Featured Science Paper
Ocean acidification does not impact shell growth and repair in the Antarctic brachiopod Liothyrella uva (Broderip, 1833)
Over the past 250 years, increased carbon dioxide levels as a result of human activities have caused our oceans to become warmer and more acidic. Marine organisms that produce a shell or a skeleton are the most vulnerable to ocean acidification as this process causes a reduction in shell-building ions, which will make shell production more difficult. The fastest rates of change in ocean chemistry are expected to occur in the Southern Ocean as carbon dioxide is more soluble in cold water. Brachiopods are one of the best groups for studying ocean acidification impacts on animals because they have a large external shell. The Antarctic brachiopod is highly important where Antarctic communities are protected from sea ice as they provide a habitat for a wide range of other animals. Long-term ocean acidification research is crucial to understand the capability of animals to succeed under changing environmental conditions, however, limited studies exist particularly on brachiopods.
The shell is essential to the existence of the Antarctic brachiopod as it provides protection from predators and prevents any encounters with harmful substances and loss of bodily fluids. Any negative environmental impact on the production, maintenance and/or repair of the shell could thus prove fatal. Therefore, the present study investigated how the shell growth rate and the ability to repair shell following damage in the Antarctic brachiopod were affected by future ocean acidification and temperature conditions after seven months exposure. We found that shell repair was not affected by acidified conditions or temperature. Growth rate was also not impacted by ocean acidification but elevated temperature increased growth rates. The ability of the Antarctic brachiopod to continue and even increase shell production in warmer and acidified sea-water suggests that this species can cope with these future environmental conditions.
Link to the full paper in the NERC Open Research Archive
Authors
Cross, Emma L.; Peck, Lloyd S.; Harper, Elizabeth M.. 2015
Publication
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 462. 29-35
