Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James J. Bell, Megan Shaffer, Heidi M. Luter, Ralph Mana, Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa
Summary: Sponges, as major components of benthic communities, have been identified as potential winners on coral reefs in the face of global climate change. However, our study found that photosymbiont-containing sponges may not have increased productivity under ocean acidification (OA), but they are able to offset increased metabolic costs associated with climate change by showing flexibility in their relationships with microbes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Francesca Strano, Valerio Micaroni, Simon K. Davy, Lisa Woods, James J. Bell
Summary: This study assessed the effects of future thermal conditions on a temperate sponge species and found that marine heatwaves will significantly impact its physiology, morphology, and recruitment. However, the sponge is likely to persist in warmer oceans.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ericka O. C. Coni, Ivan Nagelkerken, Camilo M. Ferreira, Sean D. Connell, David J. Booth
Summary: Climate warming is shifting temperate zones towards becoming more tropical, but ocean acidification may reduce sea urchin populations and the formation of sea urchin barrens, thus buffering the tropicalization process.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Victoria J. Cole, Laura M. Parker, Elliot Scanes, John Wright, Lauren Barnett, Pauline M. Ross
Summary: This study demonstrates that climate-driven changes from one mussel species to another can have significant impacts on infaunal communities, with elevated pCO2 and warming affecting the growth of native versus introduced mussels, as well as influencing infaunal colonization patterns.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. E. Cryer, C. Schlosser, N. Allison
Summary: The decrease in ocean pH and the presence of dissolved copper have negative impacts on the calcification, photosynthesis, and respiration of the tropical Stylophora pistillata coral. The effects are amplified when both stressors are combined.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lucia De Marchi, Monia Renzi, Serena Anselmi, Carlo Pretti, Elisa Guazzelli, Elisa Martinelli, Alessia Cuccaro, Matteo Oliva, Michele Magri, Fabio Bulleri
Summary: This study assessed the uptake of polyethylene microplastics (MPs) by Mediterranean sponges and their effects on key biological processes. The results revealed that the time of exposure is a key factor influencing the toxicity of MPs in sponges, and sponges may serve as potential bioindicators for MP pollution.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Eleanor Simpson, Debby Ianson, Karen E. Kohfeld
Summary: This study measured the carbonate system in two temperate estuaries, one isolated and the other well-connected, between 2015 and 2018. The results showed that winter conditions were estimated within the range of observational uncertainty. However, spring-summer primary productivity elevated pH and mineral saturation states above theoretical lines, beyond uncertainty. The study also found that both estuaries were sensitive in winter and likely to experience rapid pH changes with increased inorganic carbon inputs.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Angus Mitchell, David J. Booth, Ivan Nagelkerken
Summary: The study found that ocean acidification reduced shoal cohesion, with mixed-species shoals showing lower cohesion than temperate-only shoals under climate stressors. Tropical fish became bolder under ocean acidification, while temperate fish became bolder with increasing temperature, but ocean acidification dampened the boldness of temperate fish.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Davide Spatafora, Federico Quattrocchi, Carlo Cattano, Fabio Badalamenti, Marco Milazzo
Summary: The study found that nesting male ocellated wrasse in locations with different CO2 concentrations exhibited different behaviors. At high CO2 sites, there was a significant reduction in parental care behavior and guarding activity, with a shift in time allocation towards courting and exploring. This suggests that behavioral plasticity may help buffer the effects of environmental change, with a reallocation of the time budget between key behaviors playing a crucial role.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rachael M. Heuer, Yadong Wang, Christina Pasparakis, Wenlong Zhang, Vernon Scholey, Daniel Margulies, Martin Grosell
Summary: This study discovered that exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) did not significantly impact the metabolic rate, yolk sac depletion, or oil globule depletion of yellowfin tuna embryos. However, there was a significant decrease in metabolic rate during the latest stage of yolk sac larvae. CO2 exposure led to an increase in nitrogenous waste excretion in larvae, but there were no differences in nitrogen tissue accumulation. More research is needed to better understand the long-term impacts and acid-base regulatory mechanisms in this important pelagic fish.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ryan B. Wallace, Bradley J. Peterson, Christopher J. Gobler
Summary: The study revealed that changes in photosynthetic and respiration rates in coastal marine habitats can lead to considerable variability in ecosystem metabolism on different time scales, from diurnal to seasonal. Different habitats showed diverse responses to changes in pH and DO, emphasizing the importance of enhancing seagrass and macroalgae cultivation to maintain estuarine ecological balance in the face of predicted declines in pH and oxygen levels.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Engineering, Marine
Davide Asnicar, Maria Gabriella Marin
Summary: The continuous release of CO2 into the atmosphere is causing the seawater to become more acidic, posing a threat to marine organisms such as echinoids. This review collected and summarized 50 articles on the effects of seawater acidification on adult echinoids, revealing that pH reduction can lead to various and subtle changes in calcification, physiology, behavior, and reproduction. More than 43% of the endpoints studied were altered by low pH conditions compared to control conditions. However, animals exposed in long-term experiments or residing in CO2-vent systems showed the ability to adapt. Furthermore, differences among species may be explained by the latitudinal range of their distribution. Therefore, future experiments should consider local variability, long-term exposure, and multigenerational approaches to better understand the effects of ocean acidification on echinoids.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Valeria Mobilia, Vonda J. Cummings, Malcolm R. Clark, Dianne Tracey, James J. Bell
Summary: The study exposed deep-sea sponge Ecionemia novaezealandiae to different suspended sediment concentrations, revealing decreased survival rate, lower respiration rates, and partial necrosis with increasing sediment concentrations. Despite high survival, the declining sponge condition post-exposure could have long-lasting effects on the species.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
D. F. R. Cleary, N. J. de Voogd, T. M. Stuij, T. Swierts, V. Oliveira, A. R. M. Polonia, A. Louvado, N. C. M. Gomes, F. J. R. C. Coelho
Summary: The amount of available light is crucial for the growth and development of microbial communities. This study investigates the differences in prokaryotic communities associated with two sponge species, Cinachyrella kuekenthali and Xestospongia muta, collected from dimly lit and illuminated habitats. The biotope was found to be the major driver of variation in prokaryotic community composition, while the light habitat also influenced the composition of prokaryotic communities in both sponge species. Machine learning was used to identify features that distinguished specimens collected from dimly lit and illuminated habitats.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sotirios Zerveas, Melpomeni Sofia Mente, Dimitra Tsakiri, Kiriakos Kotzabasis
Summary: The photosynthetic process in microalgae leads to an increase in pH in the aquatic environment, primarily due to cellular proton uptake. This phenomenon promotes proton uptake and microalgal growth. Ocean acidification, caused by enhanced dissolution of atmospheric CO2, affects the growth of phytoplankton and zooplankton.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)