海水酸化及升温对刺参稚参生长和变色的影响

海洋酸化和海洋变暖是当下及未来海洋生物及其依存生态系统面临的主要环境压力和生态问题。当前,海洋生物早期发育气候变化生物学的研究主要集中于海洋酸化的影响,为了更好地探究海洋气候变化对海洋生物的影响,有必要研究海洋酸化和变暖联合作用下海洋生物的生态响应。以受精后24天的刺参稚参为研究对象,通过模拟当前和本世纪末海洋环境,观察海水酸化和升温对刺参稚参在体色发育关键时期生长、发育及体色变化的影响。实验设置对照组(大连近海水温,pCO2400 mg·kg^-1)、升温组(对照组水温+2℃,pCO2400 mg·kg^-1)、酸化组(对照组水温,pCO21000 mg·kg^-1)、酸化升温组(对照组水温+2℃,pCO21000 mg·kg^-1)。结果表明:温度升高2℃能够显著提高稚参发育速率,体色变化加快;pH值降低0.23个单位显著延迟稚参生长,体色变化减缓,个体间体重差异变大;升温2℃能抵消pH降低0.23个单位对稚参生长和发育的负面影响;较长时间的海水酸化和升温胁迫能够使稚参逐渐适应,稚参表现出一定的耐受性。     

南移刺参摄食三种沉积物饵料下的生长和能量收支比较

为研究不同沉积物对南移刺参的影响,测定了南移刺参对三种不同沉积物(海区沉积物、对虾养殖池沉积物、人工配制沉积物)的摄食,吸收效率和能量收支。结果表明,规格为26.11±1.5g的南移刺参在温度为17±1℃时,不同组别南移刺参对不同种沉积物的摄食率无显著差异(P>0.05),对虾组和人工组南移刺参同化效率和特定生长率显著高于海区组(P<0.05),且对虾组同化效率和特定生长率最高。通过对能量收支方程的探究,各组别代谢能无显著差异(P>0.05),对虾组南移刺参生长能显著高于其他两组(P<0.05),其能量收支方程为:100C=12.35G+34.91F+8.05U+44.69R。研究表明,特定养殖条件下,用虾塘沉积物喂食南移刺参时,刺参摄食能量较多的分配至生长,生长速率较快,利用虾塘沉积物作为饵料是一种可取模式。     

鱼类对海洋升温与酸化的响应

自工业革命以来,空气中人为排放CO₂量增加,引起温室效应,导致地球表面温度升高和海水升温;同时,由于海-气界面气体交换,大气中CO₂部分溶解于海洋,引起海洋酸化。海洋升温加快鱼体内生化反应和代谢速率,并通过影响生长、觅食和繁殖等生命过程中能量供给,间接影响到鱼类种群分布、群落结构及生态系统的功能。而海水酸化会干扰海洋鱼类仔稚鱼的感觉和行为,增加其被捕食率,并削弱其野外生存能力,可能威胁自然种群补给量。综述了海洋升温、海洋酸化及其两者共同作用对海洋鱼类的影响,为预测鱼类响应全球海洋环境变化的响应趋势提供相关依据。     

饲料中黄曲霉毒素B1对克氏原螯虾幼虾生长、饲料利用和肝胰腺组织结构的影响

以含不同浓度黄曲霉毒素B₁(AFB₁)(0、10、100和1000μg/kg饲料)的4种饲料饲喂初始均重为(0.382±0.005) g的克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)幼虾42d,探讨AFB₁对克氏原螯虾幼虾生长性能、饲料效率和肝胰腺组织结构的影响。结果显示, 100和1000μg/kg毒素组幼虾的存活率、摄食率、终末体重、特定生长率和饲料效率均显著低于对照组, 10μg/kg毒素组与对照组无显著差异。10μg/kg毒素组幼虾肝胰腺碱性磷酸酶(AKP)、谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)、谷胱甘肽转移酶(GST)活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量均与对照组无显著差异,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性显著低于对照组。饲料AFB₁含量≥100μg/kg时显著影响了克氏原螯虾幼虾上述肝胰腺酶的活性。10μg/kg毒素组肝胰腺组织结构发生轻微变化, 100和1000μg/kg毒素组幼虾的肝胰腺表现出严重病变, R细胞数量减少而B细胞...     

摄食水平对中华鳖稚鳖生长、氮排泄和能量收支的影响

在 30℃水温下进行摄食 -生长实验 (实验周期为 5 6d) ,设饥饿、1%、2 %、4 %和饱食 5个摄食水平 ,研究了中华鳖稚鳖 (39 5 4— 4 4 2 2g)的生长和能量收支。结果表明 ,中华鳖稚鳖的特定生长率随摄食水平的增加 ,其湿重、干物质、蛋白质和能量的特定生长率均呈二次曲线增加 ,其中干物质的特定生长率 (SGRdr)与摄食率 (Rl)的关系式为 :SGRdr=- 1 8799 1 0 795Rl- 0 0 832Rl2 (r=0 90 6 ,n =2 5 ,P <0 0 1) ;除干物质转化效率外 ,湿重、蛋白质和能量的转化效率在 2 %组均达到最大 ,分别为 36 31%、2 1 4 7%和 2 8 10 % ;除能量转化效率外 ,4 %组湿重、干物质和蛋白质的转化效率与最大值均无显著差异 ;摄食水平对中华鳖稚鳖总氮排泄率、氨氮排泄率、尿素氮排泄率以及氨氮占总氮排泄率的比例均有显著影响 (P <0 0 1) ,除氨氮占总氮比例外其他指标均随摄食水平的增加而增加 ,氨氮比例在饥饿组最高为 5 5 83% ,由饥饿到饱食其变化范围是 4 4 5 0 %— 5 5 83% ;总氮排泄率、氨态氮排泄率和尿素氮排泄率的变动范围分别是 19 81%— 6 5 87%、9 4 4 %— 36 31%和 8 2 4 %— 2 9 5 6 % ,回归分析表明 ,幼鳖的总氮排泄率 (μmol/g·d) (G N)、氨氮排泄率 (μmol/g·d) (NH3 N)及尿素氮排泄率 (μmol/g·     

日粮水平对中华鳖稚鳖生长的影响

于2001年12月购买当年繁殖的中华鳖(Trionyx sinensis)稚鳖(28．66-53．37g),在30℃水温下进行摄食-生长实验(实验时间为56d),设饥饿、1％、2％、4％和饱食5个日粮水平,研究了摄食水平对中华鳖稚鳖生长和转化效率的影响。方差分析表明：摄食水平对中华鳖稚鳖的特定生长率和转化效率均有显著影响。稚鳖的湿重、干重、蛋白质和能量的特定生长率均随摄食水平的增加呈二次曲线增加,摄食率(RL)-干物质特定生长率(SGRd)的关系模型可表示为：SGRa=-0．0832RL^2 1．0795RL-1．8779(n=25,r^2=0．906．F=105．46);当摄食率为6．97％、6．49％、6．08％和6．34％时,稚鳖湿重、干重、蛋白质和能量的特定生长率分别达到最大值。1％组的各项转化效率均显著低于2％和4％组,干重和能量转化效率显著低于饱食组;2％组的干重和能量转化效率显著高于4％和饱食组。     

性类固醇激素对黄颡鱼雌雄生长二态性的影响

为了研究性类固醇激素在雌雄生长二态性中(Sexual Size Dimorphism, SSD)的作用, 文章分析了性类固醇激素对雌雄生长、性腺发育和能量代谢的影响。结果显示: 17β-雌二醇(17β-estradiol, E₂)显著抑制黄颡鱼的生长, 且E₂显著促进能量在肝脏中的分配, 但在摄食量上无显著影响, 所以E2对黄颡鱼生长的抑制是能量分配的差异引起, 而不是能量获取差异引起。17α-甲基睾丸酮(17α-Methyltestosterone, MT)显著促进雌鱼生长, 但抑制雄鱼生长, MT能显著促进黄颡鱼摄食和肝脏的能量分配, 显著抑制卵母细胞的发育和卵巢的能量投入。本研究发现MT通过促进摄食, 抑制卵巢发育并且减少性腺发育的能量投入, 从而促进雌鱼生长; E₂能够显著增加雌雄鱼在肝脏中能量的投入, 最终抑制雌雄生长。实验结果只能部分解释实验中观察到的生长差异现象, 因此我们需要更进一步从能量的摄入、分配及消耗三方面来研究雌雄生长的二态性。     

刺参对浅海筏式贝类养殖系统的修复潜力

浅海筏式养殖滤食性贝类产生大量的粪便和假粪（总称生物沉积物）,对海水养殖环境产生一系列影响;而沉积食性海参能够有效清除颗粒有机物,在海水养殖系统中扮演“清道夫”的生态角色.为评估刺参在浅海筏式贝类养殖系统中的生物修复潜力,本文在不同季节现场研究了贝 参混养模式下刺参对贝类生物沉积物的摄食及生长和排泄特征.结果表明: 刺参能够在新设计的养殖设施中与滤食性贝类混养,最大生长率达0.34%·d^-1; 并可通过摄食有效清除贝类生物沉积物, 摄食率为0.1746 g·g^-1·d^-1（夏季,21.2 ℃）、0.0989 g·g^-1·d^-1（秋季,19.2 ℃）和0.0050 g·g^-1·d^-1（冬季,7.7 ℃）;刺参主要通过排泄溶解形态的NH₄⁺N和PO₄^3- -P来促进沉积物中营养盐的再生,其排泄率也呈现明显的季节变化.基于现场试验数据,估算了刺参在桑沟湾的生物修复潜力, 刺参与贝类混养可摄食4.5～159.6 kg·hm^-2·d^-1生物沉积物、排泄1 382.5～3 678.1 mmol·hm^-2·d^-1NH₄⁺ -N及74.6～335.7 mmol·hm^-2·d^-1PO₄^3--P.表明刺参对浅海筏式贝类养殖系统具有较大的生物修复潜力,贝-参混养模式不仅能够取得较大的生态效益,而且能显著增加养殖生产的经济效益.     

夏眠对刺参(Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka))能量收支的影响

夏眠是刺参最重要的生理特征;水温升高是其夏眠的主要诱发因子,而夏眠的临界温度与刺参体重密切相关。为揭示刺参夏眠对其能量利用对策的影响,测定了2种体重规格(134.0±13.5)g和(73.6±2.2)g刺参在10、15、20、25℃和30℃5个温度梯度下的能量收支。结果表明,温度和体重及其交互作用对刺参能量的摄入均有显著影响;而温度是影响其摄食能分配的主要因素。研究发现,刺参在非夏眠期、夏眠临界期和完全夏眠期的能量利用对策有所不同:在非夏眠期,刺参摄食能支出的最大组分是粪便能,占摄食能的比例超过50%,其次为呼吸耗能,占19.8%～39.4%,而生长能和排泄能占的比例较小,分别为5.7%～10.7%和2.9%～3.7%;在夏眠临界温度下,呼吸和排泄耗能占摄食能的比例均显著增大(分别为88.3%和13.6%),而生长能所占比例降为负值(-55.3%),刺参表现为负生长;而在夏眠期,刺参的摄食能和排粪能为零,为维持其基本生理活动,不得不动用以往贮存于体内的能量,消耗于呼吸和排泄等生理过程,供维持生命之用。总之,从能量生物学的角度看,夏眠的主要生态学意义在于刺参长时间处于相对高温环境,进而导致摄食受阻条件下的一种能量节约方式。     

夏眠对刺参(Apostichopus japonicus(Selenka))能量收支的影响

夏眠是刺参最重要的生理特征;水温升高是其夏眠的主要诱发因子,而夏眠的临界温度与刺参体重密切相关。为揭示刺参夏眠对其能量利用对策的影响,测定了2种体重规格（134.0±13.5）g和(73.6±2.2）g刺参在10、15、20、25 ℃和30 ℃ 5个温度梯度下的能量收支。结果表明,温度和体重及其交互作用对刺参能量的摄入均有显著影响;而温度是影响其摄食能分配的主要因素。研究发现,刺参在非夏眠期、夏眠临界期和完全夏眠期的能量利用对策有所不同：在非夏眠期,刺参摄食能支出的最大组分是粪便能,占摄食能的比例超过50%,其次为呼吸耗能,占19.8%~39.4%,而生长能和排泄能占的比例较小,分别为5.7%~10.7%和2.9%~3.7%;在夏眠临界温度下,呼吸和排泄耗能占摄食能的比例均显著增大（分别为88.3%和13.6%）,而生长能所占比例降为负值（-55.3%）,刺参表现为负生长;而在夏眠期,刺参的摄食能和排粪能为零,为维持其基本生理活动,不得不动用以往贮存于体内的能量,消耗于呼吸和排泄等生理过程,供维持生命之用。总之,从能量生物学的角度看,夏眠的主要生态学意义在于刺参长时间处于相对高温环境,进而导致摄食受阻条件下的一种能量节约方式。     

New encounters in Arctic waters: a comparison of metabolism and performance of polar cod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Boreogadus saida</Emphasis>) and Atlantic cod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus morhua</Emphasis>) under ocean acidification and warming

Oceans are experiencing increasing acidification in parallel to a distinct warming trend in consequence of ongoing climate change. Rising seawater temperatures are mediating a northward shift in distribution of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), into the habitat of polar cod (Boreogadus saida), that is associated with retreating cold water masses. This study investigates the competitive strength of the co-occurring gadoids under ocean acidification and warming (OAW) scenarios. Therefore, we incubated specimens of both species in individual tanks for 4 months, under different control and projected temperatures (polar cod: 0, 3, 6, 8 °C, Atlantic cod: 3, 8, 12, 16 °C) and PCO₂ conditions (390 and 1170 µatm) and monitored growth, feed consumption and standard metabolic rate. Our results revealed distinct temperature effects on both species. While hypercapnia by itself had no effect, combined drivers caused nonsignificant trends. The feed conversion efficiency of normocapnic polar cod was highest at 0 °C, while optimum growth performance was attained at 6 °C; the long-term upper thermal tolerance limit was reached at 8 °C. OAW caused only slight impairments in growth performance. Under normocapnic conditions, Atlantic cod consumed progressively increasing amounts of feed than individuals under hypercapnia despite maintaining similar growth rates during warming. The low feed conversion efficiency at 3 °C may relate to the lower thermal limit of Atlantic cod. In conclusion, Atlantic cod displayed increased performance in the warming Arctic such that the competitive strength of polar cod is expected to decrease under future OAW conditions.     

Individual and interactive effects of ocean acidification,global warming,and UV radiation on phytoplankton

Rising carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in the atmosphere result in increasing global temperatures and ocean warming (OW). Concomitantly, dissolution of anthropogenic CO₂ declines seawater pH, resulting in ocean acidification (OA) and altering marine chemical environments. The marine biological carbon pump driven by marine photosynthesis plays an important role for oceanic carbon sinks. Therefore, how ocean climate changes affect the amount of carbon fixation by primary producers is closely related to future ocean carbon uptake. OA may upregulate metabolic pathways in phytoplankton, such as upregulating ß-oxidation and the tricarboxylic acid cycle, resulting in increased accumulation of toxic phenolic compounds. Ocean warming decreases global phytoplankton productivity; however, regionally, it may stimulate primary productivity and change phytoplankton community composition, due to different physical and chemical environmental requirements of species. It is still controversial how OA and OW interactively affect marine carbon fixation by photosynthetic organisms. OA impairs the process of calcification in calcifying phytoplankton and aggravate ultraviolet (UV)-induced harms to the cells. Increasing temperatures enhance the activity of cellular repair mechanisms, which mitigates UV-induced damage. The effects of OA, warming, enhanced exposure to UV-B as well as the interactions of these environmental stress factors on phytoplankton productivity and community composition, are discussed in this review.     

海洋酸化对泥蚶精子运动的影响及作用机理初探

研究分析了未来海洋酸化情景(pH7.8和pH7.4)对典型滩涂贝类泥蚶(Tegillarca granosa)精子运动活力的影响, 并从精子运动供能角度探究了其作用机理。研究结果表明, 海洋酸化可以显著削弱泥蚶的精子运动速度。由于精子的三磷酸腺苷(ATP)水平与其活力呈显著的正相关, 研究检测了不同酸化条件下泥蚶精子的ATP含量及其合成关键酶酶活, 实验结果显示精子的ATP含量以及磷酸果糖激酶和丙酮酸激酶活力在酸化条件下均显著下降。此外, 精子内的Ca2+-ATP酶(Ca2+-ATPase)调节了精子的运动能力, 因此实验也探究了海洋酸化对泥蚶精子Ca2+-ATPase酶活的影响, 结果证实该酶活力在海水pH为7.4时被显著抑制。综合本研究结果可以得出, 海洋酸化很可能会通过干扰精子细胞内ATP的合成及Ca2+的调控进而削弱精子的运动速度。     

Interactive effects of temperature and pCO2 on sponges: from the cradle to the grave

As atmospheric CO₂ concentrations rise, associated ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) are predicted to cause declines in reef‐building corals globally, shifting reefs from coral‐dominated systems to those dominated by less sensitive species. Sponges are important structural and functional components of coral reef ecosystems, but despite increasing field‐based evidence that sponges may be ‘winners’ in response to environmental degradation, our understanding of how they respond to the combined effects of OW and OA is limited. To determine the tolerance of adult sponges to climate change, four abundant Great Barrier Reef species were experimentally exposed to OW and OA levels predicted for 2100, under two CO₂ Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The impact of OW and OA on early life‐history stages was also assessed for one of these species to provide a more holistic view of species impacts. All species were generally unaffected by conditions predicted under RCP6.0, although environmental conditions projected under RCP8.5 caused significant adverse effects: with elevated temperature decreasing the survival of all species, increasing levels of tissue necrosis and bleaching, elevating respiration rates and decreasing photosynthetic rates. OA alone had little adverse effect, even under RCP8.5 concentrations. Importantly, the interactive effect of OW and OA varied between species with different nutritional modes, with elevated pCO₂ exacerbating temperature stress in heterotrophic species but mitigating temperature stress in phototrophic species. This antagonistic interaction was reflected by reduced mortality, necrosis and bleaching of phototrophic species in the highest OW/OA treatment. Survival and settlement success of Carteriospongia foliascens larvae were unaffected by experimental treatments, and juvenile sponges exhibited greater tolerance to OW than their adult counterparts. With elevated pCO₂ providing phototrophic species with protection from elevated temperature, across different life stages, climate change may ultimately drive a shift in the composition of sponge assemblages towards a dominance of phototrophic species.     

The Role of Temperature in Determining Species' Vulnerability to Ocean Acidification: A Case Study Using Mytilus galloprovincialis

Ocean acidification (OA) is occurring across a backdrop of concurrent environmental changes that may in turn influence species'' responses to OA. Temperature affects many fundamental biological processes and governs key reactions in the seawater carbonate system. It therefore has the potential to offset or exacerbate the effects of OA. While initial studies have examined the combined impacts of warming and OA for a narrow range of climate change scenarios, our mechanistic understanding of the interactive effects of temperature and OA remains limited. Here, we use the blue mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, as a model species to test how OA affects the growth of a calcifying invertebrate across a wide range of temperatures encompassing their thermal optimum. Mussels were exposed in the laboratory to a factorial combination of low and high pCO₂ (400 and 1200 µatm CO₂) and temperatures (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 24°C) for one month. Results indicate that the effects of OA on shell growth are highly dependent on temperature. Although high CO₂ significantly reduced mussel growth at 14°C, this effect gradually lessened with successive warming to 20°C, illustrating how moderate warming can mediate the effects of OA through temperature''s effects on both physiology and seawater geochemistry. Furthermore, the mussels grew thicker shells in warmer conditions independent of CO₂ treatment. Together, these results highlight the importance of considering the physiological and geochemical interactions between temperature and carbonate chemistry when interpreting species'' vulnerability to OA.     

Ocean acidification impacts multiple early life history processes of the Caribbean coral Porites astreoides

Ocean acidification (OA) refers to the increase in acidity (decrease in pH) of the ocean's surface waters resulting from oceanic uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). Mounting experimental evidence suggests that OA threatens numerous marine organisms, including reef‐building corals. Coral recruitment is critical to the persistence and resilience of coral reefs and is regulated by several early life processes, including: larval availability (gamete production, fertilization, etc.), larval settlement, postsettlement growth, and survival. Environmental factors that disrupt these early life processes can result in compromised or failed recruitment and profoundly affect future population dynamics. To evaluate the effects of OA on the sexual recruitment of corals, we tested larval metabolism, larval settlement, and postsettlement growth of the common Caribbean coral Porites astreoides at three pCO₂ levels: ambient seawater (380 μatm) and two pCO₂ scenarios that are projected to occur by the middle (560 μatm) and end (800 μatm) of the century. Our results show that larval metabolism is depressed by 27% and 63% at 560 and 800 μatm, respectively, compared with controls. Settlement was reduced by 42–45% at 560 μatm and 55–60% at 800 μatm, relative to controls. Results indicate that OA primarily affects settlement via indirect pathways, whereby acidified seawater alters the substrate community composition, limiting the availability of settlement cues. Postsettlement growth decreased by 16% and 35% at 560 and 800 μatm, respectively, relative to controls. This study demonstrates that OA has the potential to negatively impact multiple early life history processes of P. astreoides and may contribute to substantial declines in sexual recruitment that are felt at the community and/or ecosystem scale.     

Ocean acidification-induced food quality deterioration constrains trophic transfer

Our present understanding of ocean acidification (OA) impacts on marine organisms caused by rapidly rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) concentration is almost entirely limited to single species responses. OA consequences for food web interactions are, however, still unknown. Indirect OA effects can be expected for consumers by changing the nutritional quality of their prey. We used a laboratory experiment to test potential OA effects on algal fatty acid (FA) composition and resulting copepod growth. We show that elevated CO(2) significantly changed the FA concentration and composition of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, which constrained growth and reproduction of the copepod Acartia tonsa. A significant decline in both total FAs (28.1 to 17.4 fg cell(-1)) and the ratio of long-chain polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids (PUFA:SFA) of food algae cultured under elevated (750 μatm) compared to present day (380 μatm) pCO(2) was directly translated to copepods. The proportion of total essential FAs declined almost tenfold in copepods and the contribution of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) tripled at high CO(2). This rapid and reversible CO(2)-dependent shift in FA concentration and composition caused a decrease in both copepod somatic growth and egg production from 34 to 5 eggs female(-1) day(-1). Because the diatom-copepod link supports some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, our study demonstrates that OA can have far-reaching consequences for ocean food webs by changing the nutritional quality of essential macromolecules in primary producers that cascade up the food web.     

Regenerative capacity and biochemical composition of the sea star Luidia clathrata (Say) (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) under conditions of near-future ocean acidification

The present study examines sublethal effects of near-future (year 2100) ocean acidification (OA) on regenerative capacity, biochemical composition, and behavior of the sea star Luidia clathrata, a predominant predator in sub-tropical soft-bottom habitats. Two groups of sea stars, each with two arms excised, were maintained on a formulated diet in seawater bubbled with air alone (pH 8.2, approximating a pCO₂ of 380 μatm) or with a controlled mixture of air/C0₂ (pH 7.8, approximating a pCO₂ of 780 μatm). Arm length, total body wet weight, and righting responses were measured weekly. After 97 days, a period of time sufficient for 80% arm regeneration, pyloric caecal indices, and protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and ash levels were determined for body wall and pyloric caecal tissues of intact and regenerating arms of individuals held in both seawater pH treatments. The present study indicates that predicted near-term levels of ocean acidification (seawater pH 7.8) do not significantly impact whole animal growth, arm regeneration rates, biochemical composition, or righting behavior in this common soft bottom sea star.     

Temperature and CO2 additively regulate physiology,morphology and genomic responses of larval sea urchins,Strongylocentrotus purpuratus

Ocean warming and ocean acidification, both consequences of anthropogenic production of CO₂, will combine to influence the physiological performance of many species in the marine environment. In this study, we used an integrative approach to forecast the impact of future ocean conditions on larval purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) from the northeast Pacific Ocean. In laboratory experiments that simulated ocean warming and ocean acidification, we examined larval development, skeletal growth, metabolism and patterns of gene expression using an orthogonal comparison of two temperature (13°C and 18°C) and pCO₂ (400 and 1100 μatm) conditions. Simultaneous exposure to increased temperature and pCO₂ significantly reduced larval metabolism and triggered a widespread downregulation of histone encoding genes. pCO₂ but not temperature impaired skeletal growth and reduced the expression of a major spicule matrix protein, suggesting that skeletal growth will not be further inhibited by ocean warming. Importantly, shifts in skeletal growth were not associated with developmental delay. Collectively, our results indicate that global change variables will have additive effects that exceed thresholds for optimized physiological performance in this keystone marine species.