Effects of acidified seawater on biological and physiological responses of Artemia franciscana

Abstract

Ocean acidification is becoming a potential threat to marine animals. The present study investigated the effect of seawater acidification on Artemia franciscana. A. franciscana cysts were allowed to hatch at different pH levels of pH 8.2 (control), 7.8, and 6.8. After 48 h incubation, the hatching percentage was significantly reduced in acidified seawater compared to that in control. Further, the hatched Artemia nauplii from each pH treatment were transferred to freshly acidified seawater for chronic study for 15 days. At the end of the experiment, survival, growth, and biochemical constituents were significantly decreased in Artemia at pH 7.8 and 6.8 compared to that in control, which indicates the adverse effects of acidified seawater on Artemia. The antioxidants, lipid peroxidation, and metabolic enzymes were significantly elevated in A. franciscana exposed to acidified seawater compared to that in control, which shows oxidative and metabolic stress on A. franciscana under acidified environment.

Keywords: Antioxidants; Artemia; Growth; Metabolic enzymes; Seawater acidification.