The impact of CO2-driven ocean acidification(OA) on early development and calcification in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius cultured in northern Yellow Sea was investigated by comparing fertilization success, early cleavage rate, hatching rate of blastulae, larvae survival rate at 70 h post-fertilization, larval morphology and calcification under present natural seawater condition (pH = 8.00 ± 0.03) and three laboratory-controlled acidified conditions (OA1, △pH = − 0.3 units; OA2, △pH = − 0.4 units; OA3, △pH = − 0.5 units) projected by IPCC for 2100. Results showed that pH decline had no effect on the overall fertilization, however, with decreased pH, delayed early embryonic cleavage, reduced hatching rate of blastulae and four-armed larvae survival rate at 70 h post-fertilization, impaired larval symmetry, shortened larval spicules, and corrosion spicule structure were observed in all OA-treated groups as compared to control, which indicated that CO2-driven OA affected early development and calcification in S. intermedius negatively.
Zhan Y., Hu W., Zhang W., Liu M., Duan L., Huang X., Chang Y. & Li C., in press. The impact of CO2-driven ocean acidification on early development and calcification in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. Marine Pollution Bulletin. Article (subscription required).
