Physiological advantages of dwarfing in surviving extinctions in high-CO2 oceans

• Published in: Nature Climate Change
• Main Authors: Garilli, V., Rodolfo-Metalpa, R., Scuderi, D., Brusca, L., Parrinello, D., Rastrick, S. P. S., Foggo, A., Twitchett, R. J., Hall-Spencer, J. M., Milazzo, M.
• Other Authors: Garilli, V.; APEMA Paleosofia, Research & Educational Service, Via Alla Falconara 34, 90136 Palermo, Italy., Rodolfo-Metalpa, R.; UMR ENTROPIE—Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa cedex, New Caledonia - IAEA EL—International Atomic Energy Agency, Environmental Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er , 98000, Principality of Monaco, Scuderi, D.; BIOMLG—Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Mauro de Mauro 15b, Piano Tavola, 95032 Belpasso, Catania, Italy, Brusca, L.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Palermo, Palermo, Italia, Parrinello, D.; STEBICEF—Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy, Rastrick, S. P. S.; IMR—Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870 Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway, Foggo, A.; MBERC—Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK, Twitchett, R. J.; NHM—Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK, Hall-Spencer, J. M.; MBERC—Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK, Milazzo, M.; DiSTeM—Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 28, 90123 Palermo, Italy, APEMA Paleosofia, Research & Educational Service, Via Alla Falconara 34, 90136 Palermo, Italy., UMR ENTROPIE—Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa cedex, New Caledonia - IAEA EL—International Atomic Energy Agency, Environmental Laboratories, 4 Quai Antoine 1er , 98000, Principality of Monaco, BIOMLG—Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Mauro de Mauro 15b, Piano Tavola, 95032 Belpasso, Catania, Italy, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Palermo, Palermo, Italia, STEBICEF—Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy, IMR—Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870 Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway, MBERC—Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK, NHM—Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK, DiSTeM—Department of Earth and Marine Sciences, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 28, 90123 Palermo, Italy
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Dwarfing; Acidiefied seawater; 03. Hydrosphere::03.01. General::03.01.07. Physical and biogeochemical interactions; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2122/9567; http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate2616.html; https://doi.org/10.1038/NCLIMATE2616

Excessive CO2 in the present-day ocean–atmosphere system is causing ocean acidification, and is likely to cause a severe biodiversity decline in the future1, mirroring e ects in many past mass extinctions2–4. Fossil records demonstrate that organisms surviving such eventswere often smaller than those before5,6, a phenomenon called the Lilliput e ect7. Here, we showthat two gastropod species adapted to acidified seawater at shallow-water CO2 seeps were smaller than those found in normal pH conditions and had higher mass-specific energy consumption but significantly lower whole-animal metabolic energy demand. These physiological changes allowed the animals to maintain calcification and to partially repair shell dissolution. These observations of the long-term chronic e ects of increased CO2 levels forewarn of changes we can expect in marine ecosystems as CO2 emissions continue to rise unchecked, and support the hypothesis that ocean acidification contributed to past extinction events. The ability to adapt through dwarfing can confer physiological advantages as the rate of CO2 emissions continues to increase. Published 678–682 4A. Clima e Oceani JCR Journal restricted