Marine invertebrate skeleton size varies with latitude, temperature and carbonate saturation: implications for global change and ocean acidification
Marine invertebrate skeleton size varies with latitude, temperature and carbonate saturation: implications for global change and ocean acidification
There is great concern over the future effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms, especially for skeletal calcification, yet little is known of natural variation in skeleton size and composition across the globe, and this is a prerequisite for identifying factors currently controlling skeleton mass and thickness. Here, taxonomically controlled latitudinal variations in shell morphology and composition were investigated in bivalve and gastropod molluscs, brachiopods, and echinoids. Total inorganic content, a proxy for skeletal CaCO3, decreased with latitude, decreasing seawater temperature, and decreasing seawater carbonate saturation state (for CaCO3 as calcite (?cal)) in all taxa. Shell mass decreased with latitude in molluscs and shell inorganic content decreased with latitude in buccinid gastropods. Shell thickness decreased with latitude in buccinid gastropods (excepting the Australian temperate buccinid) and echinoids, but not brachiopods and laternulid clams. In the latter, the polar species had the thickest shell. There was no latitudinal trend in shell thickness within brachiopods. The variation in trends in shell thickness by taxon suggests that in some circumstances ecological factors may override latitudinal trends. Latitudinal gradients may produce effects similar to those of future CO2-driven ocean acidification on CaCO3 saturation state. Responses to latitudinal trends in temperature and saturation state may therefore be useful in informing predictions of organism responses to ocean acidification over long-term adaptive timescales.
Calcium carbonate, calcification, ocean acidification, temperature, morphology, predation, solubility, mollusc, brachiopod, echinoid
3026-3038
Watson, Sue-Ann
6e94b8bb-9024-4ebd-bea5-cf0ec9edaabd
Peck, Lloyd S.
097d27ed-4644-4bc1-a855-045029ace2df
Tyler, Paul A.
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8
Southgate, Paul C.
84901308-8765-478e-95e3-c6e23b23f826
Tan, Koh Siang
97a64e1e-4c3f-4657-98ea-ac3a0411f59a
Day, Robert W.
fc276889-b081-4230-9e97-ae5eba8389df
Morley, Simon A.
d70e9c32-531e-4d8a-a643-ec2a674ef624
2012
Watson, Sue-Ann
6e94b8bb-9024-4ebd-bea5-cf0ec9edaabd
Peck, Lloyd S.
097d27ed-4644-4bc1-a855-045029ace2df
Tyler, Paul A.
d1965388-38cc-4c1d-9217-d59dba4dd7f8
Southgate, Paul C.
84901308-8765-478e-95e3-c6e23b23f826
Tan, Koh Siang
97a64e1e-4c3f-4657-98ea-ac3a0411f59a
Day, Robert W.
fc276889-b081-4230-9e97-ae5eba8389df
Morley, Simon A.
d70e9c32-531e-4d8a-a643-ec2a674ef624
Watson, Sue-Ann, Peck, Lloyd S., Tyler, Paul A., Southgate, Paul C., Tan, Koh Siang, Day, Robert W. and Morley, Simon A.
(2012)
Marine invertebrate skeleton size varies with latitude, temperature and carbonate saturation: implications for global change and ocean acidification.
Global Change Biology, 18 (10), .
(doi:10.1111/j.1365-2486.2012.02755.x).
Abstract
There is great concern over the future effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms, especially for skeletal calcification, yet little is known of natural variation in skeleton size and composition across the globe, and this is a prerequisite for identifying factors currently controlling skeleton mass and thickness. Here, taxonomically controlled latitudinal variations in shell morphology and composition were investigated in bivalve and gastropod molluscs, brachiopods, and echinoids. Total inorganic content, a proxy for skeletal CaCO3, decreased with latitude, decreasing seawater temperature, and decreasing seawater carbonate saturation state (for CaCO3 as calcite (?cal)) in all taxa. Shell mass decreased with latitude in molluscs and shell inorganic content decreased with latitude in buccinid gastropods. Shell thickness decreased with latitude in buccinid gastropods (excepting the Australian temperate buccinid) and echinoids, but not brachiopods and laternulid clams. In the latter, the polar species had the thickest shell. There was no latitudinal trend in shell thickness within brachiopods. The variation in trends in shell thickness by taxon suggests that in some circumstances ecological factors may override latitudinal trends. Latitudinal gradients may produce effects similar to those of future CO2-driven ocean acidification on CaCO3 saturation state. Responses to latitudinal trends in temperature and saturation state may therefore be useful in informing predictions of organism responses to ocean acidification over long-term adaptive timescales.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 2012
Keywords:
Calcium carbonate, calcification, ocean acidification, temperature, morphology, predation, solubility, mollusc, brachiopod, echinoid
Organisations:
Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 347070
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347070
ISSN: 1354-1013
PURE UUID: 5be94970-ac07-4f2e-8b87-9cad499c2135
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 15 Jan 2013 17:22
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:45
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Sue-Ann Watson
Author:
Lloyd S. Peck
Author:
Paul C. Southgate
Author:
Koh Siang Tan
Author:
Robert W. Day
Author:
Simon A. Morley
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics