Ocean acidification increases the accumulation of toxic phenolic compounds across trophic levels.
Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations are causing ocean acidification (OA), altering carbonate chemistry with consequences for marine organisms. Here we show that OA increases by 46-212% the production of phenolic compounds in phytoplankton grown under the elevated CO2 concentrations projected for the end of this century, compared with the ambient CO2 level. At the same time, mitochondrial respiration rate is enhanced under elevated CO2 concentrations by 130-160% in a single species or mixed phytoplankton assemblage. When fed with phytoplankton cells grown under OA, zooplankton assemblages have significantly higher phenolic compound content, by about 28-48%. The functional consequences of the increased accumulation of toxic phenolic compounds in primary and secondary producers have the potential to have profound consequences for marine ecosystem and seafood quality, with the possibility that fishery industries could be influenced as a result of progressive ocean changes.
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Peng
P
Jin
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Tifeng
T
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Nana
N
Liu
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 566 Kristineberg, Fiskebäckskil 45178, Sweden.
Sam
S
Dupont
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
John
J
Beardall
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and Antarctic Climate &Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7005, Australia.
Philip W
PW
Boyd
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Ulf
U
Riebesell
State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Kunshan
K
Gao
D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D019800:Phenol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D010839:Phytoplankton / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D019800:Phenol