Response of copepods to elevated pCO₂ and environmental copper as co-Stressors – a multigenerational study

Fitzer, S.C. , Caldwell, G.S., Clare, A.S., Upstill-Goddard, R.C. and Bentley, M.G. (2013) Response of copepods to elevated pCO₂ and environmental copper as co-Stressors – a multigenerational study. PLoS ONE, 8(8), e71257. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071257) (PMID:23951121) (PMCID:PMC3737157)

Abstract

We examined the impacts of ocean acidification and copper as co-stressors on the reproduction and population level responses of the benthic copepod Tisbe battagliai across two generations. Naupliar production, growth, and cuticle elemental composition were determined for four pH values: 8.06 (control); 7.95; 7.82; 7.67, with copper addition to concentrations equivalent to those in benthic pore waters. An additive synergistic effect was observed; the decline in naupliar production was greater with added copper at decreasing pH than for decreasing pH alone. Naupliar production modelled for the two generations revealed a negative synergistic impact between ocean acidification and environmentally relevant copper concentrations. Conversely, copper addition enhanced copepod growth, with larger copepods produced at each pH compared to the impact of pH alone. Copepod digests revealed significantly reduced cuticle concentrations of sulphur, phosphorus and calcium under decreasing pH; further, copper uptake increased to toxic levels that lead to reduced naupliar production. These data suggest that ocean acidification will enhance copper bioavailability, resulting in larger, but less fecund individuals that may have an overall detrimental outcome for copepod populations.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Fitzer, Dr Susan
• Authors: Fitzer, S.C., Caldwell, G.S., Clare, A.S., Upstill-Goddard, R.C., and Bentley, M.G.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
• Journal Name: PLoS ONE
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• ISSN (Online): 1932-6203
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 The Authors
• First Published: First published in PLoS ONE 8(8):e71257
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License