Habitat traits and food availability determine the response of marine invertebrates to ocean acidification. (20th January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pansch, Christian; Schaub, Iris; Havenhand, Jonathan; Wahl, Martin
• Is Part Of: Global change biology. Volume 20:Number 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 765
• Page End: 777
• Publication Date: 2014-01-20
• Subjects: Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Troposphere -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; Eutrophication -- Periodicals; 551.5
• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12478
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1354-1013

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="gcb12478-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Energy availability and local adaptation are major components in mediating the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on marine species. In a long‐term study, we investigated the effects of food availability and elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> (ca. 400, 1000 and 3000 μatm) on growth of newly settled <italic>Amphibalanus (Balanus) improvisus</italic> to reproduction, and on their offspring. We also compared two different populations, which were presumed to differ in their sensitivity to <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> due to differing habitat conditions: Kiel Fjord, Germany (Western Baltic Sea) with naturally strong <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> fluctuations, and the Tjärnö Archipelago, Sweden (Skagerrak) with far lower fluctuations. Over 20 weeks, survival, growth, reproduction and shell strength of Kiel barnacles were all unaffected by elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub>, regardless of food availability. Moulting frequency and shell corrosion increased with increasing <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> in adults. Larval development and juvenile growth of the F1 generation were tolerant to increased <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub>, irrespective of parental treatment. In contrast, elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> had a strong negative impact on survival of Tjärnö barnacles. Specimens from this population were able to withstand moderate levels of elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> over 5 weeks when food was plentiful but showed reduced growth under food limitation. Severe levels of elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> negatively impacted growth of Tjärnö barnacles in both food treatments. We demonstrate a conspicuously higher tolerance to elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> in Kiel barnacles than in Tjärnö barnacles. This tolerance was carried over from adults to their offspring. Our findings indicate that populations from fluctuating <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> environments are more tolerant to elevated <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> than populations from more stable <italic>p</italic>CO<sub>2</sub> habitats. We furthermore provide evidence that energy availability can mediate the ability of barnacles to withstand moderate CO<sub>2</sub> stress. Considering the high tolerance of Kiel specimens and the possibility to adapt over many generations, near future OA alone does not seem to present a major threat for <italic>A. improvisus</italic>.</p> </abstract>