ICES Journal of Marine Science (2019), 76(6), 1836–1849. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsz080 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-abstract/76/6/1836/5487735 by Universidad Adolfo Ibanez user on 02 January 2020 Original Article Physiological responses of juvenile Chilean scallops (Argopecten purpuratus) to isolated and combined environmental drivers of coastal upwelling
Laura Ramajo 1,2,3,4*, Carolina Ferna´ndez1,3, Yolanda Nu´nez~ 5, Paz Caballero2, Marco A. Lardies1,3, and Marı´a Josefina Poupin6,7 1Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Iba´~nez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Pe~nalole´n, Santiago, Chile 2Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas A´ridas, Avenida Ossando´n 877, Coquimbo, Chile 3Center for the Study of Multiple-drivers on Marine Socio-Ecological Systems (MUSELS), Universidad de Concepcio´n, Chile 4Centro de Investigacio´n e Innovacio´n para el Cambio Clima´tico (CiiCC), Avenida Eje´rcito 146, Santiago, Chile 5Facultad de Ciencias Biolo´gicas, Pontificia Universidad de Chile (PUC), Av Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile 6Laboratorio de Bioingenierı´a, Facultad de Ingenierı´a and Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Iba´~nez, Avenida Diagonal Las Torres 2640, Pe~nalole´n, Santiago, Chile 7Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Av Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile *Corresponding author: tel: þ 56 51 2673259; e-mail: [email protected]. Ramajo, L., Ferna´ndez, C., Nu´nez,~ Y., Caballero, P., Lardies, M. A., and Poupin, M. J. Physiological responses of juvenile Chilean scallops (Argopecten purpuratus) to isolated and combined environmental drivers of coastal upwelling. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 76: 1836–1849. Received 16 November 2018; revised 13 March 2019; accepted 1 April 2019; advance access publication 10 May 2019.
Coastal biota is exposed to continuous environmental variability as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic processes. Responding to heterogeneous conditions requires the presence of physiological strategies to cope with the environment. Ecosystems influenced by upwelling endure naturally cold, acidic and hypoxic conditions, nevertheless they sustain major fisheries worldwide. This suggests that species inhabiting upwelling habitats possess physiological adaptations to handle high environmental variability. Here, we assessed the impact of the main up- welling drivers (temperature, pH and oxygen) in isolation and combined on eco-physiological responses of Chilean scallop Argopecten purpur- atus. A. purpuratus responded to hypoxia by increasing their metabolic performance to maintain growth and calcification. Calcification was only affected by pH and increased under acidic conditions. Further, A. purpuratus juveniles prioritized calcification at the expense of growth under upwelling conditions. Increasing temperature had a significant impact by enhancing the physiological performance of A. purpuratus juveniles independently of oxygen and pH conditions, but this was associated with earlier and higher mortalities. Our results suggest that A. purpuratus is acclimated to short-term colder, acidic and hypoxic conditions, and provide important information of how this species responds to the heterogeneous environment of upwelling, which is significantly relevant in the climatic context of upwelling intensification. Keywords: environmental drivers, environmental heterogeneity, global change, metabolism, multi-stressor, physiology, tolerance, upwelling
Introduction drivers that impact a large number of eco-physiological processes Coastal oceans experience elevated environmental variability in (Lachkar, 2014; Gunderson et al., 2016). In particular, coastal temperature, pH, salinity, oxygen, food supply, and nutrients areas impacted by permanent (or seasonal) upwelling are sub- conditions (Duarte et al., 2013). Consequently, resident biota of jected to a high variability as a consequence of the biogeochemi- coastal habitats face a combination of multiple environmental cal properties of upwelled waters. Deeper upwelled waters are
VC International Council for the Exploration of the Sea 2019. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: [email protected] Scallop physiology under upwelling drivers 1837 colder and present lower oxygen saturations (hypoxic/anoxic extremely relevant in upwelling systems, especially because the fre- concentrations) and higher CO2 concentrations (acidic) in com- quency and intensity of upwellings are predicted to increase as a parison to surface coastal waters (Feely et al., 2004; Lachkar, consequence of changes in wind patterns due to the increase in at- 2014). Still, even under such physiologically stressful conditions, mospheric temperatures (Bakun 1990; Sydeman et al., 2014)orby upwelling ecosystems are highly productive and support the larg- poleward shifts in major atmospheric high-pressure Hadley cells est fisheries worldwide (Bakun, 1990). This makes upwelling eco- (Lu et al., 2007; Rykaczewski et al., 2015). Recent studies show an
systems a particularly relevant interesting and valuable research increase in the duration and magnitude of upwelling events has al- Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-abstract/76/6/1836/5487735 by Universidad Adolfo Ibanez user on 02 January 2020 models to assess the biological strategies that evidence the toler- ready been reported for two of the major world upwelling systems, ance (and resistance) to multiple environmental drivers such as the Humboldt (HCS) and California Current Systems (Belkin, oxygen, pH, or temperature (Lagos et al., 2016; Ramajo, Marba´, 2009; Falvey and Garreaud, 2009; Lima and Wethey, 2012; Aravena et al., 2016). et al., 2014; Jacob et al., 2018). Consequently, the marine species Multiple studies, on a large amount of different marine species, currently living at upwelling-influenced habitats will be affected by have observed different levels of adaptation, resistance, and vulner- intensified environmental conditions in both, average and variance, ability to natural environmental conditions occurring in upwelling in pH, oxygen, and temperature conditions. These conditions will systems, river-influenced habitats, or CO2 vents ecosystems. be also exacerbated by intensified and more frequent El Nino–~ Coastal species (or populations) can be affected positive or nega- Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events (Cai et al., 2014). Hence, we tively by changes in the environmental conditions showing in- are facing an immediate requirement to understand which are the creased or decreased growth (Ramajo, Marba´, et al., 2016; Ramajo, physiological impacts and the biological mechanisms that coastal Prado, et al., 2016) and calcification rates (Heinemann et al., 2012; species show to counteract the current (and predicted) environ- Ramajo, Prado, et al., 2016). Also, some species present increased mental conditions of their habitats. metabolic rates or metabolic depression (Ramajo, Prado, et al., Argopecten purpuratus, the northern Chilean scallop, is one of 2016; Osores et al., 2017), changes in periostracum thickness the most important and successful marine resources cultured along (Ramajo, Marba´, et al., 2016; Ramajo, Prado, et al.,2016;Osoreset HCS. This species is a filter feeding bivalve inhabiting a geographic al., 2017), differential patterns in shell carbonate precipitation area ranging from Panama (10 N) to northern-central Chile (Ramajo et al., 2015), oxidative stress (Bednar sek et al., 2018), (30 S) (Avendano,~ 1993) which holds significant socio-economic decreased fertilization success (Boch et al., 2017), or even better go- importance along the Peruvian and Chilean coasts (Ya´nez~ et al., nadal development (Vilchis et al., 2005). These studies demonstrate 2017). In northern Chile, Tongoy Bay (30 150S71 340W) is the that the direction and the magnitude of the physiological impacts principal area where A. purpuratus is intensively cultured with due to the environmental variability are species-specific (Kroeker >3330 tons obtained in 2016 (SERNAPESCA, 2016). Tongoy Bay et al., 2013; Boch et al., 2017), but also evidence the existence (or is a closed bay influenced seasonally by one of the most important the absence) of physiological (i.e. up-metabolic regulation), miner- and active upwelling centres of the Chilean coast, Lengua de Vaca alogical (i.e. changes in organic periostracum composition), molec- Point (PLV, 30 180S) (Strub et al., 1998; Figueroa and Moffat, ular responses [i.e. up-regulation of heat shock proteins and chitin 2000; Aravena et al., 2014). During spring–summer seasons, synthase (CHS)], or evolutionary mechanisms (i.e. higher pheno- favourable-upwelling winds generate the rise of deeper upwelled typic plasticity) that help to cope with environmental conditions waters that increase the variability in temperature (18–13 C), pH such as low pH, hypoxia, or increasing temperatures (Cummings (8.1–7.6), and oxygen (7–0.5 mlL 1)(Torres et al., 1999; Torres et al., 2011; Hendriks et al., 2015; Ramajo, Marba´, et al., 2016; and Ampuero, 2009). In addition, ENSO enhances this variability Ramajo, Pe´rez-Leo´n, et al., 2016). Most of these studies concluded with important impacts on the A. purpuratus fishery (Mendo and that the display of these physiological and genetical mechanisms, as Wolff, 2003). well as the phenotypic plasticity expression, are a consequence of To date, several efforts have been made to improve and extend evolutionary processes such as acclimation or local adaption A. purpuratus fisheries by evaluating the physiological impacts of (Hendriks et al., 2015; Ramajo, Marba´, et al., 2016; Ramajo, Prado, many biotic and abiotic variables such as salinity, temperature, et al., 2016; Vargas et al., 2017). Furthermore, food availability is as diet, and depth (Martı´nez et al., 1995, 2000; Navarro and a major factor that provides the energy required to express these Gonzalez, 1998; Avendano~ et al., 2008). Also, pH or hypoxia in great spectra of the energetically costly biological mechanisms dis- combination with temperature (Brokordt et al., 2015; Aguirre- played under environmental changes (Ramajo, Pe´rez-Leo´n, et al., Velarde et al., 2016; Lagos et al., 2016; Lardies et al., 2017) and 2016; Brown et al., 2018). Hence, it should be expected that species changes in the food availability impacts (Ramajo, Marba´, et al., residing in variable and high productivity habitats have better op- 2016) have been studied in the context of climate change. Most portunities to handle with current stressful environmental condi- studies agree with the great tolerance and resistance of A. purpur- tions or future climate forecasts (Ramajo, Pe´rez-Leo´n, et al., 2016; atus to a broad range of environmental conditions, mainly Vargas et al., 2017). explained by the historical environmental conditions of the habi- Also, coastal systems are highly vulnerable to the additional en- tats where this species is living (Lagos et al., 2016; Ramajo, vironmental changes imposed by anthropogenic forces, mainly due Marba´, et al., 2016). Nevertheless, important gaps of knowledge to their reduced buffer capacity to regulate additional changes still exits about this species such as, what are the nature of the (Gruber, 2011; Duarte et al., 2013). Surface seawater had the ability interactions (additive, antagonist, or synergistic) of the multiple to regulate the excess of CO2 of upwelled waters by consuming drivers co-occurring and co-varying during upwelling and their 2 carbonate ions (CO3 ) and other bases (Fraginoulle, 1994; physiological impacts. Egleston et al., 2010). Nevertheless, under hypoxic conditions, as Based on that, the aim of this study is to assess, for first time seawater CO2 concentration increases, the capacity to absorb addi- on the Chilean scallop A. purpuratus, which are the physiological tional CO2 gets reduced (Egleston et al., 2010; Gobler and and genetical impacts of the main upwelling drivers of the Baumann, 2016). Decreased seawater buffering capacity is upwelling-influenced habitat where is cultured. Our study 1838 L. Ramajo et al. complements and improves the results of previous studies by in- Furthermore, Tongoy Bay presented an average oxygen satura- vestigating the nature of the interactions among temperature, tion of 79.19% (62.41 s.e.) with important reductions when up- pH, and oxygen by using a laboratory full-factorial design. The welling is active. For instance, the upwelling activation produced information obtained from this study contributes to complete the a mean reduction of 32.19% (61.20) in the oxygen concentra- missing information required to understand the physiological tions comparing with conditions of upwelling absence strategies that make A. purpuratus highly tolerant and resistant to (Figure 1d–f). Previous studies assessing pH variability near to
the permanent and stressful environmental conditions of upwell- study area (Lengua de Vaca Point, PLV) registered pH values Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-abstract/76/6/1836/5487735 by Universidad Adolfo Ibanez user on 02 January 2020 ing. These results would provide more reliable information that near 7.7 during upwelling season (Torres et al., 1999; Torres and support more precise predictions for its fishery in the future cli- Ampuero, 2009). These water characteristics also impact the pH mate context of upwelling and ENSO intensification. conditions of Tongoy Bay. Indeed, in terms of pH, we found that during 2017 (from August to December) Tongoy Bay showed Methods mean pH values of 7.85 6 0.03 units and a high pH variability Animal collection where pH ranged between 8.17 and 7.67 (Figure 1g–i). On July 2017, 200 juvenile scallops, with sizes no higher than 20 mm length and without gonads presence, from wild populations Experimental design were provided by the company INVERTEC S.A. located at Different levels of the experimental treatments selected for this Tongoy Bay (30 160S71 350W). The organisms along with seawa- study were established by incorporating ecologically relevant con- ter from Tongoy Bay were transported in insulated containers, ditions of the habitat where A. purpuratus organisms live and are to the laboratory (Universidad Adolfo Iba´nez,~ Santiago de Chile) cultured. In addition, experimental levels used also coincide with to conduct the experiment. During the acclimation period previous studies (Lagos et al., 2016; Ramajo, Marba´, et al., 2016)to (12 days), organisms were fed with an adequate food supply (i.e. complement and improve the information missing to date. Based superior to 2% of the dry weight (DW), see Ramajo, Marba´, et on that, temperature experimental levels selected corresponded to al., 2016) using a blend of phytoplankton, zooplankton, amino- the mean and maximum temperatures registered for Tongoy Bay acids, vitamins, and minerals (Reef Blizzard-O, Brightwell (14 Cvs.18 C) (Aravena et al., 2014)(Figure 1). Due to a lack of Aquatics, Catawiss, PA) and maintained at 14 C (seawater tem- historical pH time-series for Tongoy Bay, pH experimental levels perature recorded when juvenile scallops were collected), pH were based on previous studies (Torres and Ampuero, 2009). (NBS scale) near 8.0 and saturated oxygen concentrations These values were corroborated by the recent low-frequency pH se- (>90%). Before the experiment started, 192 healthy juvenile scal- ries at Tongoy Bay (since August 2017) (see Figure 1). Thus, we ap- lops were visually checked to avoid the use of organisms with plied a reduction near 0.4 pH units in the acidified treatment with shell damage by spionid polychaete Polydora sp. (Radashevsky respect to the control pH treatment (see Figure 1). Temperature and Ca´rdenas, 2004). Although sexual maturation for this species and pH experimental values also coincide with the experimental occurs at sizes higher than 33 mm (see Canas~ et al., 1984), the ab- levels used by previous studies that assessed the impact of future sence of gonads was also checked and confirmed visually before ocean acidification and temperature on A. purpuratus (see Lagos et experiment started. Finally, selected experimental juvenile scal- al., 2016; Ramajo, Marba´, et al., 2016). In terms of oxygen, we ap- lops were labelled with numbered bee tags glued onto the shells plied an oxygen reduction of almost 35% between control treat- for future identification, and both the initial size (maximum ment (i.e. normoxia, >80%) and hypoxic treatment ( 45%), length, mm) and the initial buoyant weight (mg) were deter- similar to observed at Tongoy Bay for 2017 (see Figure 1). The si- mined for all them. multaneous effects of temperature, pH, and oxygen were evaluated by using a full-factorial design. Hence, juvenile scallops were ex- Register of environmental variability of Tongoy Bay posed to a total of eight different experimental treatments where For 2016 and 2017, temperature ( C) and dissolved oxygen oxygen concentration (Hypoxic Treatment) and pH conditions (% saturation) conditions of Tongoy Bay were measured by high- (Acidified Treatment) were decreased isolated or in combination frequency sensors located at CEAZAMET buoy in Tongoy Bay at (Hypoxic-Acidified Treatment)at14and18 C and compared to 10 m depth (see www.ceazamet.cl). Temperature and oxygen data control conditions (Control Treatment: normoxic and high pH were registered by a CTD WQM (WetLabs) measuring every 15 conditions at 14 or 18 C) (see Table 1). Each experimental treat- min. A low-frequency record of pH conditions (once a week) of ment contained three-independent replicate 9 l aquaria (24 aquaria Tongoy Bay was initiated on August 2017. Weekly pH (NBS total) with eight juvenile scallops randomly selected with similar scale) measurements were conducted by collecting water samples initial size (19.61 6 0.11 mm, one-way ANOVA, p ¼ 0.265). at 10 m depth by using a NISKIN bottle (5 l volume). pH water Indices of thermal variability for Guanaqueros Bay (30 110570S samples were analysed within 60 min after collection and 71 280450W), the nearest bay to Tongoy Bay ( 15 km distance), measured by using a combined electrode (double juncture) con- shows that cooling events imposed by the activation of PLV upwelling nected to a Metrohm 826 pH Mobile-metre and calibrated with centre have an average duration of 13.1 days (63.1 SD)(Tapia et al., commercial buffers (MetrohmVR ) maintained at 25 C using a 2009). We used this information and we applied an experimental du- temperature-controlled water bath. ration of 11 days in our design. Eleven days match with the temporal In summary, during 2016 and 2017, Tongoy Bay showed a range that study site (Tongoy Bay) would present colder, acidic, and mean temperature of 14.35 6 0.25 C (s.e.) with maximum and hypoxic conditions imposed by upwelling (see Tapia et al., 2009). minimum values ranged between 19.68 6 0.40 and 10.66 6 Oxygen and pH and levels during the experiment were manipu- 0.20 C, respectively (Figure 1a–c). However, longer time series latedbybubblingseawaterwithamixofair,CO2,andN2 gasses using (12 years) have reported for Tongoy Bay maximum temperatures Mass Flow Controllers (Aalborg, USA). Temperature was manipu- of 18 C(Aravena et al., 2014). lated by using two-independent chillers (BOYU, Model L075). Scallop physiology under upwelling drivers 1839 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-abstract/76/6/1836/5487735 by Universidad Adolfo Ibanez user on 02 January 2020