Coping with Climate Change: Evaluating the Plastic Responses of Brittle Stars to Ocean Acidification and Warming

Beginning in the Industrial Revolution, increasing levels of carbon dioxide produced by human activity have been absorbed into the ocean, lowering its pH, in a process called ocean acidification (OA). OA has been shown to have negative effects on the growth, development, and survival rates of a multitude of marine organisms, most notably calcifiers, which are organisms that make and use calcium carbonate to form their shells or skeletons. Ocean warming (OW), the global increase in water temperature, is occurring simultaneously. Thus, it is necessary to study the combined impact that OA and OW has on marine organisms. Studies have examined the effects of OA and OW on marine species with aquacultural importance, while research on other organisms, such as echinoderms, is less prevalent. This project will explore the pre-existing abilities of brittle stars, a type of echinoderm, to plasticly respond to OA and OW on short time scales. The potential for marine organisms to acclimate to near-future water conditions will be important to consider as we work to reduce the impact of climate change on marine environments.