Modeling potential effects of ocean acidification on shell formation in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)
Disciplines
Marine Biology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
As the climate changes and oceans become warmer, ocean waters are becoming increasingly acidified from their historical pH near 8, with a low of 7.8 expected by 2100. This phenomenon of ocean acidification is caused by atmospheric CO2 dissolving into ocean water, with which it reacts to form carbonic acid. Increasing acidity interferes with the ability of many marine fauna to construct shells and exoskeletons from CaCO3. Because of this, ocean acidification poses a serious threat to many shell-forming marine species and understanding that threat will be vital to conservation efforts. Predictive models for how ocean acidification will affect marine species, such as coral reefs and mussels, currently exist and are crucial areas of research. One such species is the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, the most cultivated oyster in the world, which supports a $7.5 billion per year industry worldwide. We investigated how ocean acidification may impact oyster harvests under different climate change scenarios. We hypothesized that the projected ocean pH changes would impact oyster harvests because of the detrimental effects of reduced pH on shell formation and maintenance. To test this hypothesis, we constructed dynamic energy budget (DEB) models of mussel growth and maintenance and parameterized them for C. gigas. We then ran these models under different ocean pH scenarios defined by data from the Ocean Carbon and Acidification Data System, built by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). These pH scenarios are derived from two different climate scenarios, the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) 245 “middle of the road” scenario with some mitigation and the more severe SSP585 “fossil fueled development” scenario. Our findings have the potential to inform the sustainability of these ecologically and economically important marine animals.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Nicholas Green
Modeling potential effects of ocean acidification on shell formation in Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas)
As the climate changes and oceans become warmer, ocean waters are becoming increasingly acidified from their historical pH near 8, with a low of 7.8 expected by 2100. This phenomenon of ocean acidification is caused by atmospheric CO2 dissolving into ocean water, with which it reacts to form carbonic acid. Increasing acidity interferes with the ability of many marine fauna to construct shells and exoskeletons from CaCO3. Because of this, ocean acidification poses a serious threat to many shell-forming marine species and understanding that threat will be vital to conservation efforts. Predictive models for how ocean acidification will affect marine species, such as coral reefs and mussels, currently exist and are crucial areas of research. One such species is the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, the most cultivated oyster in the world, which supports a $7.5 billion per year industry worldwide. We investigated how ocean acidification may impact oyster harvests under different climate change scenarios. We hypothesized that the projected ocean pH changes would impact oyster harvests because of the detrimental effects of reduced pH on shell formation and maintenance. To test this hypothesis, we constructed dynamic energy budget (DEB) models of mussel growth and maintenance and parameterized them for C. gigas. We then ran these models under different ocean pH scenarios defined by data from the Ocean Carbon and Acidification Data System, built by the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). These pH scenarios are derived from two different climate scenarios, the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) 245 “middle of the road” scenario with some mitigation and the more severe SSP585 “fossil fueled development” scenario. Our findings have the potential to inform the sustainability of these ecologically and economically important marine animals.