High atmospheric carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels are responsible for rapid climate change. After reaching the ocean, the atmospheric carbon undergoes a chain of reactions and ultimately alters the chemistry of the ocean. The current trend is that pH levels are slowly decreasing resulting in a more acidic ocean. Research has focused on the effects of ocean acidification on marine calcifiers, as they will be directly impacted through the dissolution of their carbonate shells or skeleton. However, fish seem to be threatened by the disruption of their olfactory system. Olfaction is essential to many fish species as it allows them to navigate, find food, find mates for reproduction, find their habitats and avoid predators. Therefore, any impairment of the olfactory system could have serious consequences on an individual’s fitness and survival and have cascading effects at the ecosystem level. This essay discussed and reviewed the relevant literature focusing on answering the following research question: What are the mechanisms and the effects of ocean acidification on the olfactory system of fish and how can these effects be mitigated? This was done by answering the following three sub-questions: (a) What are the physiological mechanisms of ocean acidification on the olfaction of fish? (b) What are the sensory and behavioural effects caused by ocean acidification? (c) How can fish mitigate the effects of ocean acidification on their olfactory system?
Martin-Podevin L., 2023. The effects of ocean acidification on the olfactory system of fish. MSc thesis, University of Groningen, 20 p. Thesis.