The Effects of Temperature on the Development of Petrolisthes cinctipes Embryos
Xochitl Lopez
Department of Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Jonathon Stillman
Climate change is having a significant impact on organisms and their environment. One major way climate change is having an impact is creating more frequent climate extremes. Changes in environmental factors have an impact on the growth and reproduction of marine animals. To better understand these impacts, I will grow Petrolisthes cinctipes embryos in different incubators set to 9°C, 14°C, 18°C, or 21°C. Throughout the development of the embryos, yolk consumption, growth, and oxygen consumption rates will be measured for each temperature. Once hatched, measurements of zoea larva size from each temperature treatment will be taken. Because P. cinctipes live in the intertidal zone they are exposed to varying temperatures. With ongoing climate change, it is important to better understand how temperature changes are influencing the metabolism of P. cinctipes embryos throughout their development. I hypothesize that embryos will have the most successful development in 14°C, and embryos grown in 18°C will have the fastest rate of development. I also predict that embryos from 9°C will not develop, and embryos from 21°C will not be as successful as embryos from ambient temperatures.