Global warming offsets the ecophysiological stress of ocean acidification on temperate crustose coralline algae

Ju-Hyoung Kim; Nahyun Kim; Hanbi Moon; Sukyeon Lee; So Young Jeong; Guillermo Diaz-Pulido; Matthew S Edwards; Ju-Hyun Kang; Eun Ju Kang; Hyun-Ju Oh; Jae-Dong Hwang; Il-Nam Kim

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111324

Global warming offsets the ecophysiological stress of ocean acidification on temperate crustose coralline algae

Mar Pollut Bull. 2020 Aug:157:111324. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111324. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Marine Applied Biosciences, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, South Korea. Electronic address: juhyoung@kunsan.ac.kr.
² Faculty of Marine Applied Biosciences, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, South Korea.
³ School of Environment and Science and Australian Rivers Institute-Coast & Estuaries, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia.
⁴ Department of Biology, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, Physical Sciences 145, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.
⁵ Faculty of Marine Applied Biosciences, Kunsan National University, Gunsan 54150, South Korea; Korea Ocean & Fisheries Institute, Tongyeong 53005, South Korea.
⁶ Department of Marine Science, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, South Korea.
⁷ Oceanic Climate and Ecology Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, South Korea.
⁸ Department of Marine Science, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, South Korea. Electronic address: ilnamkim@inu.ac.kr.

PMID: 32658689
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111324

Abstract

Dramatic increases in the release of anthropogenic CO₂ and global temperatures have resulted in alterations to seawater carbonate chemistry and metabolisms of marine organisms. There has been recent interest in the effects of these stressors on crustose coralline algae (CCA) because photosynthesis and calcification are influenced by all components of carbonate chemistry. To examine this, a mesocosm experiment was conducted to evaluate photosynthesis, calcification and growth in the temperate CCA Chamberlainium sp. under acidification (doubled CO₂), warming (+5 °C), and greenhouse (doubled CO₂ and +5 °C) conditions compared to present-day conditions. After 47 days of acclimation to these conditions, productivity was lowest under acidification, although photochemical properties were improved, while respiration was highest under warming. Likewise, growth was lowest under acidification, but this negative response was offset by elevated temperature under greenhouse. Together, these results suggest that warming offsets the negative effects of acidification by creating more suitable conditions for photosynthesis and growth.

Keywords: Acidification; Calcification; Climate change; Crustose coralline algae; Photosynthesis; Warming.

MeSH terms

Global Warming*
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Oceans and Seas
Rhodophyta*
Seawater
Temperature