ORCID
- John I. Spicer: 0000-0002-6861-4039
Abstract
Assessing decapod sensitivity to regional-scale ocean acidification (OA) conditions is limited because of a fragmented understanding of the thresholds at which they exhibit biological response. To address this need, we undertook a three-step data synthesis: first, we compiled a dataset composed of 27,000 datapoints from 55 studies of decapod responses to OA. Second, we used statistical threshold analyses to identify OA thresholds using pH as a proxy for 13 response pathways from physiology to behavior, growth, development and survival. Third, we worked with the panel of experts to review these thresholds, considering the contributing datasets based on quality of the study, and assign a final thresholds and associated confidence scores based on quality and consistency of findings among studies. The duration-dependent thresholds were within a pH range from 7.40 to 7.80, ranging from behavioral and physiological responses to mortality, with many of the thresholds being assigned medium-to-high confidence. Organism sensitivity increased with the duration of exposure but was not linked to a specific life-stage. The thresholds that emerge from our analyses provide the foundation for consistent interpretation of OA monitoring data or numerical ocean model simulations to support climate change marine vulnerability assessments and evaluation of ocean management strategies.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2021-10-26
Publication Title
Frontiers in Marine Science
Volume
8
Acceptance Date
2021-09-28
Deposit Date
2021-09-11
Embargo Period
2021-11-13
Funding
Expert panel on the group was represented by the first 10 co-authors of the study, the remaining four did not vote in the process. This research was supported by California Ocean Protection Council, grant number C0302500. Reference to trade names or commercial firms does not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. The findings and conclusions in the manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. This manuscript has a contribution number 5121 from NOAA PMEL.
Keywords
ocean acidification, biological threshold, decapod, expert consensus, global synthesis, global change, biological risks, vulnerability assessment
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Spicer, J., & Bednaršek, N. (2021) 'Synthesis of thresholds of ocean acidification impacts on decapods', Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. Available at: 10.3389/fmars.2021.651102
