Abstract
Anthropogenic ocean acidification (OA) is a threat to coral reef fishes, but few studies have investigated responses of high-trophic-level predators, including sharks. We tested the effects of 72-hr exposure to OA-relevant elevated partial pressures of carbon dioxide (pCO2) on oxygen uptake rates, acid–base status, and haematology of newborn tropical blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus). Acute exposure to end-of-century pCO2 levels resulted in elevated haematocrit (i.e. stress or compensation of oxygen uptake rates) and blood lactate concentrations (i.e. prolonged recovery) in the newborns. Conversely, whole blood and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations, blood pH, estimates of standard and maximum metabolic rates, and aerobic scope remained unaffected. Taken together, newborn blacktip reef sharks appear physiologically robust to end-of-century pCO2 levels, but less so than other, previously investigated, tropical carpet sharks. Our results suggest peak fluctuating pCO2 levels in coral reef lagoons could still physiologically affect newborn reef sharks, but studies assessing the effects of long-term exposure and in combination with other anthropogenic stressors are needed.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the staff and technicians at the CRIOBE as well as Peter Edmunds and Steve Doo (University of California GUMP Research Station, Moorea) and Sue-Ann Watson (Queensland Museum, Australia) and Philip Munday (James Cook University) for help with CO2 analyses. This research was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC; PDE150101266), the L’Oréal-United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Women in Science Foundation, an Institut des Récifs Coralliens du Pacifique Fellowship (J.L.R.), an ARC Super Science Fellowship (J.L.R.), a James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (I.A.B.), an Institute for Research and Development postdoctoral fellowship (J.M.), and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (J.L.R., I.A.B). Additional support was provided from the Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL, the Station d’Ecologie Expérimentale of the CRIOBE, and the French Ministère de l’Environnement (S.P.).
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Rummer, J.L., Bouyoucos, I.A., Mourier, J. et al. Responses of a coral reef shark acutely exposed to ocean acidification conditions. Coral Reefs 39, 1215–1220 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-020-01972-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-020-01972-0