Submission Date

9-7-2025

Document Type

Paper- Restricted to Campus Access

Department

Biology

Faculty Mentor

Colleen Bove

Comments

Presented during the 27th Annual Summer Fellows Symposium, July 18, 2025 at Ursinus College.

Project Description

Intertidal zones depend on intertidal organisms to function properly, but pressures from climate change and human activities make it significantly harder for these organisms not only to survive but also to thrive. While ocean acidification impacts all organisms, each responds differently to the low pH environment. This research aims to examine how the combined effects of ocean warming and acidification influence the growth, survival, and behavior of the common gastropod Ilyanassa obsoleta. Two treatments simulated a natural heat wave by increasing temperature by 10 °C, and one of these treatments introduced carbon dioxide into the tanks until the pH was lowered by 0.2 units (~7.8) from its baseline (~8.0). We plan to use the data from this study to model the effects of ocean acidification on other intertidal species.

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