January 29, 2021 — The American lobster, which supports the most valuable fishery in North America, may be more susceptible to the effects of climate change than previously thought, according to a new study published in Ecology and Evolution. This finding could help fishery managers anticipate the long-term effects of climate change for one the nation’s most precious natural resources.
The American lobster’s range extends from Atlantic Canada to the mid-Atlantic waters of the United States, but increased carbon dioxide emissions by humans are warming and acidifying their ocean habitat.
To date, studies of the early life stages of lobsters have concluded that ocean acidification, compared to warming, had relatively limited impact on growth and metabolism. However, according to the new publication, their genes tell a different story.
“Our study indicated that acidification is affecting these lobsters on a molecular scale,” said Maura Niemisto, lead author and research associate at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. “Because of environmental changes, they have genes firing at an even higher rate.”