Ocean acidification may increase calcification rates, but at a cost

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Oceanography
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Ocean acidification, driven by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide absorption, lowers ocean pH.
• Existing research indicates ocean acidification negatively impacts calcification and metabolism in marine organisms.
• The long-term biological consequences of ocean acidification remain a critical area of study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physiological responses of the brittlestar Amphiura filiformis to ocean acidification.
• To determine if calcifying organisms can adapt to increased seawater acidity.
• To assess the sustainability of adaptive responses to ocean acidification.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the brittlestar Amphiura filiformis as a model organism for calcification studies.
• Exposed the organism to acidified seawater conditions simulating ocean acidification.
• Monitored and measured key biological processes including metabolism and calcification rates.

Main Results:

• The brittlestar Amphiura filiformis demonstrated an increased rate of metabolism and calcification in acidified seawater.
• This upregulation of biological processes served as a compensatory mechanism against increased acidity.
• A significant cost associated with this adaptation was observed in the form of muscle wastage.

Conclusions:

• Some marine calcifying organisms possess the ability to upregulate biological processes to cope with ocean acidification.
• The observed adaptive response, while initially effective, leads to detrimental physiological costs like muscle loss.
• The findings suggest that such adaptations are unlikely to be sustainable for marine organisms in the long term under continued ocean acidification.