Pilot study to investigate the effect of long-term exposure to high pCO2 on adult cod (Gadus morhua) otolith morphology and calcium carbonate deposition

• Published in: Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
• Main Authors: Coll-Lladó, Clara, Mittermayer, Felix, Webb, Paul Brian, Allison, Nicola, Clemmesen, Catriona, Stiasny, Martina, Bridges, Christopher Robert, Göttler, Gwendolin, García de la Serrana Castillo, Daniel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Verlag 2021
• Subjects: Calcita; Gènere; Otòlits; Calcite; Gender; Otoliths; atlantic cod; Gadus morhua
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/185553

To date the study of ocean acidifcation on fsh otolith formation has been mainly focused on larval and juvenile stages. In the present pilot study, wild-captured adult Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were exposed to two diferent levels of pCO2, 422µatm (ambient, low pCO2) or 1091µatm (high pCO2), for a period of 30 weeks (from mid-October to early April 2014-2015) in order to study the efects on otolith size, shape and CaCO3 crystallization amongst other biological parameters. We found that otoliths from cod exposed to high pCO2 were slightly smaller (−3.4% in length;−3.3% in perimeter), rounder (−2.9% circularity and+4% roundness) but heavier (+5%) than the low pCO2 group.