Ocean acidification

Stylophora subseriata. Credit: Ratha Grimes

The acidification of the oceans is recorded in the crystals of coral skeletons. This is a new tool for studying past environmental changes and combating climate change. Such is the main conclusion of a study led by the Spanish scientist Ismael Coronado Vila, from the Institute of Paleobiology in Warsaw (Poland).

Continue reading ‘Coral skeleton crystals record ocean acidification’

Coral reefs go through many challenges to their survival, together with the global acidification of seawater because of rising carbon dioxide ranges within the ambiance. A brand new research led by scientists at UC Santa Cruz reveals that at least three Caribbean coral species can survive and develop beneath situations of ocean acidification extra extreme than these anticipated to happen throughout this century, though the density of their skeletons was decrease than regular.

The examine took benefit of the weird seawater chemistry discovered naturally at websites alongside the Caribbean shoreline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, the place water discharging from submarine springs has decrease pH than the encompassing seawater, with lowered availability of the carbonate ions corals must construct their calcium carbonate skeletons.

Continue reading ‘Acidic ocean conditions decreases the skeleton density of corals’

A team of researchers from the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn have found that the Hippolyte inermis shrimp, when raised on marine algae grown in acidic water, do not undergo the necessary sex change that is pertinent to their reproductive cycle.

As published in PLOS ONE, H. inermis shrimp has two breeding seasons each year. Some males born in the spring rapidly develop into females with eggs in order to breed come fall. This sex change happens when male endocrine cells die as a result of the shrimp eating a bioactive compound produced by micro algae (Cocconeis scutellum parva) in the springtime.

Continue reading ‘Ocean acidification impairs shrimp’s ability to change sex’

Photo Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Shrimp fed on marine algae grown in acidic water do not undergo a sex change that is a characteristic part of their reproductive life-cycle, report Mirko Mutalipassi and colleagues at Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Italy in a study publishing June 26 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

The marine shrimp Hippolyte inermis lives in coastal meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica and it has two breeding seasons a year, with some males born in spring developing rapidly and turning into females that produce eggs the following autumn. This sex change depends on a bioactive compound produced by microalgae present in their spring diet (Cocconeis scutellum parva) that triggers male endocrine cells to die. To investigate the impact of ocean acidification on this unusual reproductive cycle, the researchers fed shrimp on algae grown in waters at either pH 8.2 representing current conditions, or pH 7.7 representing forecasted levels of ocean acidity by 2100.

Continue reading ‘Ocean acidification boosts algal growth but impairs ecological relationships’

Researchers transplanted coral fragments to sites with low-pH conditions similar those expected with future ocean acidification, then monitored their survival and growth. This photo shows the control site at the start of the experiment. (Photo courtesy of Donald Potts)

Coral reefs face many challenges to their survival, including the global acidification of seawater as a result of rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. A new study led by scientists at UC Santa Cruz shows that at least three Caribbean coral species can survive and grow under conditions of ocean acidification more severe than those expected to occur during this century, although the density of their skeletons was lower than normal.

The study took advantage of the unusual seawater chemistry found naturally at sites along the Caribbean coastline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, where water discharging from submarine springs has lower pH than the surrounding seawater, with reduced availability of the carbonate ions corals need to build their calcium carbonate skeletons.

Continue reading ‘Corals can survive in acidified ocean conditions, but have lower density skeletons’

Ocean acidification can confuse how a clownfish reacts to predators.
 V. ALTOUNIAN/SCIENCE

…

An 11-day-old clownfish, pale orange and about as long as a grain of rice, searches for a place to settle down on a reef. Its keen sense of smell helps it both navigate to a safe home and steer away from the mouths of predators.

In the wild, clownfish inhabit living coral reefs. But in behavioral ecologist Danielle Dixson’s laboratory at the University of Delaware in Lewes, the habitats beckoning the fish are made mostly of wires. Dixson will use the experimental setup to study how ocean acidification could alter how fish perceive and respond to their world.

Continue reading ‘A growing sensory smog threatens the ability of fish to communicate, navigate, and survive’

While the world is thinking about ways to fight ocean acidification and reduce the concentration of carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere to fight climate change, some marine animals may be able to survive even under the most cruel conditions in the ocean. That said, a new study has found that even in the worst-case ocean acidification scenario, carbon dioxide could actually help squid thrive.

According to new research conducted by Dr Blake Spady at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) at James Cook University, the squid live on the edge of their environmental oxygen limitations because of their swimming technique that demands a lot of energy. Because of this, scientists expected that they would have a lot of difficulties surviving in this scenario, as the carbon dioxide concentrations continue to grow in the ocean water.

Continue reading ‘Climate change and carbon dioxide may help squid thrive’