Articles | Volume 14, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2675-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-2675-2017
Technical note
 | 
29 May 2017
Technical note |  | 29 May 2017

Technical Note: A minimally invasive experimental system for pCO2 manipulation in plankton cultures using passive gas exchange (atmospheric carbon control simulator)

Brooke A. Love, M. Brady Olson, and Tristen Wuori

Abstract. As research into the biotic effects of ocean acidification has increased, the methods for simulating these environmental changes in the laboratory have multiplied. Here we describe the atmospheric carbon control simulator (ACCS) for the maintenance of plankton under controlled pCO2 conditions, designed for species sensitive to the physical disturbance introduced by the bubbling of cultures and for studies involving trophic interaction. The system consists of gas mixing and equilibration components coupled with large-volume atmospheric simulation chambers. These chambers allow gas exchange to counteract the changes in carbonate chemistry induced by the metabolic activity of the organisms. The system is relatively low cost, very flexible, and when used in conjunction with semi-continuous culture methods, it increases the density of organisms kept under realistic conditions, increases the allowable time interval between dilutions, and/or decreases the metabolically driven change in carbonate chemistry during these intervals. It accommodates a large number of culture vessels, which facilitate multi-trophic level studies and allow the tracking of variable responses within and across plankton populations to ocean acidification. It also includes components that increase the reliability of gas mixing systems using mass flow controllers.

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Short summary
This experimental system simulates future CO2 conditions in the ocean. It mimics natural processes by allowing the CO2 to move gently and across the surface of the water though gas exchange, making it well suited for delicate plankton. Researchers can use many small vessels, which allows tracking of the eggs from individual females, for instance. Multiple types of organisms can be grown at once, which facilitates feeding studies and other similar studies of species interactions.
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