Publication Date:
2024-03-15
Description:
In sea urchins, spermatozoa are stored in the gonads in hypercapnic conditions (pH〈7.0). During spawning, sperm are diluted in seawater of pH〉8.0, and there is an alkalinization of the sperm's internal pH (pHi) through the release of CO2 and H+. Previous research has shown that when pHi is above 7.2-7.3, the dynein ATPase flagellar motors are activated, and the sperm become motile. It has been hypothesised that ocean acidification (OA), which decreases the pH of seawater, may have a narcotic effect on sea urchin sperm by impairing the ability to regulate pHi, resulting in decreased motility and swimming speed. Here we use data collected from the same individuals to test the relationship between pHi and sperm motility/performance in the New Zealand sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus (Valenciennes) under near- (2100) and far-future (2150) atmospheric pCO2 conditions (RCP 8.5: pH 7.77, 7.51). Decreasing seawater pH significantly negatively impacted the proportion of motile sperm), and four of the six computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) sperm performance measures. In control conditions, sperm had an activated pHi of 7.52. E. chloroticus sperm could not defend pHi. in future OA conditions; there was a stepped decrease in the pHi at pH 7.77, with no significant difference in mean pHi between pH 7.77 and 7.51. Paired measurements in the same males showed a positive relationship between pHi and sperm motility, but with a significant difference in the response between males. Differences in motility and sperm performance in OA conditions may impact fertilization success in a future ocean.
Keywords:
Alkalinity, total; Alkalinity, total, standard error; Animalia; Aragonite saturation state; Aragonite saturation state, standard error; Average path velocity; Average path velocity, standard error; Benthic animals; Benthos; Bicarbonate ion; Calcite saturation state; Calcite saturation state, standard error; Calculated using seacarb; Calculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al. (2010); Carbon, inorganic, dissolved; Carbonate ion; Carbonate system computation flag; Carbon dioxide; Coast and continental shelf; Containers and aquaria (20-1000 L or 〈 1 m**2); Curvilinear velocity; Curvilinear velocity, standard error; Echinodermata; Evechinus chloroticus; EXP; Experiment; Fugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Laboratory experiment; Linearity; Linearity, standard error; Matheson_Bay_OA; OA-ICC; Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre; Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air), standard error; pH; pH, standard error; Potentiometric titration; Progression; Progression, standard error; Reproduction; Salinity; Salinity, standard error; Single species; South Pacific; Species, unique identification; Species, unique identification (Semantic URI); Species, unique identification (URI); Spectrophotometric; Sperm motility; Sperm motility, standard error; Straight line velocity; Straight line velocity, standard error; Temperate; Temperature, water; Treatment; Type; Wobble; Wobble, standard error
Type:
Dataset
Format:
text/tab-separated-values, 123 data points
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