MEPS 350:91-97 (2007)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07142

ABSTRACT: Bottle incubations were conducted to examine how exposure to seawater containing 8000 ppm carbon dioxide (CO₂; pH 6.95) influenced the growth and reproduction of the keystone copepod Calanus finmarchicus. The chosen concentration of CO₂ is expected to occur over 100s of cubic kilometres of seawater as a result of marine CO₂ storage/disposal, and is also representative of the predicted ‘worst-case’ atmospheric CO₂ scenario in the year 2300. Growth (egg production and biomass loss) in adult female copepods was not affected by the simulated ocean acidification. In contrast, a maximum of only 4% of the eggs successfully yielded nauplii after 72 h in the experimental treatment. Our results demonstrate that environmental risk assessments for marine CO₂ storage/disposal must look beyond adult mortality as an endpoint. Furthermore, if CO₂ is to be disposed of in the deep sea, the location and timing of such activities must take into consideration the overwintering populations of C. finmarchicus.

KEY WORDS: Carbon dioxide · Ocean acidification · Calanus finmarchicus · Egg production · Hatching success · Carbon capture and storage