Public evening lecture as part of the lecture series "Planet Earth 3.0 - Living in a changing world" by Professor Dr. Frank Melzner (GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum f
Using the Kiel Outdoor Benthocosm (KOB), we investigate how key reef- and meadow-forming species in the Baltic Sea respond to climate change. In controlled experiments, we simulated summer heat waves and exposed communities of macroalgae and seagrasses to these elevated temperatures to investigate the lethal thermal limits during seasonal thermal acclimatization. The results show that sublethal heat stress increases exponentially with temperature once critical thresholds are reached. This leads to high mortality in some species and indicates a reduced ability to acclimatize during extreme heat events in summer. RCP 8.5-like scenarios led to severe changes in the ecosystem, as evidenced by greatly reduced productivity of key autotrophic species.
Frank Melzner is a marine animal physiologist and Professor of Marine Ecology at Kiel University and head of the Experimental Ecology research unit at GEOMAR. He holds a doctorate from the University of Bremen and the Alfred Wegener Institute. His research activities focus on the effects of climate change (ocean acidification, warming and desalination) on marine coastal communities, ranging from physiological to ecological and evolutionary processes.
Moderation: Professor Dr. Alexander Wacker
