Predator–prey interaction between muricid gastropods and mussels under ocean acidification

Abstract

Predation of the muricid gastropod Thais clavigera on two-sized groups of the mussel Brachidontes variabilis was studied under three pCO2 levels, 380, 950, and 1250μatm. At 950μatm pCO2 level, the prey handling time decreased significantly and large-sized B. variabilis were preferred by T. clavigera. However, the prey consumption rate was independent of pCO2 levels, although the prey searching time increased significantly at elevated pCO2. These findings indicated that the predator–prey interaction between T. clavigera and B. variabilis was altered under ocean acidification, which will have a long-term impact on the population dynamics of the interacting species.