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  • Clément Mathieu Tremblin

    Clément Mathieu Tremblin

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    https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9600-0130
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Clément Mathieu Tremblin

Overview of thesis

Global ocean-temperature rise along with increases in the frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves threaten marine species and ecosystems. Temperate seagrass species are already experiencing substantial losses and decline due to significant seawater temperature increases. To anticipate further impacts of rising temperatures it is important to understand seagrass thermal tolerance, especially of those belonging to the genus Posidonia as they are some of the most vulnerable ones to warming. Posidonia australis, endemic to temperate Australian waters, is an ecologically significant habitat-forming species, which develops dense meadows in less than 10m water depth. Its thermal tolerance has been assessed in adult populations but has never been assessed in early life stages, which are often more susceptible to temperature fluctuations. This thesis will investigate for the first-time thermal tolerance in the early stage of P. australis from two Western Australian regions with different environmental temperatures (Geraldton or Jurien Bay, warm; Perth, cold). Specifically, it aims to (i) determine early-stage P. australis thermal optimum and upper thermal threshold at the physiological level (photosynthetic yield and metabolism) and the organismal level (survival and growth); (ii) improve predictions on the future survival and health of P. australis; and (iii) identify vulnerable populations under future projected climate scenarios. Study sites are selected based on sea surface temperature, presence of P. australis meadows, water depth (1–3 m), site distance (up to 50 km), and fruiting. A mesocosm experiment will test seedling thermal tolerance at five temperatures (21°C, 25°C, 30°C, 33°C, and 36°C) over three months. Exploring the thermal optima of seagrass life history stages across different regions with distinct environmental temperatures will provide valuable insights for predicting future warming impacts and resilience-building initiatives.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology), The University of Western Australia (2021-2023)

Research

Research Interests

  • Seagrass Ecology
  • Paleoecology
  • Marine sedimentology and protist microbiology
  • Shallow and intertidal systems

Scholarships and Awards

  • 2024 – Master Scholarship in Seagrass Ecology associated with Vice Chancellor Research Fellow Dr Marlene Wesselmann
  • 2024 – Joseph A. Cushman Award for Student Research by the Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research (based in the U.S.A). Funded project for Living Calcarinids at the Southern Extreme of Their Biogeographical Range, Southwest Australia
  • 2024 - UWA representative at the ANZIC Marine Geoscience Masterclass, International Ocean Discovery Program (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program) workshop in Brisbane
  • 2023 – Joseph A. Cushman Student Travel Award for Student Travel by the Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research (based in the USA). Funded projects included oral and poster presentations (1) “Evolution of Trochamminoids (trochospiral organic-cemented agglutinated Foraminifera)”; and (2) “Invasive Trochammina hadai in a southwest Australian estuary” at the International Symposium on Foraminifera in Perugia, Italy in July 2023.
  • 2022 – Loeblich and Tappan Student Research Award by the Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research (based in the USA).
  • 2021- UWA Global Excellence Scholarship, The University of Western Australia

Supervisors

  • Dr Marlene Wesselmann
  • Associate Dean Professor Kathryn McMahon

Contact

Clément Mathieu Tremblin
Master of Science by Research
School of Science
Email: c.tremblin@ecu.edu.au

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