[IIOE2-EP44] Repercussions of ocean warming on bioluminescent zooplankton of the Indian Ocean
Lead Investigator :
- Dr. Jasmine. P, Zoological Survey of India
jasbose@gmail.com
Other Key participants (s):
- Haritha Prasad, JRF, Zoological Survey of India
prasadharitha95@gmail.com
Period of Project: 16 January, 2020 - 15 January, 2025
Brief description of the Project:
Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms, usually in the visible range. This occurs due to biological generation of photons resulting from chemiluminescent reaction. The luminous reaction occurs as a result of oxidation of a light emitting compound luciferin by either luciferase enzyme or level oxyluciferin which dissociate photoprotein. This produces higher energy to give light. Most of the bioluminescent organisms are marine dwellers, found in all depths, but commonly observed at the surface. The bioluminescent marine community consists of members from various Phyla such as Proteobacteria, Myzozoa, Radiozoa, Cnidaria, Ctenophora, Mollusca, Annelida, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, Chaetognatha, Echinodermata, Hemichordata and Chordata. But there is a distinct lack of studies on the very important aspect of bioluminescence from our seas. Bioluminescent species are widely used in several clinical, environmental, biomedical and biotechnological applications. Bioluminescence will help in tracing the path of various disturbances that originate within the sea. This data is of significant importance in our defence sector since most bioluminescent of the glows are due to the alteration of the physical environment. Furthermore, bioluminescence can be also thought-out as a sign of ocean acidification and hence requires thorough study. In this context, our study aims to delineate the diversity, distribution and abundance of bioluminescent planktons and their importance as indicators of the altered marine environment. Hence this study could be the major baseline data of bioluminescent zooplanktons of the Indian Ocean
Region of study:
The selected study area of this project is the Arabian Sea (8 20°N ).