• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Simulated leakage of high pCO2 water negatively impacts bivalve dominated infaunal communities from the Western Baltic Sea
  • Contributor: Schade, Hanna; Mevenkamp, Lisa; Guilini, Katja; Meyer, Stefanie; Gorb, Stanislav N.; Abele, Doris; Vanreusel, Ann; Melzner, Frank
  • Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2016
  • Published in: Scientific Reports, 6 (2016) 1
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1038/srep31447
  • ISSN: 2045-2322
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: AbstractCarbon capture and storage is promoted as a mitigation method counteracting the increase of atmospheric CO2levels. However, at this stage, environmental consequences of potential CO2leakage from sub-seabed storage sites are still largely unknown. In a 3-month-long mesocosm experiment, this study assessed the impact of elevatedpCO2levels (1,500 to 24,400 μatm) onCerastoderma eduledominated benthic communities from the Baltic Sea. Mortality ofC. edulewas significantly increased in the highest treatment (24,400 μatm) and exceeded 50%. Furthermore, mortality of small size classes (0–1 cm) was significantly increased in treatment levels ≥6,600 μatm. First signs of external shell dissolution became visible at ≥1,500 μatm, holes were observed at >6,600 μatm.C. edulebody condition decreased significantly at all treatment levels (1,500–24,400 μatm). Dominant meiofauna taxa remained unaffected in abundance. Densities of calcifying meiofauna taxa (i.e. Gastropoda and Ostracoda) decreased in high CO2treatments (>6,600 μatm), while the non - calcifying Gastrotricha significantly increased in abundance at 24,400 μatm. In addition, microbial community composition was altered at the highestpCO2level. We conclude that strong CO2leakage can alter benthic infauna community composition at multiple trophic levels, likely due to high mortality of the dominant macrofauna speciesC. edule.
  • Access State: Open Access