Handling the heat: ocean acidification mitigates the effects of marine heatwaves on Posidonia oceanica seedlings.

ABSTRACT: Ocean acidification and marine heatwaves are key drivers of marine ecosystem changes that can interact with one another and influence marine organisms. Seagrasses, including the long-lived Posidonia oceanica that is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, are widely distributed along coastal habitats, forming highly valuable underwater meadows. The germination and survival of the early life stages of P. oceanica are strongly affected by environmental changes. To assess the impact of warming and acidification on its future, we conducted a multifactorial experiment in which P. oceanica seedlings were grown under ocean acidification conditions for 6 months and then exposed to a seawater warming event. Seedling performance was investigated by analysing photo-physiology, antioxidant capacity, energet

SUBMITTER: Pazzaglia J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12675272 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature