Coral Bleaching - using programming to save coral reefs
Project Summary
Coral reefs maintain 25% of all marine life, and provide support, either nutritional or financial for one billion people. It is estimated that by the year 2100, all coral reefs will be extinct due to the global rise in sea temperatures. Coral reefs are formed from an essential symbiosis of coral (animals) and dinoflagellates, a photosynthetic algae. The breakdown of the symbiosis is known as coral bleaching, and is caused by the expulsion of the algae by the coral. Little is known about how, or why this occurs.
This project is a collaboration between Dr Ellen Nisbet, an algal biologist (Biosciences, UoN) and Prof Pietro Cicuta, a physicist (Cambridge), to measure the rate of coral bleaching in the laboratory. We have been making use of the sea anemone Aiptasia as a model system for coral, and have developed an artificial reef in the laboratory. We can stress Aiptasia, for example by increasing the temperature, which causes the expulsion of the algae. This expulsion mimics coral bleaching. Using the advanced imaging tools in the Cicuta laboratory, we can watch the expulsion of the algae and bleaching in real time. We have collected a substantial dataset of videos recording the bleaching events, and now wish to analyse this dataset to determine how and when bleaching occurs. Understanding when the algae are expelled will be an important step in developing tools to combat coral bleaching.
The student will need skills in coding, ideally some prior matlab or python experience with data or image analysis. Students with backgrounds in physics, engineering, computer science or biology might be particularly suitable.
The project will be based primarily at Sutton Bonington (Nottingham), and will involve visits to the Physics laboratories at the University of Cambridge (travel costs will be covered), to undertake training. Some work from home will be possible, as all the work will be computer based. Although there is no hands-on biology, we can introduce you to the algae and Aiptasia. You will be part of a larger coral reef and biological physics research team, and will be integrated into the social and scientific life of the group, including giving a laboratory talk towards the end of your placement.
Websites:
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/biosciences/people/ellen.nisbet
https://www.phy.cam.ac.uk/directory/cicuta
Training: Students will receive training in programming, and/or coral biology as appropriate, together with presentation skills. There will be an opportunity to present the work at the Protistology UK conference at the Natural History Museum (London) in September.