Archival records of the Antarctic clam shells from Marian Cove, King George Island suggest a protective mechanism against ocean acidification
Archival records of the Antarctic clam shells from Marian Cove, King George Island suggest a protective mechanism against ocean acidification
Published 21 February 2024 Science Leave a CommentTags: Antarctic, biological response, dissolution, field, mollusks, morphology, paleo, physiology, sediment
Abstract
Continuous emissions of anthropogenic CO2 are changing the atmospheric and oceanic environment. Although some species may have compensatory mechanisms to acclimatize or adapt to the changing environment, most marine organisms are negatively influenced by climate change. In this study, we aimed to understand the compensatory mechanisms of the Antarctic clam, Laternula elliptica, to climate-related stressors by using archived shells from 1995 to 2018. Principal component analysis revealed that seawater pCO2 and salinity in the Antarctic Ocean, which have increased since the 2000’s, are the most influential factors on the characteristics of the shell. The periostracum thickness ratio and nitrogen on the outermost surface have increased, and the dissolution area (%) has decreased. Furthermore, the calcium content and mechanical properties of the shells have not changed. The results suggest that L. elliptica retains the mechanism of protecting the shell from high pCO2 by thickening the periostracum as a phenotype plasticity.
Highlights
- We analyzed archival shells of the Antarctic clams in response to climate change.
- Seawater pCO2 and salinity in the Antarctic Ocean have increased since the 2000’s.
- Shell dissolution decreased over time while total shell thickness remained constant.
- The calcium content and mechanical properties of the shell remained unchanged.
- Shell integrity was retained by thickening the organic layer enriched with nitrogen.
Seo H., Cho B., Joo S., Ahn I.-Y., & Kim T., 2024. Archival records of the Antarctic clam shells from Marian Cove, King George Island suggest a protective mechanism against ocean acidification. Marine Pollution Bulletin 200: 116052. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116052. Article.
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