Acidification has sparked discussion about whether regulatory agencies should place coastal waters on the Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired water bodies list. Here we describe scientific challenges in assessing impairment with existing data, exploring use of both pH and biological criteria. Application of pH criteria is challenging because present coastal ...
Exponentially rising CO2 (currently ~400 µatm) is driving climate change and causing acidification of both marine and freshwater environments. CO2 directly affects acid–base and ion regulation, respiratory function and aerobic performance in aquatic animals. Elevated CO2 projected for end of this century (e.g. 800–1000 µatm) can also impact physiology, and have substantial ...
Few studies have evaluated the joint effects of elevated temperature and pCO2 on marine organisms. In this study we investigated the interactive effects of Intergovernmental Panel on Clinate Change predicted temperature and pCO2 for the end of the 21st century on key aspects of larval developm,ent of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, an otherwise well-studied, ...
From 1974 to 1985, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii increased an average of 1.42 parts per million annually.
Appendicularians are free-swimming tunicates that are common in most oceans, coastal waters, and estuaries. They build delicate, gelatinous houses that they use to filter food from the water. This study found that appendicularian abundance increased with ocean acidification, warmer temperatures, and higher nutrient levels. This suggests that appendicularians will play ...
The world’s oceans contain an enormous reservoir of carbon, greater than either the terrestrial or atmospheric systems. The fluxes between these reservoirs are relatively rapid such that the oceans have taken up around 50% of the total carbon dioxide (CO2) released to the atmosphere via fossil fuel emissions and other ...
Copepods produced more eggs in warmer temperatures, but the increase was smaller when copepods were simultaneously exposed to warmer temperature and ocean acidification conditions (lower pH). When pH changed between egg production and hatching, fewer eggs hatched. Warmer egg production temperature induced a positive maternal effect and increased the egg ...
The shell calcification rates of small hard clams in five size classes (0.39, 0.56, 0.78, 0.98, and 2.90 mm shell height) decreased with increasingly severe ocean acidification conditions (pH 8.02, 7.64, and 7.41). Clams in the larger sizes were able to deposit new shell material even under corrosive conditions. However, ...
Thermal sensitivity of spider crabs, as indicated by heart rate, rose under increasing levels of ocean acidification conditions. The results suggest a narrowing of the spider crab's thermal window under moderate increases in ocean acidification. (Laboratory study)
Spider crab larvae developed more slowly, grew less, and lower physiological fitness under increasing levels of ocean acidification conditions. (Laboratory study)
