Technical Note: An Autonomous Flow through Salinity and Temperature Perturbation Mesocosm System for Multi-stressor Experiments

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-2023-768
• Publication Date: 2023-05-04T09:33:29Z
• Authors: Cale A. Miller; Pierre Urrutti; Jean-Pierre Gattuso; Steeve Comeau; Anaïs Lebrun; Samir Alliouane; Robert W. Schlegel; Frédéric Gazeau
• Keywords: Mesocosm; Ocean Acidification; Set point

Abstract. The rapid environmental changes in aquatic systems as a result of anthropogenic forcings are creating multitude challenging conditions for organisms and communities. need to better understand the interaction stressors now, future, is fundamental determining response ecosystems these perturbations. This work describes an situ mesocosm perturbation system that can manipulate media controlled setting on land. employed manipulated ambient water from Kongsfjorden, (Svalbard) by increasing temperature freshening seawater investigate mixed kelp communities projected future Arctic conditions. salinity real-time offset incoming simulating fjords. adjusted flow rates mixing regimes chilled, heated, seawater, freshwater, based continuously measured total 12 mesocosms (1 ambient-control 3 treatments, all triplicates) 54 days. System regulation was robust median deviations setpoint were < 0.15 both (°C) across replicates per treatment. implementation this has wide range versatility be deployed test single or multi-stressor while maintaining natural variability.