Ocean acidification impairs vermetid reef recruitment

• Main Authors: Milazzo, Marco, Rodolfo-Metalpa, Riccardo, Chan, B S Vera, Fine, Maoz, Alessi, Cinzia, Thiyagarajan, Vengatesen, Hall-Spencer, Jason M, Chemello, Renato
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2014
• Subjects: Abundance per area; Alkalinity; total; standard error; Animalia; Aragonite saturation state; Benthic animals; Benthos; 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; CO2 vent; Coast and continental shelf; Coverage; Dendropoma petraeum; EXP; Experiment; Field experiment; Figure; Fugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Growth/Morphology; Incubation duration; LATITUDE; LONGITUDE; Magnesium/Calcium ratio; Mediterranean Sea; Mollusca; Mortality/Survival; Neogoniolithon brassica-florida; NW_Sicily; OA-ICC; Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre; Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); pH; Potentiometric; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.836006; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.836006

Vermetids form reefs in sub-tropical and warm-temperate waters that protect coasts from erosion, regulate sediment transport and accumulation, serve as carbon sinks and provide habitat for other species. The gastropods that form these reefs brood encapsulated larvae; they are threatened by rapid environmental changes since their ability to disperse is very limited. We used transplant experiments along a natural CO2 gradient to assess ocean acidification effects on the reef-building gastropod Dendropoma petraeum. We found that although D. petraeum were able to reproduce and brood at elevated levels of CO2, recruitment success was adversely affected. Long-term exposure to acidified conditions predicted for the year 2100 and beyond caused shell dissolution and a significant increase in shell Mg content. Unless CO2 emissions are reduced and conservation measures taken, our results suggest these reefs are in danger of extinction within this century, with significant ecological and socioeconomic ramifications for coastal systems.