Ocean acidification and global warming impair shark hunting behaviour and growth

Alterations in predation pressure can have large effects on trophically-structured systems. Modification of predator behaviour via ocean warming has been assessed by laboratory experimentation and metabolic theory. However, the influence of ocean acidification with ocean warming remains largely unex...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2015-11, Vol.5 (1), p.16293-16293, Article 16293
Main Authors: Pistevos, Jennifer C. A., Nagelkerken, Ivan, Rossi, Tullio, Olmos, Maxime, Connell, Sean D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/158/2165
631/158/856
Acidification
Animals
Carbon dioxide
Climate change
Embryogenesis
Embryonic growth stage
Food webs
Global Warming
Growth rate
High temperature
Humanities and Social Sciences
Hunting
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Laboratories
Mesocosms
Metabolism
multidisciplinary
Ocean acidification
Ocean warming
Oceans and Seas
Olfaction
Predation
Predators
Predatory Behavior
Prey
Science
Seawater - chemistry
Sharks
Temperature
Temperature effects
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Summary:Alterations in predation pressure can have large effects on trophically-structured systems. Modification of predator behaviour via ocean warming has been assessed by laboratory experimentation and metabolic theory. However, the influence of ocean acidification with ocean warming remains largely unexplored for mesopredators, including experimental assessments that incorporate key components of the assemblages in which animals naturally live. We employ a combination of long-term laboratory and mesocosm experiments containing natural prey and habitat to assess how warming and acidification affect the development, growth and hunting behaviour in sharks. Although embryonic development was faster due to temperature, elevated temperature and CO 2 had detrimental effects on sharks by not only increasing energetic demands, but also by decreasing metabolic efficiency and reducing their ability to locate food through olfaction. The combination of these effects led to considerable reductions in growth rates of sharks held in natural mesocosms with elevated CO 2 , either alone or in combination with higher temperature. Our results suggest a more complex reality for predators, where ocean acidification reduces their ability to effectively hunt and exert strong top-down control over food webs.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep16293