Highlights
- Acidification had a deleterious impact on physiological and biochemical responses.
- Ampelisca altered the age and size of reproductive maturity.
- Antioxidant mechanisms were overcome in predicted acidified conditions.
- The impact on growth had serious consequences on reproductive performance.
- Survival was high in generation F1 than F0 juveniles and vice-versa in growth.
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) has gotten more attention in the marine research community in recent years than any other topic. Excess carbon dioxide makes the ocean more acidic, threatening marine ecosystems. There has been little research on the impact of OA on crustaceans, particularly on their physiological and potential ecosystem-level consequences. Thus, we investigated the impacts of OA on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the estuarine amphipod A. brevicornis. Ovigerous amphipods were harvested from nature and maintained in the laboratory to produce juveniles; which were then further reared to obtain the mature adults (F0) and successive offspring (F1). For this study, four pH treatments (pH 8.1, 7.5, 7.0 and 6.5) mimicking future OA were evaluated to understand the physiological and biochemical effects on the organisms. The findings of this study suggest that A. brevicornis is more vulnerable to OA than was previously established in short-term trials. The survival was significantly reduced as pH decreased over time and a significant interaction between pH and time was observed. Survival was higher in F1 than F0 juveniles and vice-versa in terms of growth. Animal’s physiological responses such as growth, burrowing behaviors, locomotor activity, swimming speed, ventilation rate, and reproductive performances were all negatively influenced by acidification. These physiological characteristics can be linked to the oxidative stress induced by global change conditions because excess free radicals degrade cell functioning, affecting species’ biochemical and physiological performance. These alterations may not only have long-term negative consequences, but they may also have ecological consequences. The results of this study provide baseline information regarding effect of OA on this keystone crustacean that may be useful in simulating the impacts of OA to develop different conceptual models for a better understanding of climate change’s consequences and implications in the future for managing marine ecosystem.
Bhuiyan K. A., Rodríguez B. M., Billah M., Pires A., Freitas R. & Conradi M., 2021. Effects of ocean acidification on the biochemistry, physiology and parental transfer of Ampelisca brevicornis (Costa, 1853). Environmental Pollution: 118549. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118549. Article.
