At the Dockside: A Mosaic of Diversity - Argentine Scientist Persues Ambitious Research in Panama
**Scripps Scientists Delve into the Impact of Climate Change on Coral Reefs**
In the face of a growing ecological and socio-economic crisis, researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography are working tirelessly to understand the effects of climate change on coral reefs. One of these scientists is Martín Tresguerres, an assistant professor in the Marine Biology Research Division at UC San Diego.
Tresguerres, along with fellow Scripps researchers Davey Kline and Andreas Andersson, recently embarked on a mission to Bocas del Toro, Panama, to collect coral and water samples from various depths. This expedition was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, which aims to shed light on the impacts of climate change on coral reefs.
The impact of climate change on coral reefs is severe and alarming. Rising ocean temperatures due to global warming are causing widespread coral bleaching, a process where corals lose their symbiotic algae that provide them with food through photosynthesis. This bleaching weakens and can ultimately kill the corals, leading to massive losses of coral reef ecosystems. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that 70% to 90% of coral reefs could be lost even if global warming is limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels[1][3].
Coral reefs are crucial marine habitats that support about a third of all marine species and provide essential services such as coastal protection, fishery resources, and billions of dollars in economic value[1][3]. The ongoing and increasing loss of reefs represents a significant ecological and socio-economic crisis.
To better understand coral reef health and resilience, Scripps scientists are employing cutting-edge technologies, including a newly developed Benthic Underwater Microscope Imaging PAM (BUMP), which is a diver-operated microscope capable of detailed study of corals and their symbiotic algae at the microscopic level. This tool enables scientists to observe photosynthesis and interactions within corals and investigate the mechanisms and progression of coral bleaching in unprecedented detail[4].
In addition to their research on coral bleaching, Scripps scientists contribute to broader research efforts elucidating how climate change, nutrient runoff, invasive species, and direct human impacts are driving coral decline. They also explore the biodiversity of coral communities and how genetic methods are reshaping our understanding of reef ecosystems. Their work includes documenting reef declines and efforts toward conservation that can promote resilience in some reef regions[2].
Tresguerres' research at Scripps is multidisciplinary, spanning cell biology, physiology, and genetics. He studies various aquatic organisms, including fish, sharks, and corals. His work includes studying how sharks sense and regulate acidity in their blood, understanding how microscopic algae incorporate carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, and collaborating on a research project to understand how bone-eating worms dissolve carcasses of whales.
Tresguerres' research on coral cell biology is featured prominently in a new exhibit at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. The project in Panama was particularly rewarding for Tresguerres, as he has wanted to study coral physiology in the field for a long time.
Tresguerres' journey to becoming a marine biologist began as a curious child captivated by wildlife documentaries and science books. He enrolled as an engineering major at the University of Buenos Aires but switched to biology after realizing the possibility of a career in science. He pursued a PhD at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, focusing on the physiology and cell biology of sharks, trout, and hagfish. He completed his postdoctoral training in molecular chemosensors and signal transduction at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.
Tresguerres credits his strong work ethic and proactive approach to finding research opportunities as necessary tools for success. He is involved in several outreach activities at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, including developing activities for high school students, giving public lectures, and collaborating on a new exhibit on ocean acidification and coral reefs.
In conclusion, the work of Scripps scientists like Tresguerres is crucial for developing scalable scientific and technological interventions to save coral reefs, which are a generational responsibility given their ecological and economic importance[1][2][4]. Their research informs conservation strategies aimed at protecting and restoring coral reef ecosystems amid climate change.
- Scripps scientists are engaged in oceanographic research, particularly focusing on the impacts of climate change on coral reefs, as part of the health-and-wellness sector to preserve marine biodiversity.
- Tresguerres, along with other Scripps researchers, are employing technology like the Benthic Underwater Microscope Imaging PAM (BUMP) in their study of coral reefs, contributing to advancements in environmental science and promoting technological innovation.
- The loss of coral reefs, due to climate change, ocean acidification, and other factors, poses a significant threat to the environment, impacting more than a third of marine species and causing economic losses in fisheries and coastal protection services.
- In addition to coral reefs, Scripps scientists are researching various aquatic organisms, such as fish, sharks, and microscopic algae, addressing questions related to nutrition, exercise, and physiology, expanding knowledge in the fields of science and lifestyle.
- Tresguerres' educational journey began as an engineering major but transitioned to biology, eventually leading to his research on marine biology, cell biology, and physiology, emphasizing the importance of self-development and lifelong learning in the realm of education-and-self-development and science.
- Through public lectures, student activities, and exhibits like the one at Birch Aquarium on ocean acidification and coral reefs, Scripps scientists are fostering an appreciation for marine biology and encouraging the next generation of researchers and conservationists in the sports of knowledge dissemination and science communication.
