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Effects of ocean acidification on invertebrate settlement at volcanic CO2 vents

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Abstract

We present the first study of the effects of ocean acidification on settlement of benthic invertebrates and microfauna. Artificial collectors were placed for 1 month along pH gradients at CO2 vents off Ischia (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Seventy-nine taxa were identified from six main taxonomic groups (foraminiferans, nematodes, polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans and chaetognaths). Calcareous foraminiferans, serpulid polychaetes, gastropods and bivalves showed highly significant reductions in recruitment to the collectors as pCO2 rose from normal (336–341 ppm, pH 8.09–8.15) to high levels (886–5,148 ppm) causing acidified conditions near the vents (pH 7.08–7.79). Only the syllid polychaete Syllis prolifera had higher abundances at the most acidified station, although a wide range of polychaetes and small crustaceans was able to settle and survive under these conditions. A few taxa (Amphiglena mediterranea, Leptochelia dubia, Caprella acanthifera) were particularly abundant at stations acidified by intermediate amounts of CO2 (pH 7.41–7.99). These results show that increased levels of CO2 can profoundly affect the settlement of a wide range of benthic organisms.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to MC Buia and the staff of the benthic ecology group of the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, located at Villa Dohrn (Ischia), for support in the laboratory and at sea. We are also indebted to E Vecchi (foraminiferans), MB Scipione (amphipods) and M Lorenti (isopods and tanaids) for the identification of some of the benthic taxa. C Vasapollo helped with the statistical analyses. The captain V Rando and B Iacono supported the work at sea. We also thank two anonymous reviewers whose comments improved the Ms. This work is a contribution to the European Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA FP7/2007-2013 grant agreement no 211384) and was partly funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy

    M. Cigliano, M. C. Gambi & F. P. Patti

  2. Marine Institute, Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK

    R. Rodolfo-Metalpa & J. M. Hall-Spencer

  3. IAEA, Marine Environment Laboratories, Monaco, MC, Monaco

    R. Rodolfo-Metalpa

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  1. M. Cigliano
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  2. M. C. Gambi
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  3. R. Rodolfo-Metalpa
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  4. F. P. Patti
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  5. J. M. Hall-Spencer
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Correspondence to M. C. Gambi.

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Communicated by F. Bulleri.

M. Cigliano and M. C. Gambi contributed equally.

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Cigliano, M., Gambi, M.C., Rodolfo-Metalpa, R. et al. Effects of ocean acidification on invertebrate settlement at volcanic CO2 vents. Mar Biol 157, 2489–2502 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1513-6

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