ABSTRACT
In this paper we briefly introduce the important aspects of carbonate chemistry that influence the acidity of sea water, then review the effects of OA in echinoderms with two contrasting reproductive strategies: the effect of lower pH conditions on the larvae of planktotrophic sea urchins during early development; and the potential for OA to affect both growth and reproduction in deep-sea Antarctic sea urchins. Along with other papers presented at the Echinoderm Conference, and reviews in the recent literature (Kurihara 2008, Dupont et al. 2010a, b, Hendricks et al. 2010, Hendricks & Duarte 2010, Kroeker et al. 2010), we conclude that echinoderms may be negatively affected by OA, with impacts likely to include growth, reproduction and local population persistence.
