Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus

Negative impacts of CO2-induced ocean acidification on marine organisms have proven to be variable both among and within taxa. For fishes, inconsistency confounds our ability to draw conclusions that apply across taxonomic groups and highlights the limitations of a nascent field with a narrow scope...

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Main Authors: S Bignami, S Sponaugle, RK Cowen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Inter-Research 2014-10-01
Series:Aquatic Biology
Online Access:https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/ab/v21/n3/p249-260/
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author S Bignami
S Sponaugle
RK Cowen
author_facet S Bignami
S Sponaugle
RK Cowen
author_sort S Bignami
collection DOAJ
description Negative impacts of CO2-induced ocean acidification on marine organisms have proven to be variable both among and within taxa. For fishes, inconsistency confounds our ability to draw conclusions that apply across taxonomic groups and highlights the limitations of a nascent field with a narrow scope of study species. Here, we present data from a series of 3 experiments on the larvae of mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus, a large pelagic tropical fish species of high economic value. Mahi-mahi larvae were raised for up to 21 d under either ambient seawater conditions (350 to 490 µatm pCO2) or projected scenarios of ocean acidification (770 to 2170 µatm pCO2). Evaluation of hatch rate, larval size, development, swimming activity, swimming ability (Ucrit), and otolith (ear stone) formation produced few significant effects. However, larvae unexpectedly exhibited significantly larger size-at-age and faster developmental rate during 1 out of 3 experiments, possibly driven by metabolic compensation to elevated pCO2 via a corresponding decrease in routine swimming velocity. Furthermore, larvae had significantly larger otoliths at 2170 µatm pCO2, and a similar but non-significant trend also occurred at 1200 µatm pCO2, suggesting potential implications for hearing sensitivity. The lack of effect on most variables measured in this study provides an optimistic indication that this large tropical species, which inhabits the offshore pelagic environment, may not be overly susceptible to ocean acidification. However, the presence of some treatment effects on growth, swimming activity, and otolith formation suggests the presence of subtle, but possibly widespread, effects of acidification on larval mahi-mahi, the cumulative consequences of which are still unknown.
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spelling doaj.art-c5fe7bb2b271404faf4ec2947dc1d6192022-12-21T22:59:42ZengInter-ResearchAquatic Biology1864-77821864-77902014-10-0121324926010.3354/ab00598Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurusS Bignami0S Sponaugle1RK Cowen2Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USADivision of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USADivision of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USANegative impacts of CO2-induced ocean acidification on marine organisms have proven to be variable both among and within taxa. For fishes, inconsistency confounds our ability to draw conclusions that apply across taxonomic groups and highlights the limitations of a nascent field with a narrow scope of study species. Here, we present data from a series of 3 experiments on the larvae of mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus, a large pelagic tropical fish species of high economic value. Mahi-mahi larvae were raised for up to 21 d under either ambient seawater conditions (350 to 490 µatm pCO2) or projected scenarios of ocean acidification (770 to 2170 µatm pCO2). Evaluation of hatch rate, larval size, development, swimming activity, swimming ability (Ucrit), and otolith (ear stone) formation produced few significant effects. However, larvae unexpectedly exhibited significantly larger size-at-age and faster developmental rate during 1 out of 3 experiments, possibly driven by metabolic compensation to elevated pCO2 via a corresponding decrease in routine swimming velocity. Furthermore, larvae had significantly larger otoliths at 2170 µatm pCO2, and a similar but non-significant trend also occurred at 1200 µatm pCO2, suggesting potential implications for hearing sensitivity. The lack of effect on most variables measured in this study provides an optimistic indication that this large tropical species, which inhabits the offshore pelagic environment, may not be overly susceptible to ocean acidification. However, the presence of some treatment effects on growth, swimming activity, and otolith formation suggests the presence of subtle, but possibly widespread, effects of acidification on larval mahi-mahi, the cumulative consequences of which are still unknown.https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/ab/v21/n3/p249-260/
spellingShingle S Bignami
S Sponaugle
RK Cowen
Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus
Aquatic Biology
title Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus
title_full Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus
title_fullStr Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus
title_full_unstemmed Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus
title_short Effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high-value pelagic fisheries species, mahi-mahi Coryphaena hippurus
title_sort effects of ocean acidification on the larvae of a high value pelagic fisheries species mahi mahi coryphaena hippurus
url https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/ab/v21/n3/p249-260/
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