The increasing acidification of ocean waters caused by
rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could rob sharks of their ability to
sense the smell of food, a new study suggests.
Elevated carbon dioxide levels impaired the odor-tracking
behavior of the smooth dogfish, a shark whose range includes the Atlantic Ocean
off the eastern United States. Adult sharks significantly avoided squid odor
after swimming in a pool of water treated with carbon dioxide. The carbon
dioxide concentrations tested are consistent with climate forecasts for
midcentury and 2100. The study suggests that predator-prey interactions in
nature could be influenced by elevated carbon dioxide concentrations of ocean
waters.