The Effect of Ocean Acidification on Calcifying Organisms in Marine Ecosystems: An Organism-to-Ecosystem Perspective

Abstract

Ocean acidification (OA), a consequence of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, poses a serious threat to marine organisms in tropical, open-ocean, coastal, deep-sea, and high-latitude sea ecosystems. The diversity of taxonomic groups that precipitate calcium carbonate from seawater are at particularly high risk. Here we review the rapidly expanding literature concerning the biological and ecological impacts of OA on calcification, using a cross-scale, process-oriented approach. In comparison to calcification, we find that areas such as fertilization, early life-history stages, and interaction with synergistic stressors are understudied. Although understanding the long-term consequences of OA are critical, available studies are largely short-term experiments that do not allow for tests of long-term acclimatization or adaptation. Future research on the phenotypic plasticity of contemporary organisms and interpretations of performance in the context of current environmental heterogeneity of pCO2 will greatly aid in our understanding of how organisms will respond to OA in the future.

Temperature and CO2additively regulate physiology, morphology and genomic responses of larval sea urchins,Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

“…Global change is a multi-dimensional problem that can affect organisms at many levels of biological organization and at multiple life-history stages [3,7,73]. Here, we present data showing that ocean warming and ocean acidification have additive effects on the performance of larval stages of a keystone species in the CCLME, an ecologically and economically important marine ecosystem already affected by global change.…”

Real-time estimation of pH and aragonite saturation state from Argo profiling floats: Prospects for an autonomous carbon observing strategy

“…While early studies focused on the response to elevated acidity (reduced pH) alone, more recent studies are focused on understanding how natural variability in pH experienced by organisms as well as multiple stressors (e.g., elevated temperature, viral/bacterial infection) at key life history stages may impact acclimation/adaptation capacity [Hofmann et al, 2010]. Values of pH are relevant to calcifying and non-calcifying organisms alike, since many metabolic processes involve acid-base regulation, and the ability to internally regulate pH varies.…”

Effects of ocean acidification on immune responses of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

“…It is estimated that the pH of oceanic surface waters will decrease by 0.14e0.35 pH units by the year 2100 [2,4]. OA may have profound and diverse consequences for marine biodiversity and ecosystem functioning [5,6], and poses a serious threat to marine organisms, especially calcifying organisms such as coral, sea urchin and mollusk [7].…”