Irreversible behavioural impairment of fish starts early: Embryonic exposure to ocean acidification

• Published in: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Main Authors: Rodriguez-Dominguez, A., Connell, S., Baziret, C., Nagelkerken, I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2018
• Subjects: Embryonic stage; fish sensitivity; activity levels; anxiety levels; long-lasting impairment; Rodriguez; Dominguez; Almendra; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/113879; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.06.004

Available online 19 June 2018 Long-term species responses to ocean acidification depend on their sensitivity during different life stages. We tested for sensitivity of juvenile fish behaviour to ocean acidification by exposing eggs to control and elevated CO 2 levels, and translocating offspring between treatments in a reciprocal design. After 12 weeks of exposure, activity, inactivity and anxiety levels of juveniles from control eggs were similar, whether juveniles had experienced elevated CO 2 conditions or not, and this pattern was consistent over time. However, juveniles raised as eggs under elevated CO 2 showed increased anxiety levels compared to those from control eggs. This response was not reversed when CO 2 -exposed juveniles were translocated to control conditions. Our findings highlight the value of evaluating fish sensitivities to global change pollutants across different life stages, and indicate that sensitivity during the often-overlooked egg stage can be critical with long-lasting impairment of behaviours that are coupled to individual fitness and population persistence. Almendra Rodriguez-Dominguez, Sean D. Connell, Clement Baziret, Ivan Nagelkerken