Highlights
- Impacts of seawater acidification on different sexes of Strongylocentrotus intermedius were investigated.
- Specific growth rate and the numbers of mature gametes were measured.
- A comparative metabolomics analysis was performed.
- Sex-specific significantly differentially expressed metabolites were identified and annotated.
- Male S. intermedius may be more sensitive than females in coping with seawater acidification.
Abstract
Responses of different sexes of farmed Strongylocentrotus intermedius to chronic CO2-induced seawater acidification were investigated in 120-day lab-based experiments. Four experimental groups were set up as one control group and three seawater acidification groups. The results showed that 1) Specific growth rate and the numbers of mature gamete cells declined in a pH-dependent way in both sexes of adult S. intermedius. 2) There were differences in SDMs identified in females and males reared in acidified seawater reflecting sex-specific response variation in adult S. intermedius. 3) The number of altered metabolic pathways exhibited a linear increasing trend as seawater pH declined in both sexes of adult S. intermedius. Meanwhile seawater acidification might affect metabolic processes via changing the relative expression and activity of key enzymes controlling the corresponding metabolic pathways of adult S. intermedius.
Cui D., Liu L., Zhao T., Zhan Y., Song J., Zhang W., Yin D. & Chang Y., 2022. Responses of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) with different sexes to CO2-induced seawater acidification: histology, physiology, and metabolomics. Marine Pollution Bulletin 178: 113606. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113606. Article (subscription required).
