An intertidal life: Combined effects of acidification and winter heatwaves on a coralline alga (Ellisolandia elongata) and its associated invertebrate community

Ragazzola, Federica; Marchini, Agnese; Adani, Mario; Bordone, Andrea; Castelli, Alberto; Cerrati, Gabriella; Kolzenburg, Regina; Langeneck, Joachim; Marzo, Carlotta di; Nannini, Matteo; Elisa, Romanelli; Santos, M. Mateo; Vasapollo, Claudio; Pipitone, Carlo; Lombardi, Chiara

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105342

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…This study revealed the tolerance of temperate coralline algae to low and moderate heat stresses corresponding to realistic present day and future temperature scenarios. This is contrary to my initial expectations, but generally supported by the findings of three single-species studies from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic (Rendina et al 2019;Ragazzola et al 2021;Schubert et al 2021). The displayed thermo-tolerance is likely linked to the photosynthetic apparatus, which continued to function under heat stress.…”

Section: Impact Of Heat-stress On Coralline Algal Photo-physiologycontrasting

confidence: 77%

“…Based on my results, I suggest that this is also linked to the thermostability of coralline algal photosynthesis that allows continued calcification and enhances overall tolerance. This is supported and complemented by the findings of four other studies that also report limited to no effect of OW or MHWs on coralline algal physiology (Rendina et al 2019;Anton et al 2020;Ragazzola et al 2021;Schubert et al 2021). Together, this implies the resilience of most coralline algae to short-and long-term heat stress.…”

Section: Impacts Of Elevated Temperatures On Calcification and Minero...supporting

confidence: 71%

“…The tolerance of coralline algae to OW and MHWs displayed here and elsewhere (Rendina et al 2019;Cornwall et al 2019;Ragazzola et al 2021;Schubert et al 2021) suggests that coralline algae are likely to play their ecological roles in a warming ocean (other outcomes of climate change notwithstanding, e.g. ocean acidification or altered biotic interactions).…”

Section: Ecology Of Coralline Algae In a Warming Oceanmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…This discrepancy highlights a major constraint for predictive understanding, which prevents forecasting the responses of coralline algae to OW. Furthermore, responses to MHWs are even less well known and have only been examined in three studies so far (Rendina et al 2019;Ragazzola et al 2021;Schubert et al 2021). The findings of these studies are somewhat contradictory indicating both low (Schubert et al 2021) and high sensitivity (Rendina et al 2019).…”

Section: Ocean Warming and Marine Heatwavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fisher et al 2012). Therefore, the scarce information available indicates that coralline algae are comparatively tolerant to OW and MHWs (Rendina et al 2019;Cornwall et al 2019;Anton et al 2020;Ragazzola et al 2021).…”

Section: Ocean Warming and Marine Heatwavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physiologically Mediated Susceptibilties Of Coralline Algae To Ocean Change

Krieger¹

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Coralline algae are important foundation species in coastal ecosystems around the world but are threatened by ocean acidification (OA) and other anthropogenic stressors such as ocean warming (OW) and sedimentation. Physiological responses to ocean change are challenging to predict because the mechanisms that provide tolerance to different stressors are unknown and there is a lack of understanding of responses to multiple drivers. To address these issues, I conducted four experiments examining the physiological responses of multiple temperate coralline algal species to decreasing irradiance, declining pH, OW and marine heatwaves (MHWs), and a combination of OA, OW and reduced irradiance. Coralline algal calcification generally responded parabolically to irradiance, but photosynthesis responded linearly. My results suggest that light enhanced calcification is the result of increased ion pumping rates to elevate the calcium carbonate saturation state in the calcifying fluid (CF) and a higher daytime pH in the diffusion boundary layer that raises pHCF. My results implied the existence of two calcification strategies in coralline algae that I discuss within the thesis. Tolerance to OA was coupled to the species’ ability to maintain stable carbonate chemistry at the site of calcification to support calcification as seawater pH declined. Conversely, pronounced changes in internal calcium carbonate saturation state (ΩCF) and skeletal magnesium content were observed in the sensitive taxa. However, ΩCF did generally not decline but increase under OA. There was also slight OA-induced photodamage in sensitive taxa that could explain the inability to support ion-pumping and growth under OA. Photo-physiology and calcification of coralline algae were generally unaffected by OW and MHWs implying a high thermo-tolerance. However, exposure to future ocean conditions (decreased irradiance+OW x OA) caused the most severe reductions in calcification. Single driver (OA and decreased irradiance+OW) impacts were smaller. Calcification responses were decoupled from ΩCF likely due to the effective control over the internal carbonate chemistry. However, calcification likely declined due to the increased energy expenditure of calcification or when energy supply was reduced. Indeed, variations in energy expenditure and photosynthesis could explain most of the observed calcification responses. Overall, this thesis has increased our predictive understanding regarding the impact of ocean change on coralline algae by addressing several critical issues by providing a new mechanistic model that more accurately defines the role of irradiance in coralline algal calcification.

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Section: Impact Of Heat-stress On Coralline Algal Photo-physiologycontrasting

confidence: 77%

Section: Impacts Of Elevated Temperatures On Calcification and Minero...supporting

confidence: 71%

Section: Ecology Of Coralline Algae In a Warming Oceanmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Ocean Warming and Marine Heatwavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Ocean Warming and Marine Heatwavesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physiologically Mediated Susceptibilties Of Coralline Algae To Ocean Change

Krieger¹

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Ocean Acidification as a Governance Challenge in the Mediterranean Sea: Impacts from Aquaculture and Fisheries

Bednaršek

Guilloux

Canu

et al. 2023

MARE Publication Series

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Despite the progress in the international and regional governance efforts at the level of climate change, ocean acidification (OA) remains a global problem with profoundly negative environmental, social, and economical consequences. This requires extensive mitigation and adaptation effective strategies that are hindered by current shortcomings of governance. This multidisciplinary chapter investigates the risks of ocean acidification (OA) for aquaculture and fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea and its sub-basins and the role of regional adaptive governance to tackle the problem. The identified risks are based on the biological sensitivities of the most important aquaculture species and biogenic habitats and their exposure to the current and future predicted (2100) RCP 8.5 conditions. To link OA exposure and biological sensitivity, we produced spatially resolved and depth-related pH and aragonite saturation state exposure maps and overlaid these with the existing aquaculture industry in the coastal waters of the Mediterranean basin to demonstrate potential risk for the aquaculture in the future. We also identified fisheries’ vulnerability through the indirect effects of OA on highly sensitive biogenic habitats that serve as nursery and spawning areas, showing that some of the biogenic habitats are already affected locally under existing OA conditions and will be more severely impacted across the entire Mediterranean basin under 2100 scenarios. This provided a regional vulnerability assessment of OA hotspots, risks and gaps that created the baseline for discussing the importance of adaptive governance and recommendations for future OA mitigation/adaptation strategies. By understanding the risks under future OA scenarios and reinforcing the adaptability of the governance system at the science-policy interface, best informed, “situated” management response capability can be optimised to sustain ecosystem services.

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