The impact of ocean acidification on the functional morphology of foraminifera

This work was supported by the NERC UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme grant NE/H017445/1. WENA acknowledges NERC support (NE/G018502/1). DMP received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Fundi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS ONE
Main Authors: Khanna, Nikki, Godbold, J A, Austin, William, Paterson, David Maxwell
Other Authors: NERC, University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews. Geography & Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland, University of St Andrews. St Andrews Sustainability Institute, University of St Andrews. Sediment Ecology Research Group
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
Ocean acidification
Foraminifera
Teeth
Carbon dioxide
Diatoms
GE Environmental Sciences
Environmental Science(all)
SDG 14 - Life Below Water
GE
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10023/4303
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083118
Description
Summary:This work was supported by the NERC UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme grant NE/H017445/1. WENA acknowledges NERC support (NE/G018502/1). DMP received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011) and contributing institutions. Culturing experiments were performed on sediment samples from the Ythan Estuary, N. E. Scotland, to assess the impacts of ocean acidification on test surface ornamentation in the benthic foraminifer Haynesina germanica. Specimens were cultured for 36 weeks at either 380, 750 or 1000 ppm atmospheric CO2. Analysis of the test surface using SEM imaging reveals sensitivity of functionally important ornamentation associated with feeding to changing seawater CO2 levels. Specimens incubated at high CO2 levels displayed evidence of shell dissolution, a significant reduction and deformation of ornamentation. It is clear that these calcifying organisms are likely to be vulnerable to ocean acidification. A reduction in functionally important ornamentation could lead to a reduction in feeding efficiency with consequent impacts on this organism’s survival and fitness. Publisher PDF Peer reviewed

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