Watson, Sue-Ann, Lefevre, Sjannie, McCormick, Mark I., Domenici, Paolo, Nilsson, Göran E., and Munday, Philip L. (2014) Marine mollusc predator-escape behaviour altered by near-future carbon dioxide levels. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 281 (1774). 20132377. pp. 1-9.

PDF (Published Version) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only

 

100

4

Abstract

Ocean acidification poses a range of threats to marine invertebrates; however, the potential effects of rising carbon dioxide (CO2) on marine invertebrate behaviour are largely unknown. Marine gastropod conch snails have a modified foot and operculum allowing them to leap backwards rapidly when faced with a predator, such as a venomous cone shell. Here, we show that projected near-future seawater CO2 levels (961 µatm) impair this escape behaviour during a predator–prey interaction. Elevated-CO2 halved the number of snails that jumped from the predator, increased their latency to jump and altered their escape trajectory. Physical ability to jump was not affected by elevated-CO2 indicating instead that decision-making was impaired. Antipredator behaviour was fully restored by treatment with gabazine, a GABA antagonist of some invertebrate nervous systems, indicating potential interference of neurotransmitter receptor function by elevated-CO2, as previously observed in marine fishes. Altered behaviour of marine invertebrates at projected future CO2 levels could have potentially far-reaching implications for marine ecosystems.

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page