Abstract
Commercial shellfish aquaculture is vulnerable to the impacts of ocean acidification driven by increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption by the ocean as well as to coastal acidification driven by land run off and rising sea level. These drivers of environmental acidification have deleterious effects on biomineralization. We investigated shell biomineralization of selectively bred and wild‐type families of the Sydney rock oyster Saccostrea glomerata in a study of oysters being farmed in estuaries at aquaculture leases differing in environmental acidification. The contrasting estuarine pH regimes enabled us to determine the mechanisms of shell growth and the vulnerability of this species to contemporary environmental acidification. Determination of the source of carbon, the mechanism of carbon uptake and use of carbon in biomineral formation are key to understanding the vulnerability of shellfish aquaculture to contemporary and future environmental acidification. We, therefore, characterized the crystallography and carbon uptake in the shells of S. glomerata, resident in habitats subjected to coastal acidification, using high‐resolution electron backscatter diffraction and carbon isotope analyses (as δ13C). We show that oyster families selectively bred for fast growth and families selected for disease resistance can alter their mechanisms of calcite crystal biomineralization, promoting resilience to acidification. The responses of S. glomerata to acidification in their estuarine habitat provide key insights into mechanisms of mollusc shell growth under future climate change conditions. Importantly, we show that selective breeding in oysters is likely to be an important global mitigation strategy for sustainable shellfish aquaculture to withstand future climate‐driven change to habitat acidification.
Highlights
Biomineral production by marine calcifiers is vulnerable to coastal acidification driven by land run‐off and rising sea level (Duarte et al, 2013; Fitzer et al, 2018) in addition to the more frequently investi‐ gated carbon dioxide (CO2)‐driven ocean acidification, with sensitiv‐ ity varying between species
To evaluate potential solutions to compensate for the increased energy demands required to cope with these stressors (Parker et al, 2013; Thomsen, Casties, Pansch, Körtzinger, & Melzner, 2013), we need to identify the source of carbon used in biomineral formation and the mechanism of carbon uptake (Raven et al, 2005)
This study is the first to identify differences in the mechanisms of shell growth attributable to selective breeding for an oyster species faced with coastal acidification in commercial leases
Summary
Biomineral production by marine calcifiers is vulnerable to coastal acidification driven by land run‐off and rising sea level (Duarte et al, 2013; Fitzer et al, 2018) in addition to the more frequently investi‐ gated carbon dioxide (CO2)‐driven ocean acidification, with sensitiv‐ ity varying between species. To understand this variability, and to evaluate potential solutions to compensate for the increased energy demands required to cope with these stressors (Parker et al, 2013; Thomsen, Casties, Pansch, Körtzinger, & Melzner, 2013), we need to identify the source of carbon used in biomineral formation and the mechanism of carbon uptake (Raven et al, 2005). Projected changes in carbonate saturation, as a result of environ‐ mental acidification from either mechanism (ocean or coastal) and in combination, are predicted to limit the ability of bivalves to produce their shells (Fitzer et al, 2014, 2018) endangering commercially im‐ portant shellfish ventures in nearshore marine habitats
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