Ocean acidification stunts molluscan growth at CO2 seeps

Ocean acidification can severely affect bivalve molluscs, especially their shell calcification. Assessing the fate of this vulnerable group in a rapidly acidifying ocean is therefore a pressing challenge. Volcanic CO2 seeps are natural ana-logues of future ocean conditions that offer unique insights into the scope of marine bivalves to cope with acidification. Here, we used a 2-month reciprocal transplantation of the coastal mussel Septifer bilocularis collected from reference and elevated pCO2 habitats to explore how they calcify and grow at CO2 seeps on the Pacific coast of Japan. We found significant decreases in condition index (an indication of tissue energy reserves) and shell growth of mussels liv-ing under elevated pCO2 conditions. These negative responses in their physiological performance under acidified con-ditions were closely associated with changes in their food sources (shown by changes to the soft tissue 813C and 815N ratios) and changes in their calcifying fluid carbonate chemistry (based on shell carbonate isotopic and elemental sig-natures). The reduced shell growth rate during the transplantation experiment was further supported by shell 813C re-cords along their incremental growth layers, as well as their smaller shell size despite being of comparable ontogenetic ages (5-7 years old, based on shell 818O records). Taken together, these findings demonstrate how ocean acidification at CO2 seeps affects mussel growth and reveal that lowered shell growth helps them survive stressful conditions.

Automated summary

Ocean acidification has a severe impact on bivalve molluscs, particularly their shell calcification. This study examines the effects of elevated pCO2 conditions on the growth and calcification of the coastal mussel Septifer bilocularis at CO2 seeps in Japan. The results show that mussels living under high pCO2 conditions exhibit reduced condition index and shell growth, which are linked to changes in food sources and calcifying fluid carbonate chemistry.