title: Tropical CO2seeps reveal the impact of ocean acidification on coral reef invertebrate recruitment.
abstract: Rising atmospheric CO2concentrations are causing ocean acidification by reducing seawater pH and carbonate saturation levels. Laboratory studies have demonstrated that many larval and juvenile marine invertebrates are vulnerable to these changes in surface ocean chemistry, but challenges remain in predicting effects at community and ecosystem levels. We investigated the effect of ocean acidification on invertebrate recruitment at two coral reef CO2seeps in Papua New Guinea. Invertebrate communities differed significantly between 'reference' (median pH7.97, 8.00), 'high CO2' (median pH7.77, 7.79), and 'extreme CO2' (median pH7.32, 7.68) conditions at each reef. There were also significant reductions in calcifying taxa, copepods and amphipods as CO2levels increased. The observed shifts in recruitment were comparable to those previously described in the Mediterranean, revealing an ecological mechanism by which shallow coastal systems are affected by near-future levels of ocean acidification.
authors.affiliation: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
authors.forename: Ro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foggo
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fabricius
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, CoNiSMa, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 28, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balistreri
authors.affiliation: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK; Shimoda Marine Research Centre, Tsukuba University, Shimoda City, Shizuoka 415-0025, Japan. Electronic address: jhall-spencer@plymouth.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hall-Spencer
mesh_terms: D033304:Amphipoda / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D033342:Copepoda / Q000502:physiology; D057894:Coral Reefs; D064308:Ecological Parameter Monitoring; D017753:Ecosystem; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000502:physiology*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014329:Tropical Climate
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: CO(2) seeps; Coastal habitats; Marine communities; Marine invertebrates; Pacific Ocean; Settlement