Project: Collaborative Research: Ocean Acidification: RUI: Multiple Stressor Effects of Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia on Behavior, Physiology, and Gene Expression of Temperate Reef Fishes

NSF Award Abstract:
For near shore marine species inhabiting upwelling ecosystems such as the California Current, climate change resulting from the anthropogenic release of CO2 into the atmosphere is likely to induce concurrent conditions of ocean acidification (OA) and hypoxia, which are exacerbated during periods of seasonal upwelling. Although marine fishes have generally been presumed to be tolerant of OA due to their competence in acid-base regulation, recent studies in tropical regions suggest that early life stages may be particularly sensitive to elevated levels of dissolved CO2 (which lowers seawater pH) by impairing respiration, acid-base regulation, and neurotransmitter function. Low levels of dissolved oxygen (DO), which occur during hypoxia, can likewise impact the behavior, physiology and survival of marine fishes. Few studies have addressed the potential interactive effects of a low pH, low DO environment. From molecular tools to whole animal physiology, this research will provide an in-depth examination of an inherently integrative process. The study will use a multiple stressor framework to address the potential threats posed by the independent and combined effects of OA and hypoxia on behavior, physiological capacity, and gene expression in temperate reef fishes. Because mortality in early life stages has important carryover effects, understanding the effects of these stressors is critical for predicting future climate change responses of global fish populations. Such information will lay the groundwork for further studies that address the synergistic effects of multiple stressors and the characteristics of California Current species that influence their ability to tolerate or adapt to changes in ocean chemistry in a rapidly changing climate.

The project goals are to use a combination of laboratory and field studies to examine ecologically and physiologically relevant responses of juvenile rockfish (genus Sebastes) to the independent and interactive effects of ocean acidification and hypoxia. Rockfish will be captured in the field and then reared in the lab at 4 different pCO2 levels and 4 different DO levels to simulate changes in environmental conditions. Response variables include:  (1) measures of changes in olfactory capabilities, brain functional asymmetry and problem-solving ability and (2) effects on swimming capabilities, respiration, aerobic performance, and growth. In addition, we will use next generation transcriptome sequencing to examine genome-wide changes in gene expression and enzyme activity for Na+/K+ ATPase (NKA), citrate synthase (CS), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), as proxies for acid-base compensation and metabolic shifts between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism. Oceanographic sensors will be deployed in the field to determine the frequency and intensity of hypoxia and low pH events in near shore habitats in Northern and Central California. Adaptive sampling of juvenile rockfish will be used to evaluate gene expression and physiological responses in individuals exposed in situ to low pH and low DO events in the field. The effects of OA and hypoxia will be compared across rockfish species with different life histories (e.g. larval duration, timing of spawning, etc.) and collected from regions differing in exposure to low pH/low DO events to address the potential for local adaptation. The focus of this project is on responses of the early juvenile stage at the time of settlement, because this stage is exposed to near shore changes in ocean chemistry during a critical period where physiological stress and behavioral disruptions may have the strongest demographic effects due to increased risk of predation.