Unravelling Marine Benthic Functioning Shifts Under Ocean Acidification
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Ocean acidification (OA) driven by increasing atmospheric CO 2 is altering marine biodiversity. However, impacts of OA on ecosystem functioning at the community level, including calcification, primary production and nutrient uptake, remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted community transplant experiments at natural CO 2 vents to assess how declining pH affects marine community species composition, biomass, and key ecosystem processes over time. Our results indicate that community shifts caused by declining pH lead to decreased biomass and calcification rates, while photosynthesis and nutrient uptake rates increased. By leveraging OA field model systems and in situ measurements of ecosystem functioning, this study provides critical insights into how OA‐induced biodiversity loss reshapes the structure and functioning of temperate marine coastal ecosystems.
Source: Ecology Letters
DOI: 10.1111/ele.70376
Institutions: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Ciències del Mar, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Institut du Développement Durable et des Relations Internationales
Language: English
Subfield: Oceanography
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,300
Award: G3222138694
OpenAlex ID: W7149628296