Seawater carbonate chemistry and sperm swimming speed of the polychaete Galeolaria caespitosa in lab experiment

• Main Authors: Schlegel, Peter, Havenhand, Jonathan N, Obadia, Nicolas, Williamson, Jane E
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2014
• Subjects: Alkalinity; total; Animalia; Annelida; Aragonite saturation state; Benthic animals; Benthos; Bicarbonate ion; Bottles or small containers/Aquaria (<20 L); Calcite saturation state; Calculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al. (2010); Carbon; inorganic; dissolved; Carbonate ion; Carbonate system computation flag; Carbon dioxide; Coast and continental shelf; EXP; Experiment; Fairlight; Fugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Galeolaria caespitosa; Laboratory experiment; Motile sperm; speed; OA-ICC; Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre; Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); pH; Reproduction; Response ratio; logarithm; Salinity; Sample code/label; Single species; South Pacific; Species; Sperm motility; Temperate; Temperature; water; Treatment; Pacific; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.823080; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.823080

The rapidity of ocean acidification intensifies selection pressure for resilient phenotypes, particularly during sensitive early life stages. The scope for selection is greater in species with greater within-species variation in responses to changing environments, thus enhancing the potential for adaptation. We investigated among-male variation in sperm swimming responses (percent motility and swimming speeds) of the serpulid polychaete Galeolaria caespitosa to near- (delta pH 0.3) and far-future ocean acidification (delta pH 0.5). Responses of sperm swimming to acidification varied significantly among males and were overall negative. Robust sperm swimming behavior under near-future ocean acidification in some males may ameliorate climate change impacts, if traits associated with robustness are heritable, and thereby enhance the potential for adaptation to far-future conditions. Reduced sperm swimming in the majority of male G. caespitosa may decrease their fertilization success in a high CO2 future ocean. Resultant changes in offspring production could affect recruitment success and population fitness downstream.