Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategies of Pteropods in the California Current Ecosystem
Presentation Abstract
The ocean uptake of anthropogenic CO2 has shoaled the aragonite saturation horizon in the California Current Ecosystem, but only a few studies to date have demonstrated widespread biological impacts of ocean acidification under present-day conditions. Pteropods are especially important for their role in carbon flux and energy transfer in pelagic ecosystems. In the California Current Ecosystem, conditions are becoming increasing unfavorable for sustaining shell maintenance because of enhanced dissolution. Our results show a strong positive correlation between the proportion of pteropods with severe dissolution and the percentage of the water column that is undersaturated with respect to aragonite. From this relationship, we are able to determine the extent of dissolution for the pre-industrial era, 2011, and 2050. Our calculations show that dissolution has increased by 30% since the beginning of the industrial era, and could increase to 70% by 2050. Although dissolution is occurring in most of the investigated pteropod species, some species have changed their daily vertical distribution pattern by migrating to upper supersaturated waters to avoid corrosive waters, a potential indication of an adaptation strategy to ocean acidification.
Session Title
Session S-05A: Frontiers of Ocean Acidification Research in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Ocean Acidification
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
1-5-2014 10:30 AM
End Date
1-5-2014 12:00 PM
Location
Room 615-616-617
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Pteropoda--Effect of water acidification on--California Current; Ocean acidification--Environmental aspects--California Current; Aragonite--California Current; Marine ecology--California Current
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); California Current
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategies of Pteropods in the California Current Ecosystem
Room 615-616-617
The ocean uptake of anthropogenic CO2 has shoaled the aragonite saturation horizon in the California Current Ecosystem, but only a few studies to date have demonstrated widespread biological impacts of ocean acidification under present-day conditions. Pteropods are especially important for their role in carbon flux and energy transfer in pelagic ecosystems. In the California Current Ecosystem, conditions are becoming increasing unfavorable for sustaining shell maintenance because of enhanced dissolution. Our results show a strong positive correlation between the proportion of pteropods with severe dissolution and the percentage of the water column that is undersaturated with respect to aragonite. From this relationship, we are able to determine the extent of dissolution for the pre-industrial era, 2011, and 2050. Our calculations show that dissolution has increased by 30% since the beginning of the industrial era, and could increase to 70% by 2050. Although dissolution is occurring in most of the investigated pteropod species, some species have changed their daily vertical distribution pattern by migrating to upper supersaturated waters to avoid corrosive waters, a potential indication of an adaptation strategy to ocean acidification.
