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Effects of ocean acidification on growth, pigment contents and antioxidant potential of the subtropical Atlantic red alga Hypnea pseudomusciformis Nauer, Cassano & M.C. Oliveira (Gigartinales) in laboratory

  • Biochemistry & Physiology - Original Article
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Abstract

Marine ecosystems are subject to several modifications due to anthropogenic impacts, including ocean acidification caused by the absorption of excessive CO2 present in the atmosphere. Perspectives are for dramatic modifications in seawater pH and more than 60% of the ocean surface impacted over the next 100 years by global change. In this study, ocean acidification scenarios were simulated by CO2 enrichment into seawater in three pH levels (8.0, 7.6 and 7.2) using a bioreactor system in laboratory conditions. Experimental evaluation was performed with Hypnea pseudomusciformis Nauer, Cassano & M.C. Oliveira due to its great importance in coastal marine ecosystems for primary production and commercial interest. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the growth rate of H. pseudomusciformis decreased significantly with decreased pH conditions, even with increased availability of CO2. The maximum quantum yield and chlorophyll a content were also negatively affected by the pH reduction, while an increase in antioxidant activity was observed, indicating physiological stress. The physiological responses to decreased pH conditions reflect the importance of species-level studies and corroborate the changes caused by the ocean acidification on the macroalgal species.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by grants from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (2018/11445-7) and partially supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001, and CAPES/AUXPE-CIMAR 1991/2014, Proc. no. 23038.001431/2014-75). NSY and MTF thank to the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq/BR) for the Productivity Fellowship (310672/2016-3 and 304899/2017-8, respectively). We thank Valdilene Maria dos Santos for technical support. We also thank Prof. Dr. Estela M. Plastino and Prof. Dr. Fungyi Chow, from Institute of Bioscience of University of São Paulo, for letting us use the Diving-PAM and Epoch.  

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  1. Research Nucleus of Phycology, Institute of Botany of São Paulo, 3687 Miguel Stéfano avenue, São Paulo, SP, 04301-902, Brazil

    Fabio Nauer, Nair S. Yokoya & Mutue T. Fujii

  2. Department of Oceanography and Limnology, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Norte, 1 Gov. Silvio Pedroza avenue, Natal, RN, 59014-100, Brazil

    Henrique D. S. Borburema

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  1. Fabio Nauer
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Contributions

F.N. and H.D.S.B. wrote the manuscript and prepared figures, tables and references. F.N., H.D.S.B. and N.S.Y. conceptualized the overall structure; N.S.Y. and M.T.F. reviewed the manuscript. M.T.F. contributed critical comments to the draft and approved the manuscript. All the authors reviewed the manuscript versions before their submission.

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Correspondence to Fabio Nauer.

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Nauer, F., Borburema, H.D.S., Yokoya, N.S. et al. Effects of ocean acidification on growth, pigment contents and antioxidant potential of the subtropical Atlantic red alga Hypnea pseudomusciformis Nauer, Cassano & M.C. Oliveira (Gigartinales) in laboratory. Braz. J. Bot 44, 69–77 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-020-00693-6

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