Adriane McDonald

Biography

Adriane McDonald joined the Hofmann Lab as a Ph.D. student in the EEMB Department in Fall of 2019. Adriane's research interests include evaluating future impacts of environmental stress on the physiology of commercially important California aquaculture species. More specifically, she plans to focus on how individual and synergistic effects of marine heatwaves and hypoxia stress will impact the physiology of early stage California spiny lobster in the future by analyzing effects on various response variables including, but not limited to, total lipid content, gene expression, and metabolic rate. Through her research she strives to influence management strategies to influence local aquaculture and support healthy marine ecosystems as well as local economies. Adriane is also an advocate for diversity in science, which she continues to work for through outreach programs such as the Field-based Undergraduate Engagement through Research, Teaching, and Education (FUERTE) program at UCSB. Additionally, she received her B.S. in Biology with Honors at Spelman College and plans to use her experience as an HBCU graduate to uplift undergraduate students of traditionally underrepresented identities in marine science.

I plan to study marine heatwaves in kelp forest ecosystems of coastal California and their impact on the physiology of commercially important fisheries and aquaculture species such as the California spiny lobster. I plan to also probe for microhabitats or “safe-sites” to preserve California spiny lobster populations during marine heatwave events. California spiny lobster are important predators in the kelp forest and are a valuable local fisheries species. Thus, due to the expected impacts of MHWs, it is vital to understand California spiny lobster vulnerability and explore the coast for potential thermal refuges. However, my current research encompasses examining maternal environmental influence on early stages of S. purpuratus exposed to marine heatwave temperatures by analyzing heat shock protein expression. I also am working on a collaborative project assessing heat conditioning on local aquaculture lines of juvenile M. galloprovincialis.