Lab of Marine Organismic Physiology - 3. Under Acidification

Under the sea: what will happen under acidification and why it matters!

海洋酸化進程中，海洋生物的跨世代反應

工業革命後，人類活動造成大氣中二氧化碳濃度逐漸上升，當二氧化碳溶入海水會解離出的碳酸(氫)根離子與氫離子，造成海水的pH值下降，這個現象稱為「海洋酸化」。目前關於海洋酸化議題的研究明確指出：海水pH值下降會影響海洋生物的多樣性以及海洋生物的生理恆定，因此海洋酸化被認為是一個重要的全球性環境議題。

近年針對海洋生物反應的相關研究已發現：對於環境酸化波動具備耐受能力的三類動物：硬骨魚類、頭足類、甲殼類螃蟹，在平衡體內酸鹼恆定的生理機制上，具有趨同調適的特徵。此外，它們在跨世代環境適應過程中，生理與行為等表徵亦會產生表觀遺傳特性的修飾機制。藉由比較不同海洋生物的綜合性研究，我們得以瞭解未來海洋生物可能的分佈、反應、與後續的生態鏈連鎖效應，因此，這些具有重要的預測性生物指標意義。

Atmospheric CO2 levels are rising dramatically since industrialization, changing seawater chemistry and causing a drop in ocean pH. This phenomenon has been termed as “ocean acidification (OA)”. OA has been recognized as an emerging abiotic stressor, potentially affecting ecosystems’ biodiversity, concordance and functions. Studies regarding the effects of acidification on marine organisms have been conducted in several species. Among all aquatic taxa, some were identified as rather sensitive species (e.g., less active calcifying species) whereas some (more active species such as teleosts, cephalopods, and crustaceans) can tolerate high CO2 concentrations over long exposure times.

The significant achievement of recent studies is to characterize the convergent acid-base regulating machinery of the three mentioned “tolerant” groups in response to artificial- or natural-induced acid perturbations. In addition, a feature of epigenetic modifications on epithelial acid-base regulators, as well as behavior appearances were also observed to involve in maintaining transgenerational homeostasis. Those comparison works in terms of physiological plasticity will offer significant insights to the environmental adaption in high power marine taxa towards the future ocean.

Project collaborators:

Prof. Dr. Pung-Pung Hwang (ICOB, AS; Physiological works)

Prof. Dr. Guan-Chung Wu (NTOU; Reproduction & Epigenetic works)