Ocean acidification compromises recruitment success of the threatened Caribbean coral Acropora palmata.

ABSTRACT: Ocean acidification (OA) refers to the ongoing decline in oceanic pH resulting from the uptake of atmospheric CO(2). Mounting experimental evidence suggests that OA will have negative consequences for a variety of marine organisms. Whereas the effect of OA on the calcification of adult reef corals is increasingly well documented, effects on early life history stages are largely unknown. Coral recruitment, which necessitates successful fertilization, larval settlement, and postsettlement growth and survivorship, is critical to the persistence and resilience of coral reefs. To determine whether OA threatens successful sexual recruitment of reef-building corals, we tested fertilization, settlement, and postsettlement growth of Acropora palmata at pCO(2) levels that represent average ambient c

SUBMITTER: Albright R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2996699 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature