Ocean acidification can mediate biodiversity shifts by changing biogenic habitat

Jennifer M. Sunday (), Katharina E. Fabricius, Kristy J. Kroeker, Kathryn M. Anderson, Norah E. Brown, James P. Barry, Sean D. Connell, Sam Dupont, Brian Gaylord, Jason M. Hall-Spencer, Terrie Klinger, Marco Milazzo, Philip L. Munday, Bayden D. Russell, Eric Sanford, Vengatesen Thiyagarajan, Megan L. H. Vaughan, Stephen Widdicombe and Christopher D. G. Harley
Additional contact information
Jennifer M. Sunday: University of British Columbia
Katharina E. Fabricius: Australian Institute of Marine Science
Kristy J. Kroeker: University of California Santa Cruz
Kathryn M. Anderson: University of British Columbia
Norah E. Brown: University of British Columbia
James P. Barry: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
Sean D. Connell: Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and Environment Institute, University of Adelaide
Sam Dupont: University of Gothenburg, The Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences
Brian Gaylord: University of California at Davis
Jason M. Hall-Spencer: Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Marine Science and Engineering, Plymouth University
Terrie Klinger: School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington
Marco Milazzo: University of Palermo, CoNSIMa Consortium
Philip L. Munday: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Bayden D. Russell: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
Eric Sanford: University of California at Davis
Vengatesen Thiyagarajan: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
Megan L. H. Vaughan: University of British Columbia
Stephen Widdicombe: Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Christopher D. G. Harley: University of British Columbia

Nature Climate Change, 2017, vol. 7, issue 1, 81-85

Abstract: Abstract The effects of ocean acidification (OA) on the structure and complexity of coastal marine biogenic habitat have been broadly overlooked. Here we explore how declining pH and carbonate saturation may affect the structural complexity of four major biogenic habitats. Our analyses predict that indirect effects driven by OA on habitat-forming organisms could lead to lower species diversity in coral reefs, mussel beds and some macroalgal habitats, but increases in seagrass and other macroalgal habitats. Available in situ data support the prediction of decreased biodiversity in coral reefs, but not the prediction of seagrass bed gains. Thus, OA-driven habitat loss may exacerbate the direct negative effects of OA on coastal biodiversity; however, we lack evidence of the predicted biodiversity increase in systems where habitat-forming species could benefit from acidification. Overall, a combination of direct effects and community-mediated indirect effects will drive changes in the extent and structural complexity of biogenic habitat, which will have important ecosystem effects.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3161

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