species’ microbiome and relate such changes to abiotic parameters (such as water temperature) and ecological traits (diet, reproductive traits etc.) over a 2-years sampling plan;rn4- Assess the contribution of the surrounding environment (in particular, seawater) in providing microbial colonizers to the host;rn5 – Clarify the role of fish microbiome as a sentinel of physiological and ecological changes in the host, i.e., in highlighting aspects generally linked to climate change, and applicable to Arctic fish protection and/or adaptation mechanisms of Atlantic species in the Arctic.rnThe project will contribute to improve our knowledge of the response of native and invasive fish species in Svalbard to climate-related impacts, also benefiting of the high-throughput molecular approach.
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