Thesis title:
From macro-models to macroalgae: assessing the impacts of climate change on farmed and wild populations in the marine environment
Trial lecture topic:
Effects of global warming on physiology and ecological interactions of kelps
Evaluation Committee:
- Professor Celia Olabarria, Ecology and animal biology department, University of Vigo, Spain
- Researcher Franz Ronald Saavedra Goecke, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Norway
- Associate Professor Terhi Hannele Kärpänen, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Norway
Supervisory Committee:
- Main supervisor: Associate professor Alexander Jüterbock, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Norway
- Co-supervisor: Professor Mark John Costello, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Norway
- Co-supervisor: Professor Joost André Maria Raeymaekers, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Norway
- Co-supervisor: Professor Jorge Manuel Ferreira de Assis, Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture, Nord University, Norway
Thesis summary:
This thesis identified risks posed to aquaculture species by climate change, analyzed the potential of proposed interventions to reduce this risk, and assessed the impact of ongoing mitigation measures within Norwegian kelp aquaculture.
At a global scale, climate dissimilarity analysis reveals that aquaculture production remains stable under the Paris Agreement but faces disruptions under high-emissions pathways. While relocation may mitigate risks in some Exclusive Economic Zones, emerging industries in enclosed seas face significant challenges.
Focusing on cold-adapted kelp in the North Atlantic, species distribution models suggest that boosting thermal tolerance by 1-2°C could halve habitat losses across species and climate change scenarios, yet key regions may require greater adaptation.
At the local scale, whole genome sequencing of Saccharina latissima along Norway’s coastline revealed that cultivation approaches utilizing prolonged growth as vegetative cultures drives genetic differentiation to the same extent as geographic separation. These results inform best practices for strain enhancement while safeguarding wild populations.
From global projections to molecular insights, this work highlights that while mitigation and adaptive management are vital to enhance existing resilience, they cannot replace the urgent need for global emissions reductions to secure the future of farmed and wild marine populations.