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Combined effects of two ocean change stressors, warming and acidification, on fertilization and early development of the Antarctic echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri

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Abstract

The effects of concurrent ocean warming and acidification on Antarctic marine benthos warrant investigation as little is known about potential synergies between these climate change stressors. We examined the interactive effects of warming and acidification on fertilization and embryonic development of the ecologically important sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri reared from fertilization in elevated temperature (+1.5°C and 3°C) and decreased pH (−0.3 and −0.5 pH units) treatments. Fertilization using gametes from multiple males and females, to represent populations of spawners, was resilient to acidification at ambient temperature (0°C). At elevated temperatures, there was a negative interactive effect of temperature and pH on percentage of fertilization (11% reduction at 3°C). For cleavage stage embryos, there was a significant, but small reduction (6%) in the percentage of normal embryos at pH 7.5. For blastulae, a 10–11% decrease in normal development occurred in the +3°C treatments across all pH levels. Our results highlight the importance of considering the impacts of both temperature and pH in assessing the life history response of S. neumayeri in a changing polar ocean. While fertilization and development to the blastula stage were robust to levels of temperature and pH change predicted over coming decades, deleterious interactive effects were evident between these stressors at levels projected to occur by 2100 and beyond.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). Thanks to AAD staff and students who provided assistance and logistical support including Rob King, Steve Whiteside, John van den Hoff, Andrew Bryant, Clive Strauss, Charmaine Alford, Kathryn Brown, Lara Marcus, Sarah Payne, Bianca Sfiligoj, Claire Wallis, Debbie Lang, Jane Wasley, Dougie Gray, and Leigh Hornsby.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    J. A. Ericson, M. A. Ho, A. Miskelly & M. Byrne

  2. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    J. A. Ericson

  3. Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, TAS, Australia

    C. K. King

  4. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    P. Virtue

  5. Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, a partnership between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    B. Tilbrook

  6. Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    B. Tilbrook

  7. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    M. Byrne

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  1. J. A. Ericson
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  7. M. Byrne
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Correspondence to J. A. Ericson.

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Ericson, J.A., Ho, M.A., Miskelly, A. et al. Combined effects of two ocean change stressors, warming and acidification, on fertilization and early development of the Antarctic echinoid Sterechinus neumayeri . Polar Biol 35, 1027–1034 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-1150-7

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