Decreases in pH from effluent had a devastating but reversible impact on the coastal plankton communities

An event of releasing untreated effluent caused serious decreases in surface seawater pH from 8.1 to lower than 7.5 in seven years and increased back to prior levels after 15 years. It gives us a rare natural experiment to examine the impacts of decreases in pH on the marine plankton communities (phytoplanktons, zooplanktons, shrimp larvae, crab larvae, fish eggs, and larvae) in the natural environment. Observed decreases in pH had a nonlinear effect ubiquitous on all plankton groups, leading to a reduction of approximately 50 % in their density and abundance compared to the level at pH 8.1. Non-linear responses of planktons implied the existence of specific groups more robust to decreases in pH. As pH bounced back to normal levels, the density and abundance of the plankton communities also recovered, further indicating that the negative impacts of decreases in pH on the marine plankton communities were reversible.