Biomonitoring acidification using marine gastropods.
David J Marshall1, Ahmed Awad Abdelhady2, Dennis Ting Teck Wah1
1Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam.
The Science of the Total Environment
|September 22, 2019
Summary
Gastropod shells effectively monitor ocean acidification on rocky shores. Shell erosion patterns reveal exposure to corrosive waters, offering a cost-effective early-warning system for coastal acidification.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Environmental Science
- Geochemistry
Background:
- Ocean acidification monitoring relies on data loggers with limited ecosystem coverage.
- Gastropod shells offer a potential alternative for monitoring marine pH changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate gastropod shells as biomonitors for ocean acidification on rocky shores.
- To assess the correlation between shell morphology/erosion and varying pH levels.
Main Methods:
- Collected and analyzed Nerita chamaeleon and Planaxis sulcatus shells from sites with different pH variability.
- Compared shell size, shape, and erosion patterns between high and low pH environments.
- Developed a shell erosion ranking system to differentiate acidified sites.
Main Results:
- Shells from acidified sites (pH 8.6-5.9) were shorter, more globular, and more eroded than those from stable sites (pH 8.6-7.9).
- Nerita chamaeleon and Planaxis sulcatus demonstrated significant differences in shell characteristics reflecting pH exposure.
- The shell erosion ranking system clearly distinguished between acidified and reference sites.
Conclusions:
- Gastropod shells serve as effective biomonitors for ocean acidification in heterogeneous intertidal systems.
- Shell erosion assessment provides a spatially extensive, cost-effective early-warning signal for coastal acidification.
- This biomonitoring approach is suitable for citizen science initiatives to track acidification levels.
