Publication Date:
2024-03-15
Description:
Understanding mollusk calcification sensitivity to ocean acidification (OA) requires a better knowledge of calcification mechanisms. Especially in rapidly calcifying larval stages, mechanisms of shell formation are largely unexplored—yet these are the most vulnerable life stages. Here we find rapid generation of crystalline shell material in mussel larvae. We find no evidence for intracellular CaCO3 formation, indicating that mineral formation could be constrained to the calcifying space beneath the shell. Using microelectrodes we show that larvae can increase pH and [CO3]2−beneath the growing shell, leading to a ~1.5-fold elevation in calcium carbonate saturation state (Omega arag). Larvae exposed to OA exhibit a drop in pH, [CO3]2− and Omega arag at the site of calcification, which correlates with decreased shell growth, and, eventually, shell dissolution. Our findings help explain why bivalve larvae can form shells under moderate acidification scenarios and provide a direct link between ocean carbonate chemistry and larval calcification rate.
Keywords:
Acid-base regulation; Alkalinity, total; Animalia; Aragonite saturation state; Baltic Sea; Benthic animals; Benthos; Bicarbonate ion; Bottles or small containers/Aquaria (〈20 L); Calcification/Dissolution; Calcite saturation state; Calcium; Calcium per individual; Calculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al. (2010); Carbon, inorganic, dissolved; Carbonate ion; Carbonate system computation flag; Carbon dioxide; Coast and continental shelf; delta; Experiment; Fluorescence; Fugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Growth/Morphology; Laboratory experiment; Mollusca; Mytilus edulis; OA-ICC; Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre; Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); pH; Registration number of species; Replicate; Salinity; Shell length; Shell length, standard deviation; Single species; Species; Temperate; Temperature, water; Time in hours; Type; Uniform resource locator/link to reference
Type:
Dataset
Format:
text/tab-separated-values, 13036 data points
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