Seawater carbonate chemistry and fish Amphiprion percula behaviour during experiments, 2012

• Main Authors: Nilsson, Göran E, Dixson, Danielle L, Domenici, Paolo, McCormick, Mark I, Sorensen, Christina, Watson, Sue-Ann, Munday, Philip L
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2012
• Subjects: Alkalinity; Gran titration (Gran; 1950); total; standard deviation; Amphiprion percula; Animalia; Aragonite saturation state; Behaviour; Bicarbonate ion; Calcite saturation state; Calculated using CO2SYS; Calculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al. (2010); Carbon; inorganic; dissolved; Carbonate ion; Carbonate system computation flag; Carbon dioxide; partial pressure; Chordata; Coast and continental shelf; Comment; Containers and aquaria (20-1000 L or < 1 m**2); EPOCA; EUR-OCEANS; European network of excellence for Ocean Ecosystems Analysis; European Project on Ocean Acidification; Experimental treatment; Fugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Identification; Laboratory experiment; Measured; Nekton; Neopomacentrus azysron; absolute lateralization index; standard error of mean; OA-ICC; Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre; Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Pelagos; pH; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.777447; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.777447

Predicted future CO2 levels have been found to alter sensory responses and behaviour of marine fishes. Changes include increased boldness and activity, loss of behavioural lateralization, altered auditory preferences and impaired olfactory function. Impaired olfactory function makes larval fish attracted to odours they normally avoid, including ones from predators and unfavourable habitats. These behavioural alterations have significant effects on mortality that may have far-reaching implications for population replenishment, community structure and ecosystem function. However, the underlying mechanism linking high CO2 to these diverse responses has been unknown. Here we show that abnormal olfactory preferences and loss of behavioural lateralization exhibited by two species of larval coral reef fish exposed to high CO2 can be rapidly and effectively reversed by treatment with an antagonist of the GABA-A receptor. GABA-A is a major neurotransmitter receptor in the vertebrate brain. Thus, our results indicate that high CO2 interferes with neurotransmitter function, a hitherto unrecognized threat to marine populations and ecosystems. Given the ubiquity and conserved function of GABA-A receptors, we predict that rising CO2 levels could cause sensory and behavioural impairment in a wide range of marine species, especially those that tightly control their acid-base balance through regulatory changes in HCO3 and Cl levels.