scholarly journals Meta-analysis reveals taxon- and life stage-dependent effects of ocean acidification on marine calcifier feeding performance

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff C. Clements

AbstractWhile ocean acidification is considered among the greatest threats to marine ecosystems, its effects on the feeding performance of marine calcifiers remain uncertain. I conducted a meta-analysis of effect sizes (LnRR) assessing the impacts of acidification on the feeding ability of three groups of marine calcifiers - molluscs, arthropods, and echinoderms. Results suggested taxon-dependent effects of acidification on calcifier feeding performance, with depressed feeding observed for molluscs, echinoderms, and when all taxa were considered. However, ocean acidification had no effect on feeding performance in marine arthropods and larval feeding performance appeared more vulnerable than that of juveniles and adults. Feeding performance was not related to acclimation time nor pCO2 level. This study suggests that the feeding performance of molluscs and early life-stage echinoderms may be depressed in a more acidic ocean, but that arthropod feeding performance is unlikely to suffer. Such changes in feeding performance could contribute to slower growth and development in the early life stages of these organisms and could potentially contribute to changes in community and ecosystem structure where these organisms coexist. Finally, feeding performance could, at least in part, moderate the degree to which molluscs and echinoderms can use food to overcome acidification effects early in life.

1989 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 1188-1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. E. Holtze ◽  
N. J. Hutchinson

Lethality of low pH and Al to egg and fry stages of common shiner (Notropis cornutus), white sucker (Catostomus commersoni), walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieui), and largemouth bass (M. salmoides) was determined in a series of laboratory tests in soft (Ca = 4.0 mg/L) water. Low pH was lethal to cleavage eggs in the first 4 d of exposure, to eyed eggs in the immediate prehatch period and to fry following their transition to branchial respiration. Early life stage response to Al was determined by their sensitivity to low pH. Al prolonged survival of cleavage eggs at pH = 4.2, was detrimental to eyed eggs and fry at pH 4.4–5.4 and was most lethal within 0.3 pH units of the pH which was lethal in the absence of Al. In situ distribution of four of the six species was adequately explained by lethality of low pH alone to cleavage eggs or fry. Sensitivity to low pH and Al produced estimates of pH > 5.9 (common shiner), pH > 5.4 (lake whitefish, white sucker, walleye), and pH > 5.1 (smallmouth and largemouth bass) for survival of early life stages in acidified waters.


2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 955-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Scholz ◽  
Rene Schreiber ◽  
James Armitage ◽  
Philipp Mayer ◽  
Beate I. Escher ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 324-333
Author(s):  
A. Botha ◽  
J.M.P. Venter

The increase in household debt in South Africa over the past decade illustrates the importance of analysing credit usage. This study investigated the individual’s financial needs satisfied when using credit and the effect of life stage on the needs satisfied. The financial needs satisfied when using credit were analysed according to life stages using Alderfer’s existence relatedness growth (ERG) theory as a framework. The results indicated that credit usage is influenced by an individual’s life stage. This study found that individuals across all life stages mainly use credit to satisfy their existence needs. Although individuals in their single life stages used less credit products than individuals in their family life stages, it was worrisome to ascertain that mature couples had the highest average credit product usage. The findings suggest that individuals fall into the debt trap in their early life stage, resulting in them being unable to save income in the high-income-producing years in order to be able to dissave after retirement. It is suggested that educational programmes targeting the early life stages should be introduced to prevent individuals from becoming overindebted.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Victoria Beck ◽  
Katja Räsänen ◽  
Camille A. Leblanc ◽  
Skúli Skúlason ◽  
Zophonías O. Jónsson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Organismal fitness can be determined at early life-stages, but phenotypic variation at early life-stages is rarely considered in studies on evolutionary diversification. The trophic apparatus has been shown to contribute to sympatric resource-mediated divergence in several taxa. However, processes underlying diversification in trophic traits are poorly understood. Using phenotypically variable Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), we reared offspring from multiple families under standardized laboratory conditions and tested to what extent family (i.e. direct genetic and maternal effects) contributes to offspring morphology at hatching (H) and first feeding (FF). To understand the underlying mechanisms behind early life-stage variation in morphology, we examined how craniofacial shape varied according to family, offspring size, egg size and candidate gene expression. Results Craniofacial shape (i.e. the Meckel’s cartilage and hyoid arch) was more variable between families than within families both across and within developmental stages. Differences in craniofacial morphology between developmental stages correlated with offspring size, whilst within developmental stages only shape at FF correlated with offspring size, as well as female mean egg size. Larger offspring and offspring from females with larger eggs consistently had a wider hyoid arch and contracted Meckel’s cartilage in comparison to smaller offspring.Conclusions This study provides evidence for family-level variation in early life-stage trophic morphology, indicating the potential for parental effects to facilitate resource polymorphism.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha V. Beck ◽  
Katja Räsänen ◽  
Camille A. Leblanc ◽  
Skúli Skúlason ◽  
Zophonías O. Jónsson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Organismal fitness can be determined at early life-stages, but phenotypic variation at early life-stages is rarely considered in studies on evolutionary diversification. The trophic apparatus has been shown to contribute to sympatric resource-mediated divergence in several taxa. However, processes underlying diversification in trophic traits are poorly understood. Using phenotypically variable Icelandic Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), we reared offspring from multiple families under standardized laboratory conditions and tested to what extent family (i.e. direct genetic and maternal effects) contributes to offspring morphology at hatching (H) and first feeding (FF). To understand the underlying mechanisms behind early life-stage variation in morphology, we examined how craniofacial shape varied according to family, offspring size, egg size and candidate gene expression. Results Craniofacial shape (i.e. the Meckel’s cartilage and hyoid arch) was more variable between families than within families both across and within developmental stages. Differences in craniofacial morphology between developmental stages correlated with offspring size, whilst within developmental stages only shape at FF correlated with offspring size, as well as female mean egg size. Larger offspring and offspring from females with larger eggs consistently had a wider hyoid arch and contracted Meckel’s cartilage in comparison to smaller offspring. Conclusions This study provides evidence for family-level variation in early life-stage trophic morphology, indicating the potential for parental effects to facilitate resource polymorphism.


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