Abstract
When atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide increase, it is absorbed by the ocean surface, acidifying the water. Previously, the buffering capacity of the oceans was thought to counteract this process but we now know that ocean acidification is occurring. According to the IPCC, the world´s oceans may become 150% more acidic by the year 2100, compared to pre-industrial values. Although a new research area, major effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms are emerging, with impacts on fish recently demonstrated. However, the effect on temperate fish species is poorly known, as the research focus to date has been on tropical species. Whether the effect of ocean acidification varies between marine and brackish water environments is also unknown, despite the fact that the capacity of water to absorb carbon dioxide is linked to salinity. If commercially important fish species in the Baltic Sea are sensitive to ocean acidification this could decrease the maximum yield by 30%. My project will investigate whether egg and larval development of commercially important fish species are affected by ocean acidification. I will also evaluate the impact on reproductive behaviours and the capacity of fish to adapt. Adaptation will be studied by keeping fish in an acidic environment over multiple generations and testing for across-generation change in sensitivity. This knowledge is vital if we are to predict the ecological and economical consequences of ocean acidification on fish stocks.
Sweden