Effect of CO2 driven ocean acidification on calcification, physiology and ovarian cells of tropical sea urchin Salmacis virgulata – A microcosm approach
Muthusamy Anand,
Kannan Rangesh,
Muthuchamy Maruthupandy,
Govindarajulu Jayanthi,
Balakrishnan Rajeswari,
Radhakrishnan Jeeva Priya
Affiliations
Muthusamy Anand
Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625 021, India; Corresponding author.
Kannan Rangesh
Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625 021, India
Muthuchamy Maruthupandy
Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625 021, India; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Physical Science and Mathematics, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
Govindarajulu Jayanthi
Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625 021, India
Balakrishnan Rajeswari
Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625 021, India
Radhakrishnan Jeeva Priya
Department of Marine and Coastal Studies, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625 021, India
In the present study, we depict the structural modification of test minerals, physiological response and ovarian damage in the tropical sea urchin Salmacis virgulata using microcosm CO2 (Carbon dioxide) perturbation experiment. S. virgulata were exposed to hypercapnic conditions with four different pH levels using CO2 gas bubbling method that reflects ambient level (pH 8.2) and elevated pCO2 scenarios (pH 8.0, 7.8 and 7.6). The variations in physical strength and mechanical properties of S. virgulata test were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanned electron microscopy analysis. Biomarker enzymes such as glutathione-S-transferase, catalase, acetylcholine esterase, lipid peroxidase and reduced glutathione showed physiological stress and highly significant (p < 0.01) towards pH 7.6 and 7.8 treatments. Ovarian cells were highly damaged at pH 7.6 and 7.8 treatments. This study proved that the pH level 7.6 and 7.8 drastically affect calcification, physiological response and ovarian cells in S. virgulata.
