Ocean acidification

Review of Ocean Acidification, edited by J.-P. Gattuso and L. Hansson

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:38:48 +0000

This new book edited by Jean-Pierre Gattuso and Lina Hansson is a timely, interdisciplinary look at the phenomenon of ocean acidification, which refers broadly to changes in seawater chemistry caused by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and the resulting effects on marine life and biogeochemistry. Atmospheric CO2 has increased almost 40% above pre-industrial levels, and the ocean removes roughly a quarter of current human CO2 emissions, driven mostly by the burning of fossil fuels. The topic of ocean acidification was brought to wide attention of the research community only recently with the publication of an influential Royal Society report in 2005. Since then, the scientific literature on acidification has virtually exploded, and targeted national and international research programs are blossoming. While many useful review articles, planning documents, and special volumes exist on the subject, a good example being the Oceanography special issue on “The Future of Ocean Biogeochemistry in a High CO2 World” (volume 22[4], December 2009, http://www.tos.org/oceanography/archive/22-4.html), until the publication of this book, the community lacked a single, authoritative source spanning the full disciplinary breadth of the topic.

Doney S.C., 2012. Review of Ocean Acidification, edited by J.-P. Gattuso and L. Hansson. Oceanography 25(1):301–30. Article.

Effects of ocean acidification on statolith calcification and prey capture in early life cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:31:04 +0000

The inﬂuence of elevated seawater pCO2 on statolith calciﬁcation and prey capture was investigated in the early life stages of the common cuttleﬁsh, Sepia ofﬁcinalis. Cuttleﬁsh were reared at 15°C and 35 psu in a ﬂow-through seawater system under three pCO2 conditions, 700 µatm (control), 1400 µatm , and 4000 µatm during 63 days in June to August 2009. Both, embryonic and hatchling cuttleﬁsh raised under 4000 µatm showed signiﬁcantly reduced statolith calciﬁcation, whereas those grown under control and 1400 µatm did not. Reduced calciﬁcation was demonstrated by comparing 18 transects characterizing the anterior surface of the statoliths. The statolith morphometrics that showed the most remarkable changes between the different pCO2 conditions were total statolith length, rostrum transects, wing area and statolith weight. Statolith microstructure was signiﬁcantly affected by irregularly arranged statoconia, which were typical in the statolith wing area, replacing the highly compact and well-arranged crystals in normal growing statoliths. This abnormal crystal structure can have profound effects on statolith density and consequently on its normal functioning as a tool for buoyancy, acceleration and movement. Changes in statolith morphology and microstructure may inﬂuence the prey capture efﬁciency of the early life cuttleﬁsh. At 4000 µatm they showed a reduced ability to capture prey and were not able to successfully launch attacks against prey organisms. In order to verify these observations, a second experiment was conducted over 85 days in May to August 2010. Preliminary results showed that statolith morphology and microstructure differed again in the 4000 µatm group. On the other hand, prey capture ability of the hatchlings showed recovery during the experiment, indicating a possible acclimation.

Maneja R. H., Piatkowski U., & Melzner F., 2011. Effects of ocean acidification on statolith calcification and prey capture in early life cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis. Journal of Shellfish Research 30(3):1011. Abstracts of Contributions Presented at EuroCeph 2011 “Cephalopod Biology Research in the 21st Century—A European Perspective”. Abstracts.

Biochemical responses of the copepod Centropages tenuiremis to CO2-driven acidified seawater

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:52:27 +0000

An ecophysiological experiment was conducted to examine the biochemical effects of acidified seawater containing elevated concentration of CO₂ (C_CO2 0.08, 0.20, 0.50 and 1.00%) on the copepod Centropages tenuiremis. AchE, ATPase, SOD, GPx, GST, GSH level and GSH/GSSG ratio of the copepod were analyzed. The results showed that elevated C_CO2 and the duration of culture time significantly influenced several biochemical indices in C. tenuiremis (ATPase, GPx, GST, GSH and SOD). Furthermore, the principal component analysis results indicated that 72.32% of the overall variance was explained by the first three principal components (GPx, SOD and GSH). Changes in GPx and GSH levels may play a significant role in the antioxidant defense of copepods against seawater acidification. The long-term response of copepods to seawater acidification and the synergistic effects of acidification with other environmental factors, such as temperature, salinity and trace metal need further investigation.

Zhang D., Li S., Wang G., Guo D., Xing K., & Zhang S., 2012. Biochemical responses of the copepod Centropages tenuiremis to CO2-driven acidified seawater. Water Science & Technology 65(1):30-37. Article (subscription reqired).

Conditions of Mytilus edulis extracellular body fluids and shell composition in a pH-treatment experiment: Acid-base status, trace elements and δ11B

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:48:49 +0000

Mytilus edulis were cultured for 3 months under six different seawater pCO₂ levels ranging from 380 to 4000 μatm. Specimen were taken from Kiel Fjord (Western Baltic Sea, Germany) which is a habitat with high and variable seawater pCO₂ and related shifts in carbonate system speciation (e.g., low pH and low CaCO₃ saturation state). Hemolymph (HL) and extrapallial fluid (EPF) samples were analyzed for pH and total dissolved inorganic carbon (C_T) to calculate pCO₂ and [HCO₃⁻]. A second experiment was conducted for 2 months with three different pCO₂ levels (380, 1400 and 4000 μatm). Boron isotopes (δ¹¹B) were investigated by LA-MC-ICP-MS (Laser Ablation–Multicollector–Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry) in shell portions precipitated during experimental treatment time. Additionally, elemental ratios (B/Ca, Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca) in the EPF of specimen from the second experiment were measured via ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry). Extracellular pH was not significantly different in HL and EPF but systematically lower than ambient water pH. This is due to high extracellular pCO₂ values, a prerequisite for metabolic CO₂ excretion. No accumulation of extracellular [HCO₃⁻] was measured. Elemental ratios (B/Ca, Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca) in the EPF increased slightly with pH which is in accordance with increasing growth and calcification rates at higher seawater pH values. Boron isotope ratios were highly variable between different individuals but also within single shells. This corresponds to a high individual variability in fluid B/Ca ratios and may be due to high boron concentrations in the organic parts of the shell. The mean δ¹¹B value shows no trend with pH but appears to represent internal pH (EPF) rather than ambient water pH.

Heinemann A., Fietzke J., Melzner F., Böhm F., Thomsen J., Garbe-Schönberg D., & Eisenhauer A., 2012. Conditions of Mytilus edulis extracellular body fluids and shell composition in a pH-treatment experiment: Acid-base status, trace elements and δ¹¹B. Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 13:Q01005. Article (subscription required).

State High teacher leaving for Antarctic

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:40:59 +0000

Today, a local high school counselor will leave the friendly confines of State College for the frozen expanses of Antarctica.

Nell Herrmann, a State College Area High School learning enrichment specialist, will journey to the continent to collaborate with scientists from around the country with the environmental outreach program, PolarTREC.

Herrmann has been paired with Charles Amsler, a marine biologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Together they will study ocean acidification, and the effect of changing pH levels in the ocean on surrounding organisms.

“The project has to deal with how fossil fuel emissions since the industrial revolution have put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and that has combined with ocean water to form carbonic acid,” Herrmann said. “That whole process is really detrimental to a bunch of marine organisms, including any that need calcium carbonate to build skeletons. For example, clams, mussels, sea urchins, and sea stars are all affected.”

An essential aspect of Herrmann’s trip is outreach and awareness. PolarTREC, managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States and funded by the National Science Foundation, couples teachers with researchers to advance the general public’s knowledge of polar sciences.

Herrmann is one of only 12 U.S. teachers to be selected.

“I’m really excited to share with people about what I’ve learned about ocean acidification and polar science in general,” she said. “I think there are a lot of exciting things going on in the polar sciences that people don’t know about.”

As part of her outreach, Herrmann will keep a daily online journal of her experiences and findings while in Antarctica. The journal is available on PolarTREC’s website, www.polartrec.com. Additionally, State High’s Polar Ambassadors club has worked with Herrmann to further help spread awareness. The 20-member group has, among other outreach endeavors, visited local elementary schools to teach younger students the basics of ocean acidification.

During her five-month stay in Antarctica, Herrmann will gather field samples, often from the surrounding ocean, and then conduct research at on-site labs. At night, she will upload pictures and journal entries onto PolarTREC’s website.

She will stay in Palmer Station, the smallest of three U.S. research facilities in the Antarctic. The population of the station is rarely more than 40 people, even in the summer, as it is now, when temperatures hover near 40 degrees.

“I’ll get to meet other scientists at Palmer Station,” said Herrmann. “We can talk about our own scientific projects. It’s its own scientific community.”

She will need to take four planes and a four-day boat ride through the Drake Passage to reach the station.

Her journey will end, back in State College, on March 15.

Ben Berkman is a State College Area High School student and this year’s recipient of the Bill Welch Journalism Award.

Ben Berkman, Centre Daily Times, 9 February 2012. Article.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2012/02/09/3083686/state-high-teacher-leaving-for.html#storylink=cpy

Still open: Marine zoology and ocean acidification quarter @ UW’s Friday Harbor Labs

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:38:25 +0000

Friday Harbor Labs (FHL) has extended their deadline for the Spring quarter Marine Zoology, Botany and Ocean Acidification Quarter. Consider studying off-campus this spring at FHL , UW’s world renowned marine station on San Juan Island. FHL is an ideal place to jump-start a career in the marine sciences, education, medicine, law and policy, and more!

Marine Zoology, Botany, and Ocean Acidification Quarter

Students live at the FHL dorms and take from 14-16 credits from this list of courses:

Marine Zoology (BIOL 430) plus Marine Botany (BIOL 445)
Developmental Biology (BIOL 411)
Chemical Oceanography (OCEAN 400)
Climate Change and Coastal Marine Organisms Apprenticeship (BIOL 479).
Ocean Acidification Research Apprenticeship (OCEAN 479)

All courses include lecture, laboratory, and field components that:

Survey the groups of marine invertebrates and plants represented in the San Juan Archipelago
Study embryology and subsequent development of vertebrate and invertebrate animals, including Xenopus, mammals, chicks, Drosophila, echinoderms.
Explore what controls the composition of seawater and how humans are changing it.

In addition, the two research apprenticeships connect students with current research projects that focus on the effects of climate change on individual marine organisms and their communities.

Read about a student’s experience in the Marine Zoology & Botany Quarter.

Application Deadline: remains open until program fills
All UW students are invited to apply

Let me know if you have questions!
Emily
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emily Beyer
Marine Biology Minor Advisor
Biology/Oceanography/SAFS
116 FSH, Box 355020
Office Hours
marbiol; 206.543.7426

Emily Beyer, UW Scool of Environmental and Forest Sciences, 8 February 2012. Article.

Effects of ocean acidification on learning in coral reef fishes

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:48:44 +0000

Ocean acidification has the potential to cause dramatic changes in marine ecosystems. Larval damselfish exposed to concentrations of CO₂ predicted to occur in the mid- to late-century show maladaptive responses to predator cues. However, there is considerable variation both within and between species in CO₂ effects, whereby some individuals are unaffected at particular CO₂ concentrations while others show maladaptive responses to predator odour. Our goal was to test whether learning via chemical or visual information would be impaired by ocean acidification and ultimately, whether learning can mitigate the effects of ocean acidification by restoring the appropriate responses of prey to predators. Using two highly efficient and widespread mechanisms for predator learning, we compared the behaviour of pre-settlement damselfish Pomacentrus amboinensis that were exposed to 440 µatm CO₂ (current day levels) or 850 µatm CO₂, a concentration predicted to occur in the ocean before the end of this century. We found that, regardless of the method of learning, damselfish exposed to elevated CO₂ failed to learn to respond appropriately to a common predator, the dottyback, Pseudochromis fuscus. To determine whether the lack of response was due to a failure in learning or rather a short-term shift in trade-offs preventing the fish from displaying overt antipredator responses, we conditioned 440 or 700 µatm-CO₂ fish to learn to recognize a dottyback as a predator using injured conspecific cues, as in Experiment 1. When tested one day post-conditioning, CO₂ exposed fish failed to respond to predator odour. When tested 5 days post-conditioning, CO₂ exposed fish still failed to show an antipredator response to the dottyback odour, despite the fact that both control and CO₂-treated fish responded to a general risk cue (injured conspecific cues). These results indicate that exposure to CO₂ may alter the cognitive ability of juvenile fish and render learning ineffective.

Ferrari M. C. O., Manassa R. P., Dixson D. L., Munday P. L., McCormick M. I., Meekan M. G., Sih A., & Chivers D. P., 2012. Effects of ocean acidification on learning in coral reef fishes. PLoS ONE 7(2): e31478. Article.

Post doctoral researcher – ocean acidification effects on Arctic marine zooplankton

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:44:49 +0000

This position has not been filled and is being re-advertised.

The Institute of Marine Research (IMR) has a 3 year position as postdoctoral researcher on the effect of ocean acidification on marine zooplankton, with special emphasis on krill. The position is located in Bergen and the successful candidate will be a part of the Plankton research group.

Because of the increased solubility of CO₂ in cold water, polar oceans are likely to be among the first marine environments to exhibit the effect of increased acidity (OA). The scenario of increased OA and global warming are expected to affect marine organisms in the Polar Regions and thus the structure and function of the ecosystem. In order to unravel these effects, the Institute of Marine Research will carry out laboratory experiments at Austevoll and Matre research stations, just outside Bergen, Norway.

We seek a postdoctoral researcher who will lead and conduct much of the practical work related to OA experiments on marine zooplankton with special emphasis on krill. The candidate should have academic qualification (PhD or equivalent experience) in crustacean/zooplankton ecology and have experience in conducting experimental studies, with special emphasis on rearing juvenile zooplankton. Competence on chemical analysis and calculation of seawater carbon chemistry is an essential part of OA experiments, and is also desired for this position.

The vacant position will be at the “plankton group”, placed within the Climate-fish research program at the IMR. In addition to the practical work related to the experiments, the candidate is expected to publish the findings in international peer reviewed journals, and also to strengthen national and international collaborative research activities on this field and help us resolve some key questions related to impact of elevated acidification on zooplankton, with special emphasis on krill.

We can offer:

a challenging and creative work environment
to work in a national institute with extensive international cooperation
a friendly and supportive work environment
flexible work hours, excellent benefit schemes and a competitive salary

For more information, please contact the group leader; Petter Fossum: petterf@imr.no, 0047 55 23 86 33 or visit our website www.imr.no

IMR is an IA-organisation that is committed to promote diversity and encourages all qualified candidates to apply. With reference to our equality act; in male dominated positions women are encouraged to apply and men are encouraged to apply in female-dominated departments.

Please note that information about applicants may be published even if the applicant has requested to be exempted from the list of applicants. Applicants will in those cases be notified in advance.

If you like to apply for this position you will need to submit your application electronically at http://www.jobbnorge.no/job.aspx?jobid=80890. Please remember to attach copies of relevant documents; CV, academic certificates/transcripts, references and list of publications.

Fixed term research assistant position at Swansea University

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:55:15 +0000

College of Science
Post Reference: 6114
Salary scale: £26,779 to £28,401 per annum (pro rata if part time).
Closing Date: 10 Feb 2012

Description:
Applicants are invited for the position of Fixed Tem Research Assistant in the College of Science, Biosciences reference 6114.

The post holder will assist in experimental investigations into the effects of seawater acidity and temperature changes on early developmental stages of commercially important species of marine finfish, crustaceans and bivalve molluscs, as a participant in the UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme ( http://www.oceanacidification.org.uk/).

Applicants will be educated to postgraduate degree level in a relevant biological science with a PhD being desirable. Prior research experience with early developmental stages of marine fish, crustaceans or bivalve molluscs and a good knowledge of physico-chemical variables on the physiology of marine organisms are essential for this role.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Dr Robin Shields (r.j.shields@swansea.ac.uk) or Professor Kevin Flynn (k.j.flynn@swansea.ac.uk).

Swansea University, Job description and application.

Global habitat suitability of cold-water octocorals

Anne-Marin Nisumaa — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:35:12 +0000

Aim Three-quarters of Octocorallia species are found in deep waters. These cold-water octocoral colonies can form a major constituent of structurally complex habitats. The global distribution and the habitat requirements of deep-sea octocorals are poorly understood given the expense and difficulties of sampling at depth. Habitat suitability models are useful tools to extrapolate distributions and provide an understanding of ecological requirements. Here, we present global habitat suitability models and distribution maps for seven suborders of Octocorallia: Alcyoniina, Calcaxonia, Holaxonia, Scleraxonia, Sessiliflorae, Stolonifera and Subselliflorae.

Location Global.

Methods We use maximum entropy modelling to predict octocoral distribution using a database of 12,508 geolocated octocoral specimens and 32 environmental grids resampled to 30 arc-second (approximately 1 km²) resolution. Additionally, a meta-analysis determined habitat preferences and niche overlap between the different suborders of octocorals.

Results Suborder Sessiliflorae had the widest potential habitat range, but all records for all suborders implied a habitat preference for continental shelves and margins, particularly the North and West Atlantic and Western Pacific Rim. Temperature, salinity, broad scale slope, productivity, oxygen and calcite saturation state were identified as important factors for determining habitat suitability. Less than 3% of octocoral records were found in waters undersaturated for calcite, but this result is affected by a shallow-water sampling bias.

Main conclusions The logistical difficulties, expense and vast areas associated with deep-sea sampling leads to a gap in the knowledge of faunal distributions that is difficult to fill without predictive modelling. Global distribution estimates are presented, highlighting many suitable areas which have yet to be studied. We suggest that approximately 17% of oceans are suitable for at least one suborder but 3.5% may be suitable for all seven. This is the first global habitat suitability modelling study on the distribution of octocorals and forms a useful resource for researchers, managers and conservationists.

Yesson C., Taylor M. L., Tittensor D. P., Davies A. J., Guinotte J., Baco A., Black J., Hall-Spencer J., & Rogers A. D., in press. Global habitat suitability of cold-water octocorals. Journal of Biogeography doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02681.x. Article (subscription required).