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Efremova J, Mazzella V, Mirasole A, Teixidó N, Núñez-Pons L. Divergent morphological and microbiome strategies of two neighbor sponges to cope with low pH in Mediterranean CO 2 vents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170171. [PMID: 38246375 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Ocean Acidification (OA) profoundly impacts marine biochemistry, resulting in a net loss of biodiversity. Porifera are often forecasted as winner taxa, yet the strategies to cope with OA can vary and may generate diverse fitness status. In this study, microbial shifts based on the V3-V4 16S rRNA gene marker were compared across neighboring Chondrosia reniformis sponges with high microbial abundance (HMA), and Spirastrella cunctatrix with low microbial abundance (LMA) microbiomes. Sponge holobionts co-occurred in a CO2 vent system with low pH (pHT ~ 7.65), and a control site with Ambient pH (pHT ~ 8.05) off Ischia Island, representing natural analogues to study future OA, and species' responses in the face of global environmental change. Microbial diversity and composition varied in both species across sites, yet at different levels. Increased numbers of core taxa were detected in S. cunctatrix, and a more diverse and flexible core microbiome was reported in C. reniformis under OA. Vent S. cunctatrix showed morphological impairment, along with signs of putative stress-induced dysbiosis, manifested by: 1) increases in alpha diversity, 2) shifts from sponge related microbes towards seawater microbes, and 3) high dysbiosis scores. Chondrosia reniformis in lieu, showed no morphological variation, low dysbiosis scores, and experienced a reduction in alpha diversity and less number of core taxa in vent specimens. Therefore, C. reniformis is hypothesized to maintain an state of normobiosis and acclimatize to OA, thanks to a more diverse, and likely metabolically versatile microbiome. A consortium of differentially abundant microbes was identified associated to either vent or control sponges, and chiefly related to carbon, nitrogen and sulfur-metabolisms for nutrient cycling and vitamin production, as well as probiotic symbionts in C. reniformis. Diversified symbiont associates supporting functional convergence could be the key behind resilience towards OA, yet specific acclimatization traits should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Efremova
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Valerio Mazzella
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Ischia 80077, Naples, Italy.
| | - Alice Mirasole
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Ischia 80077, Naples, Italy.
| | - Núria Teixidó
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Ischia Marine Centre, Ischia 80077, Naples, Italy; Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Villefranche-sur-mer, France.
| | - Laura Núñez-Pons
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
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D'Alessandro M, Gambi MC, Bazzarro M, Caruso C, Di Bella M, Esposito V, Gattuso A, Giacobbe S, Kralj M, Italiano F, Lazzaro G, Sabatino G, Urbini L, Vittor CD. Characterization of an undocumented CO2 hydrothermal vent system in the Mediterranean Sea: Implications for ocean acidification forecasting. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0292593. [PMID: 38329978 PMCID: PMC10852272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
A previously undocumented shallow water hydrothermal field from Sicily (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) is here described, based on a multidisciplinary investigation. The field, covering an area of nearly 8000 m2 and a depth from the surface to -5 m, was explored in June 2021 to characterise the main physico-chemical features of the water column, describe the bottom topography and features, and identify the main megabenthic and nektonic species. Twenty sites were investigated to characterise the carbonate system. Values of pH ranged between 7.84 and 8.04, ΩCa between 3.68 and 5.24 and ΩAr from 2.41 to 3.44. Geochemical analyses of hydrothermal gases revealed a dominance of CO2 (98.1%) together with small amounts of oxygen and reactive gases. Helium isotope ratios (R/Ra = 2.51) and δ13CCO2 suggest an inorganic origin of hydrothermal degassing of CO2 and the ascent of heat and deep-seated magmatic fluids to the surface. Visual census of fishes and megabenthos (mainly sessile organisms) allowed the identification of 64 species, four of which are protected by the SPA/BIO Protocol and two by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The macroalgae Halopteris scoparia and Jania rubens and the sponge Sarcotragus sp. were the dominant taxa in the area, while among fishes Coris julis and Chromis chromis were the most abundant species. This preliminary investigation of San Giorgio vent field suggests that the site could be of interest and suitable for future experimental studies of ocean acidification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matteo Bazzarro
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cinzia Caruso
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - INGV, Palermo e Sede Operativa di Milazzo, Milazzo, Italy
| | - Marcella Di Bella
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
- Sede Territoriale Sicilia, Department of Integrated Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZN), Milazzo, Italy
| | - Valentina Esposito
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources Department, Roma, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gattuso
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - INGV, Palermo e Sede Operativa di Milazzo, Milazzo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Giacobbe
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, ChiBioFarAm, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Martina Kralj
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Italiano
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - INGV, Palermo e Sede Operativa di Milazzo, Milazzo, Italy
| | - Gianluca Lazzaro
- Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - INGV, Palermo e Sede Operativa di Milazzo, Milazzo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Sabatino
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lidia Urbini
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cinzia De Vittor
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, Trieste, Italy
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Soru S, Berlino M, Sarà G, Mangano MC, De Vittor C, Pusceddu A. Effects of acidification on the biogeochemistry of unvegetated and seagrass marine sediments. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 199:115983. [PMID: 38277962 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Many studies addressed ocean acidification (OA) effects on marine life, whereas its effects on sedimentary organic matter (OM) have received less attention. We investigated differences in OM features in sediments from unvegetated and seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) beds in a shallow hydrothermal area (Aeolian Archipelago, Mediterranean Sea), under natural (8.1-8.0) and acidified (7.8-7.9) conditions. We show that a pH difference of -0.3 units have minor effects on OM features in unvegetated sediments, but relevant consequences within acidified seagrass meadows, where OM quantity and nutritional quality are lower than those under natural pH conditions. Effects of acidified conditions on OM biogeochemistry vary between unvegetated and seagrass sediments, with lower C degradation rates and longer C turnover time in the former than in the latter. We conclude that OA, although with effects not consistent between unvegetated and vegetated sediments, can affect OM quantity, composition, and degradation, thus having possible far-reaching consequences for benthic trophic webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santina Soru
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Manuel Berlino
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Sicily Marine Centre, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149 Palermo, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy; Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Maria Cristina Mangano
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Sicily Marine Centre, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149 Palermo, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Cinzia De Vittor
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo Piazza Marina 61, 90133 Palermo, Italy; National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics - OGS, 34010 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Antonio Pusceddu
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Fiorelli 1, 09126 Cagliari, Italy.
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Arcadi E, Rizzo C, Calogero R, Sciutteri V, Fabiano F, Consoli P, Andaloro F, Romeo T. Microbial communities inhabiting shallow hydrothermal vents as sentinels of acidification processes. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1233893. [PMID: 37727286 PMCID: PMC10505797 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1233893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Shallow hydrothermal vents are considered natural laboratories to study the effects of acidification on biota, due to the consistent CO2 emissions with a consequent decrease in the local pH. Methods Here the microbial communities of water and sediment samples from Levante Bay (Vulcano Island) with different pH and redox conditions were explored by Next Generation Sequencing techniques. The taxonomic structure was elucidated and compared with previous studies from the same area in the last decades. Results and discussion The results revealed substantial shifts in the taxonomic structure of both bacterial and archaeal communities, with special relevance in the sediment samples, where the effects of external parameters probably act for a long time. The study demonstrates that microbial communities could be used as indicators of acidification processes, by shaping the entire biogeochemical balance of the ecosystem in response to stress factors. The study contributes to understanding how much these communities can tell us about future changes in marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Arcadi
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organism, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
| | - Carmen Rizzo
- Marine Biotechnology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn–, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
- Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council (CNR-ISP), Messina, Italy
| | - Rosario Calogero
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
| | - Valentina Sciutteri
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
| | - Francesco Fabiano
- Marine Biotechnology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn–, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Consoli
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
| | - Franco Andaloro
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
| | - Teresa Romeo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Sicily Marine Centre, Messina, Italy
- National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Milazzo, Italy
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Leiva C, Pérez-Portela R, Lemer S. Genomic signatures suggesting adaptation to ocean acidification in a coral holobiont from volcanic CO 2 seeps. Commun Biol 2023; 6:769. [PMID: 37481685 PMCID: PMC10363134 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05103-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean acidification, caused by anthropogenic CO2 emissions, is predicted to have major consequences for reef-building corals, jeopardizing the scaffolding of the most biodiverse marine habitats. However, whether corals can adapt to ocean acidification and how remains unclear. We addressed these questions by re-examining transcriptome and genome data of Acropora millepora coral holobionts from volcanic CO2 seeps with end-of-century pH levels. We show that adaptation to ocean acidification is a wholistic process involving the three main compartments of the coral holobiont. We identified 441 coral host candidate adaptive genes involved in calcification, response to acidification, and symbiosis; population genetic differentiation in dinoflagellate photosymbionts; and consistent transcriptional microbiome activity despite microbial community shifts. Coral holobionts from natural analogues to future ocean conditions harbor beneficial genetic variants with far-reaching rapid adaptation potential. In the face of climate change, these populations require immediate conservation strategies as they could become key to coral reef survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Leiva
- University of Guam Marine Laboratory, 303 University Drive, 96923, Mangilao, Guam, USA.
| | - Rocío Pérez-Portela
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah Lemer
- University of Guam Marine Laboratory, 303 University Drive, 96923, Mangilao, Guam, USA
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González-Delgado S, Wangensteen OS, Sangil C, Hernández CA, Alfonso B, Soto AZ, Pérez-Portela R, Mariani S, Hernández JC. High taxonomic diversity and miniaturization in benthic communities under persistent natural CO 2 disturbances. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222417. [PMID: 36987638 PMCID: PMC10050917 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabarcoding techniques have revolutionized ecological research in recent years, facilitating the differentiation of cryptic species and revealing previously hidden diversity. In the current scenario of climate change and ocean acidification, biodiversity loss is one of the main threats to marine ecosystems. Here, we explored the effects of ocean acidification on marine benthic communities using DNA metabarcoding to assess the diversity of algae and metazoans. Specifically, we examined the natural pH gradient generated by the Fuencaliente CO2 vent system, located near La Palma Island (Canary Islands). High-resolution COI metabarcoding analyses revealed high levels of taxonomic diversity in an acidified natural area for the first time. This high number of species arises from the detection of small and cryptic species that were previously undetectable by other techniques. Such species are apparently tolerant to the acidification levels expected in future oceans. Hence and following our results, future subtropical communities are expected to keep high biodiversity values under an acidification scenario, although they will tend toward overall miniaturization due to the dominance of small algal and invertebrate species, leading to changes in ecosystem functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara González-Delgado
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Owen S. Wangensteen
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Sangil
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Celso A. Hernández
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Beatriz Alfonso
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ana Z. Soto
- Apis Assay Technologies Ltd, Manchester M13 9NQ, UK
| | - Rocío Pérez-Portela
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefano Mariani
- School of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
| | - José Carlos Hernández
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain
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Acclimatization of a coral-dinoflagellate mutualism at a CO 2 vent. Commun Biol 2023; 6:66. [PMID: 36653505 PMCID: PMC9849335 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04327-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean acidification caused by shifts in ocean carbonate chemistry resulting from increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations is threatening many calcifying organisms, including corals. Here we assessed autotrophy vs heterotrophy shifts in the Mediterranean zooxanthellate scleractinian coral Balanophyllia europaea acclimatized to low pH/high pCO2 conditions at a CO2 vent off Panarea Island (Italy). Dinoflagellate endosymbiont densities were higher at lowest pH Sites where changes in the distribution of distinct haplotypes of a host-specific symbiont species, Philozoon balanophyllum, were observed. An increase in symbiont C/N ratios was observed at low pH, likely as a result of increased C fixation by higher symbiont cell densities. δ13C values of the symbionts and host tissue reached similar values at the lowest pH Site, suggesting an increased influence of autotrophy with increasing acidification. Host tissue δ15N values of 0‰ strongly suggest that diazotroph N2 fixation is occurring within the coral tissue/mucus at the low pH Sites, likely explaining the decrease in host tissue C/N ratios with acidification. Overall, our findings show an acclimatization of this coral-dinoflagellate mutualism through trophic adjustment and symbiont haplotype differences with increasing acidification, highlighting that some corals are capable of acclimatizing to ocean acidification predicted under end-of-century scenarios.
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8
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Seto M, Harvey BP, Wada S, Agostini S. Potential ecosystem regime shift resulting from elevated CO2 and inhibition of macroalgal recruitment by turf algae. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-022-00550-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Simonetti S, Zupo V, Gambi MC, Luckenbach T, Corsi I. Unraveling cellular and molecular mechanisms of acid stress tolerance and resistance in marine species: New frontiers in the study of adaptation to ocean acidification. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114365. [PMID: 36435021 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuel combustion has led to a 30 %-increase of the atmospheric CO2 concentration, also increasing the ocean partial CO2 pressure. The consequent lowered surface seawater pH is termed ocean acidification (OA) and severely affects marine life on a global scale. Cellular and molecular responses of marine species to lowered seawater pH have been studied but information on the mechanisms driving the tolerance of adapted species to comparatively low seawater pH is limited. Such information may be obtained from species inhabiting sites with naturally low water pH that have evolved remarkable abilities to tolerate such conditions. This review gathers information on current knowledge about species naturally facing low water pH conditions and on cellular and molecular adaptive mechanisms enabling the species to survive under, and even benefit from, adverse pH conditions. Evidences derived from case studies on naturally acidified systems and on resistance mechanisms will guide predictions on the consequences of future adverse OA scenarios for marine biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Simonetti
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Dep.t of BluBioTech, Napoli, Italy.
| | - Valerio Zupo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Dep.t of BluBioTech, Napoli, Italy.
| | | | - Till Luckenbach
- Department Bioanalytical Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
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Lee J, Gambi MC, Kroeker KJ, Munari M, Peay K, Micheli F. Resilient consumers accelerate the plant decomposition in a naturally acidified seagrass ecosystem. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4558-4576. [PMID: 35583009 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic stressors are predicted to alter biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. However, scaling up from species to ecosystem responses poses a challenge, as species and functional groups can exhibit different capacities to adapt, acclimate, and compensate under changing environments. We used a naturally acidified seagrass ecosystem (the endemic Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica) as a model system to examine how ocean acidification (OA) modifies the community structure and functioning of plant detritivores, which play vital roles in the coastal nutrient cycling and food web dynamics. In seagrass beds associated with volcanic CO2 vents (Ischia, Italy), we quantified the effects of OA on seagrass decomposition by deploying litterbags in three distinct pH zones (i.e., ambient, low, extreme low pH), which differed in the mean and variability of seawater pH. We replicated the study in two discrete vents for 117 days (litterbags sampled on day 5, 10, 28, 55, and 117). Acidification reduced seagrass detritivore richness and diversity through the loss of less abundant, pH-sensitive species but increased the abundance of the dominant detritivore (amphipod Gammarella fucicola). Such compensatory shifts in species abundance caused more than a threefold increase in the total detritivore abundance in lower pH zones. These community changes were associated with increased consumption (52%-112%) and decay of seagrass detritus (up to 67% faster decomposition rate for the slow-decaying, refractory detrital pool) under acidification. Seagrass detritus deployed in acidified zones showed increased N content and decreased C:N ratio, indicating that altered microbial activities under OA may have affected the decay process. The findings suggest that OA could restructure consumer assemblages and modify plant decomposition in blue carbon ecosystems, which may have important implications for carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, and trophic transfer. Our study highlights the importance of within-community response variability and compensatory processes in modulating ecosystem functions under extreme global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhyung Lee
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Kristy J Kroeker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Marco Munari
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia, Naples, Italy
| | - Kabir Peay
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Fiorenza Micheli
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Pacific Grove, California, USA
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11
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Munari M, Chiarore A, Signorini SG, Cannavacciuolo A, Nannini M, Magni S, Binelli A, Gambi MC, Della Torre C. Surviving in a changing ocean. Tolerance to acidification might affect the susceptibility of polychaetes to chemical contamination. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 181:113857. [PMID: 35749979 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the combined effects of ocean acidification (OA) and pollution to the polychaete Syllis prolifera inhabiting the CO2 vent system of the Castello Aragonese (Ischia Island, Italy). We investigated the basal activities of antioxidant enzymes in organisms from the acidified site and from an ambient-pH control site in two different periods of the year. Results showed a limited influence of acidified conditions on the functionality of the antioxidant system. We then investigated the responsiveness of individuals living inside the CO2 vent compared to those from the control to face exposure to acetone and copper. Results highlighted a higher susceptibility of organisms from the vent to acetone and a different response of antioxidant enzymes in individuals from the two sites. Conversely, a higher tolerance to copper was observed in polychaetes from the acidified-site with respect to controls, but any significant oxidative stress was induced at sublethal concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Munari
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia (Naples), Italy
| | - Antonia Chiarore
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia (Naples), Italy; Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | | | - Antonio Cannavacciuolo
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia (Naples), Italy
| | - Matteo Nannini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia (Naples), Italy
| | - Stefano Magni
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Binelli
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Foo SA, Munari M, Gambi MC, Byrne M. Acclimation to low pH does not affect the thermal tolerance of Arbacia lixula progeny. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20220087. [PMID: 35642383 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As the ocean warms, the thermal tolerance of marine invertebrates is key to determining their distributional change, where acclimation to low pH may impact the thermal range of optimal development. We compared thermal tolerance of progeny from a low pH-acclimated sea urchin (Arbacia lixula) population from the CO2 vents of Ischia (Italy) and a nearby population living at ambient pH. The percentages of normally developing gastrulae and two-armed larvae were determined across 10 temperatures representing present and future temperature conditions (16-34°C). Vent-acclimated sea urchins showed a greater percentage of normal development at 24 h, with a larger optimal developmental temperature range than control sea urchins (12.3°C versus 5.4°C range, respectively). At 48 h, upper lethal temperatures for 50% survival with respect to ambient temperatures were similar between control (+6.8°C) and vent (+6.2°C) populations. Thus, acclimation to low pH did not impact the broad thermal tolerance of A. lixula progeny. With A. lixula's barrens-forming abilities, its wide thermotolerance and its capacity to acclimate to low pH, this species will continue to be an important ecological engineer in Mediterranean macroalgal ecosystems in a changing ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawna A Foo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Marco Munari
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Center, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Punta San Pietro, Ischia, Naples 80077, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Gambi
- National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, OGS, Trieste, 34010, Italy
| | - Maria Byrne
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
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13
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Structural and Functional Analyses of Motile Fauna Associated with Cystoseira brachycarpa along a Gradient of Ocean Acidification in a CO2-Vent System off Panarea (Aeolian Islands, Italy). JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10040451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA), one of the main climate-change-related stressors linked to increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, is considered an important threat to marine biodiversity and habitats. Studies on CO2-vents systems, naturally acidified environments that mimic future ocean scenarios, help to explore the sensitivity of species and to understand how benthic communities rearrange their structure and functioning under the pressure of OA. We addressed this problem by studying the benthic invertebrates associated with a habitat-forming brown alga (Cystoseira brachycarpa) in the Bottaro crater vents system off Panarea island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy), by sampling along an OA gradient from the proximity of the main venting area (station B3, pH 7.9) to a control zone (B1 station, pH 8.1). Samples were collected in September 2016 and 2018. A total of 184 taxa and 23 different functional traits have been identified, considering feeding habit, motility, size, reproductive and developmental biology, and occurrence of calcareous structures. Invertebrates are distributed according to the distance from the high venting zone and low pH levels and results very consistent between the two investigated years. In the low-pH area (B3), 43% of the species are selected. The functional traits of the fauna mirror this zonation pattern, mainly changing the relative proportion of the number of individuals of the various functional guilds along the OA gradient. Invertebrates inhabiting the low-pH zone are mainly composed of weakly or non-calcified species, with small size, burrower/tubicolous habit, omnivorous or suspension feeders, and with direct development and brooding habit. In the other stations, heavily calcified forms, herbivore and herbivore/detritivore, and with medium (1–5 cm) and large (>5 cm) sizes prevail, showing indirect benthic and planktic development. The taxonomic analysis, coupled with functional aspects, increases our prediction of which traits could be potentially more advantageous for species to adapt to the hypothesized scenarios of OA, and identify present and future winner and/or loser organisms in the future ocean of the Anthropocene.
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14
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Ecological and Biotechnological Relevance of Mediterranean Hydrothermal Vent Systems. MINERALS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/min12020251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Marine hydrothermal systems are a special kind of extreme environments associated with submarine volcanic activity and characterized by harsh chemo-physical conditions, in terms of hot temperature, high concentrations of CO2 and H2S, and low pH. Such conditions strongly impact the living organisms, which have to develop adaptation strategies to survive. Hydrothermal systems have attracted the interest of researchers due to their enormous ecological and biotechnological relevance. From ecological perspective, these acidified habitats are useful natural laboratories to predict the effects of global environmental changes, such as ocean acidification at ecosystem level, through the observation of the marine organism responses to environmental extremes. In addition, hydrothermal vents are known as optimal sources for isolation of thermophilic and hyperthermophilic microbes, with biotechnological potential. This double aspect is the focus of this review, which aims at providing a picture of the ecological features of the main Mediterranean hydrothermal vents. The physiological responses, abundance, and distribution of biotic components are elucidated, by focusing on the necto-benthic fauna and prokaryotic communities recognized to possess pivotal role in the marine ecosystem dynamics and as indicator species. The scientific interest in hydrothermal vents will be also reviewed by pointing out their relevance as source of bioactive molecules.
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15
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Plaisance L, Matterson K, Fabricius K, Drovetski S, Meyer C, Knowlton N. Effects of low pH on the coral reef cryptic invertebrate communities near CO2 vents in Papua New Guinea. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258725. [PMID: 34910721 PMCID: PMC8673656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Small cryptic invertebrates (the cryptofauna) are extremely abundant, ecologically important, and species rich on coral reefs. Ongoing ocean acidification is likely to have both direct effects on the biology of these organisms, as well as indirect effects through cascading impacts on their habitats and trophic relationships. Naturally acidified habitats have been important model systems for studying these complex interactions because entire communities that are adapted to these environmental conditions can be analyzed. However, few studies have examined the cryptofauna because they are difficult to census quantitatively in topographically complex habitats and are challenging to identify. We addressed these challenges by using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) for sampling reef-dwelling invertebrates >2 mm in size and by using DNA barcoding for taxonomic identifications. The study took place in Papua New Guinea at two reef localities, each with three sites at varying distances from carbon dioxide seeps, thereby sampling across a natural gradient in acidification. We observed sharp overall declines in both the abundance (34-56%) and diversity (42-45%) of organisms in ARMS under the lowest pH conditions sampled (7.64-7.75). However, the overall abundance of gastropods increased slightly in lower pH conditions, and crustacean and gastropod families exhibited varying patterns. There was also variability in response between the two localities, despite their close proximity, as one control pH site displayed unusually low diversity and abundances for all invertebrate groups. The data illustrate the complexity of responses of the reef fauna to pH conditions, and the role of additional factors that influence the diversity and abundance of cryptic reef invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Plaisance
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., United States of America
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS/UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Kenan Matterson
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientali (BiGeA), Università di Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | | | - Sergei Drovetski
- US Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Beltsville, MD, United States of America
| | - Chris Meyer
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - Nancy Knowlton
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., United States of America
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16
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Ocean Acidification and Mollusc Settlement in Posidonia oceanica Meadows: Does the Seagrass Buffer Lower pH Effects at CO2 Vents? DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13070311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ocean acidification has been broadly recognised to have effects on the structure and functioning of marine benthic communities. The selection of tolerant or vulnerable species can also occur during settlement phases, especially for calcifying organisms which are more vulnerable to low pH–high pCO2 conditions. Here, we use three natural CO2 vents (Castello Aragonese north and south sides, and Vullatura, Ischia, Italy) to assess the effect of a decrease of seawater pH on the settlement of Mollusca in Posidonia oceanica meadows, and to test the possible buffering effect provided by the seagrass. Artificial collectors were installed and collected after 33 days, during April–May 2019, in three different microhabitats within the meadow (canopy, bottom/rhizome level, and dead matte without plant cover), following a pH decreasing gradient from an extremely low pH zone (pH < 7.4), to ambient pH conditions (pH = 8.10). A total of 4659 specimens of Mollusca, belonging to 57 different taxa, were collected. The number of taxa was lower in low and extremely low pH conditions. Reduced mollusc assemblages were reported at the acidified stations, where few taxa accounted for a high number of individuals. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in mollusc assemblages among pH conditions, microhabitat, and the interaction of these two factors. Acanthocardia echinata, Alvania lineata, Alvania sp. juv, Eatonina fulgida, Hiatella arctica, Mytilys galloprovincialis, Musculus subpictus, Phorcus sp. juv, and Rissoa variabilis were the species mostly found in low and extremely low pH stations, and were all relatively robust to acidified conditions. Samples placed on the dead matte under acidified conditions at the Vullatura vent showed lower diversity and abundances if compared to canopy and bottom/rhizome samples, suggesting a possible buffering role of the Posidonia on mollusc settlement. Our study provides new evidence of shifts in marine benthic communities due to ocean acidification and evidence of how P. oceanica meadows could mitigate its effects on associated biota in light of future climate change.
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Mirasole A, Badalamenti F, Di Franco A, Gambi MC, Teixidó N. Boosted fish abundance associated with Posidonia oceanica meadows in temperate shallow CO 2 vents. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 771:145438. [PMID: 33548697 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) may induce major shifts in the structure and function of coastal marine ecosystems. Studies in volcanic CO2 vents, where seawater is naturally acidified, have reported an overall simplification of fish assemblages structure, while some primary producers are likely to increase their biomass under elevated concentration of CO2. Here we used temperate shallow CO2 vents located around the coast of Ischia island (Italy) to assess the effects of OA on necto-benthic fish assemblages associated with the foundation seagrass species Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Sea. We compared P. oceanica meadow structure, its epiphytic community and the associated fish assemblage structure and diversity at vents with low pH sites and reference sites with ambient pH using underwater visual census strip transects, in two seasons (fall 2018 and summer 2019). Data were analysed using both univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. Results showed greater P. oceanica habitat complexity (i.e. shoot density) and lower abundance of epiphytic calcareous species (e.g. coralline algae) at the vents than reference sites. Total abundance of adult and juvenile fish was higher at vents than reference sites, while no differences were found for species richness and composition. Overall, the herbivore Sarpa salpa stands out among the species contributing the most to dissimilarity between vents and reference sites, showing higher abundances under OA conditions. This pattern could be explained by the combined effect of a positive response to the higher structural meadows complexity and the greater seagrasses palatability/nutritional value occurring at the vents, which may help herbivores to withstand the higher energetic cost to live under high pCO2/low pH conditions. Our results indicate that necto-benthic fish assemblages associated with the Mediterranean P. oceanica ecosystem may cope with OA under the CO2 emission scenarios forecasted for the end of this century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Mirasole
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Punta San Pietro, 80077 Ischia, Naples, Italy.
| | - Fabio Badalamenti
- CNR-IAS, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149 Palermo, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonio Di Franco
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90149 Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Gambi
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Punta San Pietro, 80077 Ischia, Naples, Italy
| | - Nuria Teixidó
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Punta San Pietro, 80077 Ischia, Naples, Italy; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, 181 chemin du Lazaret, Villefranche-sur-mer 06230, France
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18
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Harvey BP, Kon K, Agostini S, Wada S, Hall-Spencer JM. Ocean acidification locks algal communities in a species-poor early successional stage. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2174-2187. [PMID: 33423359 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to CO2 -enriched waters can considerably alter marine biological community development, often resulting in simplified systems dominated by turf algae that possess reduced biodiversity and low ecological complexity. Current understanding of the underlying processes by which ocean acidification alters biological community development and stability remains limited, making the management of such shifts problematic. Here, we deployed recruitment tiles in reference (pHT 8.137 ± 0.056 SD) and CO2 -enriched conditions (pHT 7.788 ± 0.105 SD) at a volcanic CO2 seep in Japan to assess the underlying processes and patterns of algal community development. We assessed (i) algal community succession in two different seasons (Cooler months: January-July, and warmer months: July-January), (ii) the effects of initial community composition on subsequent community succession (by reciprocally transplanting preestablished communities for a further 6 months), and (iii) the community production of resulting communities, to assess how their functioning was altered (following 12 months recruitment). Settlement tiles became dominated by turf algae under CO2 -enrichment and had lower biomass, diversity and complexity, a pattern consistent across seasons. This locked the community in a species-poor early successional stage. In terms of community functioning, the elevated pCO2 community had greater net community production, but this did not result in increased algal community cover, biomass, biodiversity or structural complexity. Taken together, this shows that both new and established communities become simplified by rising CO2 levels. Our transplant of preestablished communities from enriched CO2 to reference conditions demonstrated their high resilience, since they became indistinguishable from communities maintained entirely in reference conditions. This shows that meaningful reductions in pCO2 can enable the recovery of algal communities. By understanding the ecological processes responsible for driving shifts in community composition, we can better assess how communities are likely to be altered by ocean acidification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben P Harvey
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Koetsu Kon
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Sylvain Agostini
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Shigeki Wada
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Jason M Hall-Spencer
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
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Rodríguez-Romero A, Viguri JR, Calosi P. Acquiring an evolutionary perspective in marine ecotoxicology to tackle emerging concerns in a rapidly changing ocean. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 764:142816. [PMID: 33092841 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tens of thousands of anthropogenic chemicals and wastes enter the marine environment each year as a consequence of the ever-increasing anthropogenic activities and demographic growth of the human population, which is majorly concentrated along coastal areas. Marine ecotoxicology has had a crucial role in helping shed light on the fate of chemicals in the environment, and improving our understanding of how they can affect natural ecosystems. However, chemical contamination is not occurring in isolation, but rather against a rapidly changing environmental horizon. Most environmental studies have been focusing on short-term within-generation responses of single life stages of single species to single stressors. As a consequence, one-dimensional ecotoxicology cannot enable us to appreciate the degree and magnitude of future impacts of chemicals on marine ecosystems. Current approaches that lack an evolutionary perspective within the context of ongoing and future local and global stressors will likely lead us to under or over estimations of the impacts that chemicals will exert on marine organisms. It is therefore urgent to define whether marine organisms can acclimate, i.e. adjust their phenotypes through transgenerational plasticity, or rapidly adapt, i.e. realign the population phenotypic performances to maximize fitness, to the new chemical environment within a selective horizon defined by global changes. To foster a significant advancement in this research area, we review briefly the history of ecotoxicology, synthesis our current understanding of the fate and impact of contaminants under global changes, and critically discuss the benefits and challenges of integrative approaches toward developing an evolutionary perspective in marine ecotoxicology: particularly through a multigenerational approach. The inclusion of multigenerational studies in Ecological Risk Assessment framework (ERA) would provide significant and more accurately information to help predict the risks of pollution in a rapidly changing ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Araceli Rodríguez-Romero
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus Río San Pedro, Puerto Real, 11510 Cádiz, Spain; Departamento de Ecología y Gestión Costera, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (CSIC), Campus Universitario Río San Pedro, 11519 Puerto Real, Spain.
| | - Javier R Viguri
- Green Engineering & Resources Research Group (GER), Departamento de Química e Ingeniería de Procesos y Recursos, ETSIIT, Universidad de Cantabria, Avda. de los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Cantabria, Spain
| | - Piero Calosi
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
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20
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Tangherlini M, Corinaldesi C, Ape F, Greco S, Romeo T, Andaloro F, Danovaro R. Ocean Acidification Induces Changes in Virus-Host Relationships in Mediterranean Benthic Ecosystems. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040769. [PMID: 33917639 PMCID: PMC8067541 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Acidified marine systems represent "natural laboratories", which provide opportunities to investigate the impacts of ocean acidification on different living components, including microbes. Here, we compared the benthic microbial response in four naturally acidified sites within the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea characterized by different acidification sources (i.e., CO2 emissions at Ischia, mixed gases at Panarea and Basiluzzo and acidified freshwater from karst rocks at Presidiana) and pH values. We investigated prokaryotic abundance, activity and biodiversity, viral abundance and prokaryotic infections, along with the biochemical composition of the sediment organic matter. We found that, despite differences in local environmental dynamics, viral life strategies change in acidified conditions from mainly lytic to temperate lifestyles (e.g., chronic infection), also resulting in a lowered impact on prokaryotic communities, which shift towards (chemo)autotrophic assemblages, with lower organic matter consumption. Taken together, these results suggest that ocean acidification exerts a deep control on microbial benthic assemblages, with important feedbacks on ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tangherlini
- Fano Marine Centre, Department of Research Infrastructures for Marine Biological Resources, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Viale Adriatico 1-N, 61032 Fano, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (C.C.)
| | - Cinzia Corinaldesi
- Department of Materials, Environmental Sciences and Urban Planning, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (C.C.)
| | - Francesca Ape
- Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAS-CNR), Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo n. 4521 (ex Complesso Roosevelt), Località Addaura, 90149 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Silvestro Greco
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Po 25c, 00198 Rome, Italy;
| | - Teresa Romeo
- Sicily Marine Centre, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, Italy or (T.R.); (F.A.)
- National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, ISPRA Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, Italy
| | - Franco Andaloro
- Sicily Marine Centre, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via dei Mille 46, 98057 Milazzo, Italy or (T.R.); (F.A.)
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy;
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21
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Gravili C, Cozzoli F, Gambi MC. Epiphytic hydroids on Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows are winner organisms under future ocean acidification conditions: evidence from a CO2 vent system (Ischia Island, Italy). THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2021.1899317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C. Gravili
- Laboratory of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology (Di.S.Te.B.A.), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
- CoNISMa, Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Rome, Italy
| | - F. Cozzoli
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET) – National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Monterotondo Scalo, Roma, Italy
| | - M. C. Gambi
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Department Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Center, Ischia, Italy
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22
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Mirasole A, Scopelliti G, Tramati C, Signa G, Mazzola A, Vizzini S. Evidences on alterations in skeleton composition and mineralization in a site-attached fish under naturally acidified conditions in a shallow CO 2 vent. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 761:143309. [PMID: 33172632 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ocean acidification may affect fish mineralized structures (i.e. otoliths and skeleton). METHODS Here, we compared the elemental composition of muscle and skeleton and the mineral features of skeleton in the site-attached fish Gobius bucchichi naturally exposed to high pCO2/low pH conditions in a shallow CO2 vent with fish of the same species exposed to normal pH. RESULTS Overall, no skeleton malformations were found in both pH conditions, but among-site differences were found in the elemental composition. Interestingly, higher Ca/P values, inducing a moderate skeleton maturation, were found in fish exposed to acidified conditions than in controls. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that ocean acidification may play a significant role in physiological processes related to mineralization, fostering skeleton pre-aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Mirasole
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Punta San Pietro 10, 80077 Ischia, Naples, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Scopelliti
- University of Palermo, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, via Archirafi 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Cecilia Tramati
- University of Palermo, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, via Archirafi 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Science, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Roma, Italy
| | - Geraldina Signa
- University of Palermo, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, via Archirafi 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Science, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio Mazzola
- University of Palermo, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, via Archirafi 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Science, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Roma, Italy
| | - Salvatrice Vizzini
- University of Palermo, Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, via Archirafi 22, 90123 Palermo, Italy; CoNISMa, National Inter-University Consortium for Marine Science, Piazzale Flaminio 9, 00196 Roma, Italy
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23
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Harvey BP, Kerfahi D, Jung Y, Shin JH, Adams JM, Hall-Spencer JM. Ocean acidification alters bacterial communities on marine plastic debris. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 161:111749. [PMID: 33160120 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The increasing quantity of plastic waste in the ocean is providing a growing and more widespread novel habitat for microbes. Plastics have taxonomically distinct microbial communities (termed the 'Plastisphere') and can raft these unique communities over great distances. In order to understand the Plastisphere properly it will be important to work out how major ocean changes (such as warming, acidification and deoxygenation) are shaping microbial communities on waste plastics in marine environments. Here, we show that common plastic drinking bottles rapidly become colonised by novel biofilm-forming bacterial communities, and that ocean acidification greatly influences the composition of plastic biofilm assemblages. We highlight the potential implications of this community shift in a coastal community exposed to enriched CO2 conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben P Harvey
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka 415-0025, Japan.
| | - Dorsaf Kerfahi
- School of Natural Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea
| | - YeonGyun Jung
- School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Shin
- School of Applied Biosciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonathan M Adams
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, China.
| | - Jason M Hall-Spencer
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka 415-0025, Japan; School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
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Abstract
Much recent marine research has been directed towards understanding the effects of anthropogenic-induced environmental change on marine biodiversity, particularly for those animals with heavily calcified exoskeletons, such as corals, molluscs and urchins. This is because life in our oceans is becoming more challenging for these animals with changes in temperature, pH and salinity. In the future, it will be more energetically expensive to make marine skeletons and the increasingly corrosive conditions in seawater are expected to result in the dissolution of these external skeletons. However, initial predictions of wide-scale sensitivity are changing as we understand more about the mechanisms underpinning skeletal production (biomineralization). These studies demonstrate the complexity of calcification pathways and the cellular responses of animals to these altered conditions. Factors including parental conditioning, phenotypic plasticity and epigenetics can significantly impact the production of skeletons and thus future population success. This understanding is paralleled by an increase in our knowledge of the genes and proteins involved in biomineralization, particularly in some phyla, such as urchins, molluscs and corals. This Review will provide a broad overview of our current understanding of the factors affecting skeletal production in marine invertebrates. It will focus on the molecular mechanisms underpinning biomineralization and how knowledge of these processes affects experimental design and our ability to predict responses to climate change. Understanding marine biomineralization has many tangible benefits in our changing world, including improvements in conservation and aquaculture and exploitation of natural calcified structure design using biomimicry approaches that are aimed at producing novel biocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody S Clark
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
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25
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Strader ME, Wong JM, Hofmann GE. Ocean acidification promotes broad transcriptomic responses in marine metazoans: a literature survey. Front Zool 2020; 17:7. [PMID: 32095155 PMCID: PMC7027112 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-0350-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
For nearly a decade, the metazoan-focused research community has explored the impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on marine animals, noting that changes in ocean chemistry can impact calcification, metabolism, acid-base regulation, stress response and behavior in organisms that hold high ecological and economic value. Because OA interacts with several key physiological processes in marine organisms, transcriptomics has become a widely-used method to characterize whole organism responses on a molecular level as well as inform mechanisms that explain changes in phenotypes observed in response to OA. In the past decade, there has been a notable rise in studies that examine transcriptomic responses to OA in marine metazoans, and here we attempt to summarize key findings across these studies. We find that organisms vary dramatically in their transcriptomic responses to pH although common patterns are often observed, including shifts in acid-base ion regulation, metabolic processes, calcification and stress response mechanisms. We also see a rise in transcriptomic studies examining organismal response to OA in a multi-stressor context, often reporting synergistic effects of OA and temperature. In addition, there is an increase in studies that use transcriptomics to examine the evolutionary potential of organisms to adapt to OA conditions in the future through population and transgenerational experiments. Overall, the literature reveals complex organismal responses to OA, in which some organisms will face more dramatic consequences than others. This will have wide-reaching impacts on ocean communities and ecosystems as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie E Strader
- 1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA.,2Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 USA
| | - Juliet M Wong
- 1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA.,3Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181 USA
| | - Gretchen E Hofmann
- 1Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 USA
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Quantifying the Effect of Anthropogenic Climate Change on Calcifying Plankton. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1620. [PMID: 32005920 PMCID: PMC6994600 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58501-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Widely regarded as an imminent threat to our oceans, ocean acidification has been documented in all oceanic basins. Projected changes in seawater chemistry will have catastrophic biotic effects due to ocean acidification hindering biogenic carbonate production, which will in turn lead to substantial changes in marine ecosystems. However, previous attempts to quantify the effect of acidification on planktonic calcifying organisms has relied on laboratory based studies with substantial methodological limitations. This has been overcome by comparing historic plankton tows from the seminal HMS Challenger Expedition (1872–1876) with the recent Tara Oceans expedition material (2009–2016). Nano CT-scans of selected equatorial Pacific Ocean planktonic foraminifera, have revealed that all modern specimens had up to 76% thinner shells than their historic counterparts. The “Challenger Revisited” project highlights the potential of historic ocean collections as a tool to investigate ocean acidification since the early Industrial Revolution. Further analyses of such biotic archives will enable researchers to quantify the effects of anthropogenic climate change across the globe.
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Byrne M, Foo SA, Ross PM, Putnam HM. Limitations of cross- and multigenerational plasticity for marine invertebrates faced with global climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:80-102. [PMID: 31670444 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Although cross generation (CGP) and multigenerational (MGP) plasticity have been identified as mechanisms of acclimation to global change, the weight of evidence indicates that parental conditioning over generations is not a panacea to rescue stress sensitivity in offspring. For many species, there were no benefits of parental conditioning. Even when improved performance was observed, this waned over time within a generation or across generations and fitness declined. CGP and MGP studies identified resilient species with stress tolerant genotypes in wild populations and selected family lines. Several bivalves possess favourable stress tolerance and phenotypically plastic traits potentially associated with genetic adaptation to life in habitats where they routinely experience temperature and/or acidification stress. These traits will be important to help 'climate proof' shellfish ventures. Species that are naturally stress tolerant and those that naturally experience a broad range of environmental conditions are good candidates to provide insights into the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved in CGP and MGP. It is challenging to conduct ecologically relevant global change experiments over the long times commensurate with the pace of changing climate. As a result, many studies present stressors in a shock-type exposure at rates much faster than projected scenarios. With more gradual stressor introduction over longer experimental durations and in context with conditions species are currently acclimatized and/or adapted to, the outcomes for sensitive species might differ. We highlight the importance to understand primordial germ cell development and the timing of gametogenesis with respect to stressor exposure. Although multigenerational exposure to global change stressors currently appears limited as a universal tool to rescue species in the face of changing climate, natural proxies of future conditions (upwelling zones, CO2 vents, naturally warm habitats) show that phenotypic adjustment and/or beneficial genetic selection is possible for some species, indicating complex plasticity-adaptation interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Byrne
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Shawna A Foo
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Pauline M Ross
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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Viotti S, Sangil C, Hernández CA, Hernández JC. Effects of long-term exposure to reduced pH conditions on the shell and survival of an intertidal gastropod. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 152:104789. [PMID: 31522874 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Volcanic CO2 vents are useful environments for investigating the biological responses of marine organisms to changing ocean conditions (Ocean acidification, OA). Marine shelled molluscs are highly sensitive to changes in seawater carbonate chemistry. In this study, we investigated the effects of reduced pH on the intertidal gastropod, Phorcus sauciatus, in a volcanic CO2 vent off La Palma Island (Canary Islands, North East Atlantic Ocean), a location with a natural pH gradient ranging from 7.0 to 8.2 over the tidal cycles. Density and size-frequency distribution, shell morphology, shell integrity, fracture resistance, and desiccation tolerance were evaluated between populations from control and CO2 vent sites. We found no effects of reduced pH on population parameters or desiccation tolerance across the pH gradient, but significant differences in shell morphology, shell integrity, and fracture resistance were detected. Individuals from the CO2 vent site exhibited a higher shell aspect ratio, greater percentages of shell dissolution and break, and compromised shell strength than those from the control site. Our results highlight that long-term exposure to high pCO2 can negatively affect the shell features of P. sauciatus but may not have a significant effect on population performance. Moreover, we suggest that loss of shell properties could lead to changes in predator-prey interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofía Viotti
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Carlos Sangil
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Celso Agustín Hernández
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain
| | - José Carlos Hernández
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Universidad de La Laguna, Canary Islands, Tenerife, Spain.
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Calcium carbonate alters the functional response of coastal sediments to eutrophication-induced acidification. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12012. [PMID: 31427639 PMCID: PMC6700140 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48549-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Coastal ocean acidification research is dominated by laboratory-based studies that cannot necessarily predict real-world ecosystem response given its complexity. We enriched coastal sediments with increasing quantities of organic matter in the field to identify the effects of eutrophication-induced acidification on benthic structure and function, and assess whether biogenic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) would alter the response. Along the eutrophication gradient we observed declines in macrofauna biodiversity and impaired benthic net primary productivity and sediment nutrient cycling. CaCO3 addition did not alter the macrofauna community response, but significantly dampened negative effects on function (e.g. net autotrophy occurred at higher levels of organic matter enrichment in +CaCO3 treatments than −CaCO3 (1400 vs 950 g dw m−2)). By identifying the links between eutrophication, sediment biogeochemistry and benthic ecosystem structure and function in situ, our study represents a crucial step forward in understanding the ecological effects of coastal acidification and the role of biogenic CaCO3 in moderating responses.
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30
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Ocean acidification impacts on coastal ecosystem services due to habitat degradation. Emerg Top Life Sci 2019; 3:197-206. [PMID: 33523154 PMCID: PMC7289009 DOI: 10.1042/etls20180117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The oceanic uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions is changing seawater chemistry in a process known as ocean acidification. The chemistry of this rapid change in surface waters is well understood and readily detectable in oceanic observations, yet there is uncertainty about the effects of ocean acidification on society since it is difficult to scale-up from laboratory and mesocosm tests. Here, we provide a synthesis of the likely effects of ocean acidification on ecosystem properties, functions and services based on observations along natural gradients in pCO2. Studies at CO2 seeps worldwide show that biogenic habitats are particularly sensitive to ocean acidification and that their degradation results in less coastal protection and less habitat provisioning for fisheries. The risks to marine goods and services amplify with increasing acidification causing shifts to macroalgal dominance, habitat degradation and a loss of biodiversity at seep sites in the tropics, the sub-tropics and on temperate coasts. Based on this empirical evidence, we expect ocean acidification to have serious consequences for the millions of people who are dependent on coastal protection, fisheries and aquaculture. If humanity is able to make cuts in fossil fuel emissions, this will reduce costs to society and avoid the changes in coastal ecosystems seen in areas with projected pCO2 levels. A binding international agreement for the oceans should build on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to 'minimise and address the impacts of ocean acidification'.
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Byrne M, Fitzer S. The impact of environmental acidification on the microstructure and mechanical integrity of marine invertebrate skeletons. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz062. [PMID: 31737270 PMCID: PMC6846232 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA), from seawater uptake of anthropogenic CO2, has a suite of negative effects on the ability of marine invertebrates to produce and maintain their skeletons. Increased organism pCO2 causes hypercapnia, an energetically costly physiological stress. OA alters seawater carbonate chemistry, limiting the carbonate available to form the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) minerals used to build skeletons. The reduced saturation state of CaCO3 also causes corrosion of CaCO3 structures. Global change is also accelerating coastal acidification driven by land-run off (e.g. acid soil leachates, tannic acid). Building and maintaining marine biomaterials in the face of changing climate will depend on the balance between calcification and dissolution. Overall, in response to environmental acidification, many calcifiers produce less biomineral and so have smaller body size. Studies of skeleton development in echinoderms and molluscs across life stages show the stunting effect of OA. For corals, linear extension may be maintained, but at the expense of less dense biomineral. Conventional metrics used to quantify growth and calcification need to be augmented by characterisation of the changes to biomineral structure and mechanical integrity caused by environmental acidification. Scanning electron microscopy and microcomputed tomography of corals, tube worms and sea urchins exposed to experimental (laboratory) and natural (vents, coastal run off) acidification show a less dense biomineral with greater porosity and a larger void space. For bivalves, CaCO3 crystal deposition is more chaotic in response to both ocean and coastal acidification. Biomechanics tests reveal that these changes result in weaker, more fragile skeletons, compromising their vital protective roles. Vulnerabilities differ among taxa and depend on acidification level. Climate warming has the potential to ameliorate some of the negative effects of acidification but may also make matters worse. The integrative morphology-ecomechanics approach is key to understanding how marine biominerals will perform in the face of changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Byrne
- School of Medical Science and School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Corresponding author: School of Medical Science and School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
| | - Susan Fitzer
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
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