This laboratory study reports some reproductive responses of the copepod Acartia bifilosa to rapid variations in pH. The imposed changes mimic those that copepods could experience due to coastal upwelling, changed mixing conditions or vertical migration. We measured effects of low pH on egg production, hatching and early nauplii development (H0: no effects on response variables between low and ambient pH). On treatment with low pH, we found positive effects on egg production rate and nauplii development time. The positive response to low pH could be an initial stress response or show that A. bifilosa is tolerant to the experimental pH values. The result suggests that A. bifilosa is adapted to pH changes as it performs daily migrations between the depths with differing pH. It could also be advantageous for population development if eggs hatch at high speed and so reduce the possibility that they will sink into anoxic and low pH waters.
Engström-Öst J., Holmborn T., Brutemar A., Hogfors H., Vehmaa A. & Gorokhova E., in press. The effects of short-term pH decrease on the reproductive output of the copepod Acartia bifilosa – a laboratory study. Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology. Article (subscription required).
