Effects of Simulated Ocean Acidification on the Activity, Escape Response, and Muscle Physiology of Marine Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

Rapidly increasing anthropogenic CO2 can impose physiological challenges for fish species that are thought to be tolerant. We tested the hypothesis that elevated pCO2 will affect the routine activity and escape response by affecting energy metabolism and/or the muscle physiology of coastal fish. We exposed threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to pCO2 of ~ 700 µatm (pH 7.9 representing current levels), ~ 1400 µatm (pH 7.6 representing upwelling events) and ~ 3500 µatm (pH 7.3 representing a future predicted scenario for coastal areas) for 2 weeks. Baseline activity was significantly higher in fish exposed to 1400 µatm compared to the control at both sampling points, while the escape response was lower (p < 0.05). Metabolic rate was not different (p > 0.05), but lactate dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher at 3500 µatm compared to control fish after the first week (p < 0.05), while no difference was found in muscle histology between treatments or time points. Our study demonstrates that the baseline activity and escape responses of adult marine coastal fish were temporarily affected by the current level of ocean acidification, but this was not due to changes in metabolism or muscle function, but potentially neuronal effects of high pCO2. Our study shows that ocean acidification might affect predator-prey interactions during current upwelling events and in the future.