Hypoxia aggravates the effects of ocean acidification on the physiological energetics of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis

Huaxin Gu; Yueyong Shang; Jeff Clements; Sam Dupont; Ting Wang; Shuaishuai Wei; Xinghuo Wang; Jianfang Chen; Wei Huang; Menghong Hu; Youji Wang

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110538

Hypoxia aggravates the effects of ocean acidification on the physiological energetics of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis

Mar Pollut Bull. 2019 Dec:149:110538. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110538. Epub 2019 Aug 24.

Authors

Huaxin Gu¹, Yueyong Shang¹, Jeff Clements², Sam Dupont³, Ting Wang¹, Shuaishuai Wei¹, Xinghuo Wang¹, Jianfang Chen⁴, Wei Huang⁵, Menghong Hu¹, Youji Wang⁶

Affiliations

¹ National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Science and Technology, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
³ Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Infrastructure - Kristineberg, University of Gothenburg, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: willhuang@sio.org.cn.
⁶ National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Ministry of Science and Technology, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: youjiwang2@gmail.com.

PMID: 31454614
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110538

Abstract

Apart from ocean acidification, hypoxia is another stressor to marine organisms, especially those in coastal waters. Their interactive effects of elevated CO₂ and hypoxia on the physiological energetics in mussel Mytilus edulis were evaluated. Mussels were exposed to three pH levels (8.1, 7.7, 7.3) at two dissolved oxygen levels (6 and 2 mg L^-1) and clearance rate, absorption efficiency, respiration rate, excretion rate, scope for growth and O: N ratio were measured during a14-day exposure. After exposure, all parameters (except excretion rate) were significantly reduced under low pH and hypoxic conditions, whereas excretion rate was significantly increased. Additive effects of low pH and hypoxia were evident for all parameters and low pH appeared to elicit a stronger effect than hypoxia (2.0 mg L^-1). Overall, hypoxia can aggravate the effects of acidification on the physiological energetics of mussels, and their populations may be diminished by these stressors.

Keywords: Bivalve; Environmental stress; Global change biology; Multiple stressors; Physiology.

MeSH terms

Ammonia / metabolism
Animals
Homeostasis
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Hypoxia / veterinary
Mytilus edulis / physiology*
Nitrogen / metabolism
Oxygen / analysis
Oxygen / metabolism
Seawater / chemistry*

Substances

Ammonia
Nitrogen
Oxygen