Behavioural Responses of <i>Crangon crangon</i> (Crustacea, Decapoda) to Reduced Seawater pH Following Simulated Leakage from Sub-Sea Geological Storage

Abstract

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) in sub-sea geological formations is being developed and promoted to mitigate CO 2 discharges to the atmosphere from point sources such as power stations. There remain some questions on the risks associated with the possible loss of gas from storage and the environmental harm this could pose to marine organisms associated with the sea bed in these regions. This study investigated the effect of exposing the common shrimp (Crangon crangon) to reduced pH conditions and presents the results of stepwise pH-reductions (0.2 pH units from pH 7 down to pH 6). Behaviour was monitored continuously throughout 8 hours of exposure. In three subsequent experiments we could show a consistent and repeatable behavioural response pattern consisting of immediate avoidance reactions expressed as "shooting behaviour" following each pH-reduction every hour. The animals responded in a rapid manner to the shifts at all pH values, suggesting that these animals are sensitive to even relatively small changes. The results indicate that repeated acute pH-stress caused by CO 2-leakage from carbon storage sites might affect the behaviour and subsequent fitness of natural populations of common shrimps. Changes in behaviour are likely to lead to increased predation on these animals and migration away from affected areas.

Low pH Water Impairs the Tactile Sense of the Postlarvae of the Giant Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

“…Sudden lowering of the pH causes shock and affects survival and growth of shrimps ( Almut & Bamber 2013 ; Lemonnier et al . 2004 ; Tucker & D’Abrano 2008 ).…”

Low water pH depressed growth and early development of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii larvae

“…Exposure to acidic pH adversely suppressed feed intake (Abbink et al, 2012;Kennedy and Picard, 2012), and resulted in lower growth and survival of crustacean larvae (Tucker and D'Abramo, 2008;Kennedy and Picard, 2012;Almut and Bamber, 2013;Giltz and Taylor, 2017). In previous studies, low water pH depressed foraging sensitivity and feeding performances in PL and juveniles of M. rosenbergii (Kawamura et al, 2018).…”

Rearing European brown shrimp (Crangon crangon, Linnaeus 1758): a review on the current status and perspectives for aquaculture

“…As growth in crustaceans occurs directly after moulting, after which the new shell hardens with the deposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) and magnesium carbonate (MgCO 3 ), deformities of the carapace and extremities could be caused by changes in energy fluxes to maintain homoeostasis, which disrupt the normal deposition of these salts. Particularly, C. crangon seems to be very sensitive to small pH decreases and reacts rapidly with increased avoidance behaviour (Almut & Bamber ).…”