Exposure history determines pteropod vulnerability to ocean acidification along the US West Coast.

ABSTRACT: The pteropod Limacina helicina frequently experiences seasonal exposure to corrosive conditions (Ω_ar < 1) along the US West Coast and is recognized as one of the species most susceptible to ocean acidification (OA). Yet, little is known about their capacity to acclimatize to such conditions. We collected pteropods in the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) that differed in the severity of exposure to Ω_ar conditions in the natural environment. Combining field observations, high-CO₂ perturbation experiment results, and retrospective ocean transport simulations, we investigated biological responses based on histories of magnitude and duration of exposure to Ω_ar < 1. Our results suggest that both exposure magnitude and duration affect pteropod respon

SUBMITTER: Bednarsek N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5495755 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature