SpinyTESTs · SpinyBase: Trait-based Evaluation of Sea urchin Trajectories

Sea urchins are ecological engineers affecting marine systems globally from the equator to the poles and shallow to deep water. Despite the profound impact they have on many ecosystems, fundamental knowledge of biological traits, distributions and climate change vulnerability is unknown for many sea urchin taxa. This Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) project will unlock the full potential of natural history collections to address critical knowledge gaps in sea urchin biodiversity and climate vulnerability. I will achieve this by developing the world’s first comprehensive trait and distribution database for echinoids, SpinyBase. SpinyBase will enable me to deliver: (1) the first global study of trait biogeography and phylogenetic patterns in sea urchins, and (2) the first study of marine invertebrates to combine climate vulnerability modelling with artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted approaches. Building on my expertise in echinoid distributions, biological and reproductive traits and ecological modelling, with the strong institutional support and training from the Natural History Museum (NHM), I am well positioned to overcome current data deficiencies. Outcomes from SpinyTESTs will significantly advance biogeographic understanding and climate vulnerability predictions for these keystone marine species.