Projected marine climate change: effects on copepod oxidative status and reproduction

• Published in: Ecology and Evolution
• Main Authors: Vehmaa, Anu, Hogfors, Hedvig, Gorokhova, Elena, Brutemark, Andreas, Holmborn, Towe, Engström‐Öst, Jonna
• Other Authors: Stockholm University, Academy of Finland, Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation, Walter and Andrée de Nottbeck Foundation, Kone Foundation, Research and Development Institute ARONIA, Swedish Research Council for the Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Ivar Bendixsons Stipendiefond
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2013
• Subjects: Ocean acidification; Copepods
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.839; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fece3.839; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ece3.839

Abstract Zooplankton are an important link between primary producers and fish. Therefore, it is crucial to address their responses when predicting effects of climate change on pelagic ecosystems. For realistic community‐level predictions, several biotic and abiotic climate‐related variables should be examined in combination. We studied the combined effects of ocean acidification and global warming predicted for year 2100 with toxic cyanobacteria on the calanoid copepod, A cartia bifilosa . Acidification together with higher temperature reduced copepod antioxidant capacity. Higher temperature also decreased egg viability, nauplii development, and oxidative status. Exposure to cyanobacteria and its toxin had a negative effect on egg production but, a positive effect on oxidative status and egg viability, giving no net effects on viable egg production. Additionally, nauplii development was enhanced by the presence of cyanobacteria, which partially alleviated the otherwise negative effects of increased temperature and decreased p H on the copepod recruitment. The interactive effects of temperature, acidification, and cyanobacteria on copepods highlight the importance of testing combined effects of climate‐related factors when predicting biological responses.