Öffentlicher Abendvortrag im Rahmen der Vortragsreihe „Planet Erde 3.0 – Living in a changing world“

Mitochondria are essential for ATP production and stress responses in aerobic organisms but are sensitive to fluctuations in oxygen, temperature, and salinity. Hypoxia-sensitive species often suffer mitochondrial damage due to reactive oxygen species and Ca2+ overload, while hypoxia-tolerant species, such as intertidal invertebrates, manage these stressors with minimal ill effects. Temperature and salinity further stress mitochondria in intertidal environments. I will discuss how marine intertidal mollusks adapt to intermittent hypoxia, temperature, and salinity changes, focusing on mitochondrial functional and proteomic responses. Additionally, I will highlight knowledge gaps and future research needed to understand mitochondrial adaptations in variable environments.

Inna M. Sokolova is Chair of Marine Biology at the University of Rostock, Germany, with prior professorial roles at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research investigates the ecological physiology and toxicology of marine benthic organisms, focusing on how energy metabolism and stress responses to climate change, ocean acidification, hypoxia, and pollution affect stress tolerance. Inna M. Sokolova aims to understand the mechanisms behind these responses to develop predictive models and biomarkers for environmental risk assessment. She serves as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Sea Research and Marine Environmental Research and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications.