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Larvae of the pteropod Cavolinia inflexa exposed to aragonite undersaturation are viable but shell-less

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Abstract

Larvae of the Mediterranean pteropod Cavolinia inflexa were maintained at controlled pHT values of 8.1, 7.82 and 7.51, equivalent, respectively, to pCO2 levels of 380, 857 and 1,713 μatm. At pHT 7.82, larvae exhibited malformations and lower shell growth, compared to the control condition. At pHT 7.51, the larvae did not make shells but were viable and showed a normal development. However, smaller shells or no shells will have both ecological (food web) and biogeochemical (export of carbon and carbonate) consequences. These results suggest that pteropod larvae, as well as the species dependent upon them or upon adults as a food resource, might be significantly impacted by ocean acidification.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to John Dolan for his helpful comments on this paper. This work is a contribution to the “European Project on Ocean Acidification” (EPOCA) which received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement no. 211384. EPOCA is endorsed by the International Programmes IMBER, LOICZ and SOLAS. This work also received funding from the “Fondation Total” through the REMECCA project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSU-CNRS, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, B.P. 28, 06234, Villefranche-sur-Mer Cedex, France

    S. Comeau, G. Gorsky, S. Alliouane & J.-P. Gattuso

  2. UPMC University of Paris 06, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche, 06230, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

    S. Comeau, G. Gorsky, S. Alliouane & J.-P. Gattuso

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  1. S. Comeau
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  2. G. Gorsky
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  3. S. Alliouane
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  4. J.-P. Gattuso
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Correspondence to S. Comeau.

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Communicated by U. Sommer.

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Comeau, S., Gorsky, G., Alliouane, S. et al. Larvae of the pteropod Cavolinia inflexa exposed to aragonite undersaturation are viable but shell-less. Mar Biol 157, 2341–2345 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1493-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1493-6

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