Presentation Abstract
Marine waters worldwide are becoming more acidic due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Changes in pH are heterogeneous in space and time and can be affected by physical and biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration of plants and animals. Previous studies have shown that seagrass beds, which contain a large amount of plant biomass, can alter the carbonate chemistry in the immediate area, with higher pH during the day and lower pH at night. We explored the effects of this pattern on bivalve shellfish at four sites in Puget Sound and Willapa Bay. Pumped water samples were taken at replicate stations representing seagrass beds and bare substrate, at the surface and bottom of the water column, during the day and at night. Samples were analyzed by microscopy to quantify larvae of various bivalves and with quantitative PCR to record the presence of three bivalve species. We predict that larvae will move into seagrass beds during the day and move out at night, relative to bare stations. Results are pending. Understanding the role of seagrass as an acidification refuge will help guide restoration and management actions in a changing climate. I PREFER A SNAPSHOT STYLE TALK, BUT CAN BE FLEXIBLE DEPENDING ON SCHEDULING.
Session Title
Snapshot Presentations
Keywords
Ocean acidification, Bivalve larvae, Behavior, Seagrass
Conference Track
SSE17: Snapshots
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE17-224
Start Date
5-4-2018 10:05 AM
End Date
5-4-2018 10:10 AM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Seagrasses--Effect of acid precipitation on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Shellfish--Behavior--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
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
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Does eelgrass act as an ocean acidification refuge for shellfish in the Salish Sea?
Marine waters worldwide are becoming more acidic due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Changes in pH are heterogeneous in space and time and can be affected by physical and biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration of plants and animals. Previous studies have shown that seagrass beds, which contain a large amount of plant biomass, can alter the carbonate chemistry in the immediate area, with higher pH during the day and lower pH at night. We explored the effects of this pattern on bivalve shellfish at four sites in Puget Sound and Willapa Bay. Pumped water samples were taken at replicate stations representing seagrass beds and bare substrate, at the surface and bottom of the water column, during the day and at night. Samples were analyzed by microscopy to quantify larvae of various bivalves and with quantitative PCR to record the presence of three bivalve species. We predict that larvae will move into seagrass beds during the day and move out at night, relative to bare stations. Results are pending. Understanding the role of seagrass as an acidification refuge will help guide restoration and management actions in a changing climate. I PREFER A SNAPSHOT STYLE TALK, BUT CAN BE FLEXIBLE DEPENDING ON SCHEDULING.
