title: Decreased pH does not alter metamorphosis but compromises juvenile calcification of the tube wormHydroides elegans.
abstract: Using CO2perturbation experiments, we examined the pre- and post-settlement growth responses of a dominant biofouling tubeworm (Hydroides elegans) to a range of pH. In three different experiments, embryos were reared to, or past, metamorphosis in seawater equilibrated to CO2values of about 480 (control), 980, 1,480, and 2,300 μatm resulting in pH values of around 8.1 (control), 7.9, 7.7, and 7.5, respectively. These three decreased pH conditions did not affect either embryo or larval development, but both larval calcification at the time of metamorphosis and early juvenile growth were adversely affected. During the 24-h settlement assay experiment, half of the metamorphosed larvae were unable to calcify tubes at pH 7.9 while almost no tubes were calcified at pH 7.7. Decreased ability to calcify at decreased pH may indicate that these calcifying tubeworms may be one of the highly threatened species in the future ocean.
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Ackley C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Vera B S
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Vengatesen
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Thiyagarajan