Effects of elevated pCO2 and the effect of parent acclimation on development in the tropical Pacific sea urchin Echinometra mathaei

• Published in: Marine biology 2013-08, Vol.160 (8), p.1913-1926
• Main Authors: Uthicke, S., Soars, N., Foo, S., Byrne, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimatization; Acidification; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Carbon dioxide; Fish; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Larvae; Life Sciences; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Marine biology; Microbiology; Ocean acidification; Oceanography; Oceans; Original Paper; Spawning; Zoology
• ISSN: 0025-3162; 1432-1793
• DOI: 10.1007/s00227-012-2023-5

Effects of acclimation to projected near-future ocean acidification (OA) conditions on physiology, reproduction and development were investigated in the tropical sea urchin Echinometra mathaei . Following 6 weeks in control or one of the three elevated p CO 2 (pH NIST 7.5–8.1; p CO 2  ~485–1,770 μatm) conditions, adult urchins exhibited a slight decline of growth in low pH treatments and moderately reduced respiration at intermediate levels. At 7 weeks, gametes from adults were used to produce larvae that were reared in their respective parental treatments. To assess whether larvae from acclimated parents are more resilient to elevated p CO 2 than those not acclimated, larvae from control animals were also reared in the elevated p CO 2 treatments. There was no difference in female ‘spawnability’ and oocyte size between treatments, but male spawning ability was reduced in increased p CO 2 conditions. In elevated p CO 2 treatments, the percentage of normal larvae and larval size decreased in the progeny of control- and elevated p CO 2 -acclimated parents, and arm asymmetry increased. Thus, acclimation of the parents did not make the progeny more resilient or sensitive to OA effects. Negative effects of increased p CO 2 on reproduction and development may impact on recruitment and population maintenance of this species.