Claas Hiebenthal

Ocean acidification caused by human emissions of CO2 rose as a major thread threat to calcifiers like the mussel Mytilus edulis. This species is a key reef builder of the European nearshores and is of paramount commercial importance. However, the fluctuations of the carbonate system in those reefs, induced by the mussel physiology, remain unknown. Filling this gap of knowledge is essential for evaluating the impact of ocean acidification on these crucial ecosystems. To do so, in a synergistic effort between marine chemists, ecologists and physiologists from academic and private sector, we will 1) combine state-of-the-art technologies to create an in-situ high accuracy and precision carbonate sensor 2) deploy it in mussel beds of the western Baltic Sea at key periods of the Baltic CO2 annual cycle 3) explain the variations with a statistical model.