AB 3:51-62 (2008)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00061

ABSTRACT: In addition to the predicted rise in temperature, a recognised consequence of increased atmospheric CO₂ is ocean acidification. The response of marine organisms to the stresses associated with acidification is still not understood, and a number of recent experiments have addressed this problem. The starting point for many of these studies has been the development of a system by which seawater pH can be altered and then maintained. The current paper presents details of a temperature- and pH-controlled microcosm system, which enables the establishment of a tidal regime, for the experimental investigation of intertidal organisms. Two climate scenarios were simulated to evaluate the system’s precision and accuracy; Year 2008 (‘low’ [CO₂]: 380 ppm and 14°C) conditions and Year 2100 (‘high’ [CO₂]) conditions (based on the IPCC—Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change—2007 A2 scenario, ‘high’ [CO₂]: 1250 ppm and 2.0 to 5.4°C warming). The temperature and seawater carbonate chemistry were reliably maintained for 30 d during which time newly settled barnacle cyprids were allowed to metamorphose into juveniles, then grow and develop. The pH and [CO₂] had 95% confidence intervals of ±0.03 units and ±17 ppm, respectively, under low [CO₂] conditions, and of ±0.02 units and ±43 ppm, respectively, under high [CO₂] conditions. The tidal regime is fully adjustable, and on this occasion was set to a 6 h cycle. These microcosms have proved ideal for studying benthic organisms from a variety of near-surface environments and at different stages of their life-cycle.

KEY WORDS: Ocean acidification · pH · Carbon dioxide · Climate change · Global warming · Microcosm · Intertidal · Larvae

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Cite this article as: Findlay HS, Kendall MA, Spicer JI, Turley C, Widdicombe S (2008) Novel microcosm system for investigating the effects of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature on intertidal organisms. Aquat Biol 3:51-62. https://doi.org/10.3354/ab00061 Export citation Share:    Facebook - - Bluesky - linkedIn