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Adaptation and acclimatization to ocean acidification in marine ectotherms: an in situ transplant experiment with polychaetes at a shallow CO2 vent system
Calosi, P.; Rastrick, S.P.S.; Lombardi, C.; de Guzman, H.J.; Davidson, L.; Jahnke, M.; Giangrande, A.; Hardege, J.D.; Schulze, A.; Spicer, J.I.; Gambi, M.C. (2013). Adaptation and acclimatization to ocean acidification in marine ectotherms: an in situ transplant experiment with polychaetes at a shallow CO2 vent system. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. (B Biol. Sci.) 368(1627). https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2012.0444
In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences. Royal Society: London. ISSN 0962-8436; e-ISSN 1471-2970, more
Peer reviewed article  

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Keywords
    Climate Change > Climate Change General
    Environmental Managers & Monitoring
    Marine Sciences
    Scientific Community
    Scientific Publication
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    adaptation; plasticity; climate change; metabolic rate; oceanacidification; mass extinction

Project Top | Authors 
  • Association of European marine biological laboratories, more

Authors  Top 
  • Calosi, P.
  • Rastrick, S.P.S.
  • Lombardi, C.
  • de Guzman, H.J.
  • Davidson, L.
  • Jahnke, M.
  • Giangrande, A., more
  • Hardege, J.D.
  • Schulze, A.
  • Spicer, J.I.
  • Gambi, M.C., more

Abstract
    Metabolic rate determines the physiological and life-history performances of ectotherms. Thus, the extent to which such rates are sensitive and plastic to environmental perturbation is central to an organism's ability to function in a changing environment. Little is known of long-term metabolic plasticity and potential for metabolic adaptation in marine ectotherms exposed to elevated pCO2. Consequently, we carried out a series of in situ transplant experiments using a number of tolerant and sensitive polychaete species living around a natural CO2 vent system. Here, we show that a marine metazoan (i.e. Platynereis dumerilii) was able to adapt to chronic and elevated levels of pCO2. The vent population of P. dumerilii was physiologically and genetically different from nearby populations that experience low pCO2, as well as smaller in body size. By contrast, different populations of Amphiglena mediterranea showed marked physiological plasticity indicating that adaptation or acclimatization are both viable strategies for the successful colonization of elevated pCO2 environments. In addition, sensitive species showed either a reduced or increased metabolism when exposed acutely to elevated pCO2. Our findings may help explain, from a metabolic perspective, the occurrence of past mass extinction, as well as shed light on alternative pathways of resilience in species facing ongoing ocean acidification.

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