Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C508369/1
Ultrastructure of the digestive epithelium in Calanus finmarchicus: A marker for imminent diapause?
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Dr RP Harris, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UNLISTED
- Co-Investigator:
- Mr S J Hay, Marine Scotland Science, UNLISTED
- Grant held at:
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UNLISTED
- Science Area:
- Marine
- Overall Classification:
- Marine
- ENRIs:
- Natural Resource Management
- Global Change
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Environmental Physiology
- Ocean Circulation
- Biogeochemical Cycles
- Population Ecology
- Abstract:
- In certain marine calanoid copepods, winter dormancy ('diapause') involves the synchronous developmental arrest at the copepodite CV stage, descent into deep water, reduced metabolism, lack of reproduction, and associated drastic physiological changes such as lack of feeding and reduced digestive enzyme production. Relevant indicators of the physiological state of individuals include the structure of the mid-gut, particularly the thickness of the epithelium and the size and abundance of B-cells responsible for digestive enzyme secretion. Calanus finmarchicus is an abundant, well studied copepod which is known to overwinter at depth in certain geographical regions. The overwintering phenotype in this species is very poorly investigated, but studies in other aquatic crustaceans have demonstrated that the epithelium becomes significantly thinner during overwintering and this is accompanied by a reduced number of B-cells (responsible for the secretion of digestive enzymes). These features are distinct from animals which have been subjected to temporary starvation whereby the epithelium is thicker and B-cell number elevated when compared to the diapause state. To develop our poor understanding of overwintering in C. finmarchicus we will study the fine structure of the mid-gut of overwintering and non-overwintering animals. Using this comparison we will investigate the proportion of CV animals exhibiting the diapause mid-gut phenotype in archived samples taken during the Marine Productivity cruises, assess the value of applying the technique to other archived samples, and finally assess the potential of the technique for extrapolation to other Calanus spp for which even less is known of overwintering strategy (and for which there are again archived samples from the MarProd cruises).
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C508369/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Directed Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Marine Productivity
This grant award has a total value of £3,229
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Other Costs |
|---|---|
| £1,076 | £2,153 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.