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Natural high pCO2 increases autotrophy in Anemonia viridis (Anthozoa) as revealed from stable isotope (C, N) analysis
Horwitz, R.; Borell, E.M.; Yam, R.; Shemesh, A.; Fine, M. (2015). Natural high pCO2 increases autotrophy in Anemonia viridis (Anthozoa) as revealed from stable isotope (C, N) analysis. NPG Scientific Reports 5(8779): 9 pp. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep08779
In: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group). Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 2045-2322; e-ISSN 2045-2322, more
Peer reviewed article  
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Keywords
    Climate change
    Climate Change
    Ecology
    Ecosystems
    Environmental Managers & Monitoring
    Marine Sciences
    Marine Sciences > Marine Sciences General
    Marine Sciences > Oceanography
    Scientific Community
    Scientific Publication
    Anemonia viridis (Forsskål, 1775) [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Project Top | Authors 
  • Association of European marine biological laboratories, more
Authors  Top 
  • Horwitz, R.
  • Borell, E.M.
  • Yam, R.
  • Shemesh, A.
  • Fine, M.
Abstract
    Contemporary cnidarian-algae symbioses are challenged by increasing CO2 concentrations (ocean warming and acidification) affecting organisms' biological performance. We examined the natural variability of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the symbiotic sea anemone Anemonia viridis to investigate dietary shifts (autotrophy/heterotrophy) along a natural pCO2 gradient at the island of Vulcano, Italy. d13C values for both algal symbionts (Symbiodinium) and host tissue of A. viridis became significantly lighter with increasing seawater pCO2. Together with a decrease in the difference between d13C values of both fractions at the higher pCO2 sites, these results indicate there is a greater net autotrophic input to the A. viridis carbon budget under high pCO2 conditions. d15N values and C/N ratios did not change in Symbiodinium and host tissue along the pCO2 gradient. Additional physiological parameters revealed anemone protein and Symbiodinium chlorophyll a remained unaltered among sites. Symbiodinium density was similar among sites yet their mitotic index increased in anemones under elevated pCO2. Overall, our findings show that A. viridis is characterized by a higher autotrophic/heterotrophic ratio as pCO2 increases. The unique trophic flexibility of this species may give it a competitive advantage and enable its potential acclimation and ecological success in the future under increased ocean acidification.
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