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Hauptverfasser: Krings, Wencke, Schreiber, Henrik K C, Gorb, Stanislav N
Format: Artículo científico
Sprache:en
Veröffentlicht: Marine environmental research 2026
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42092269/
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author Krings, Wencke
Schreiber, Henrik K C
Gorb, Stanislav N
author_facet Krings, Wencke
Schreiber, Henrik K C
Gorb, Stanislav N
Krings, Wencke
Schreiber, Henrik K C
Gorb, Stanislav N
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Effects of ocean acidification on radular tooth material properties in Littorina littorea (Gastropoda, Mollusca). Krings, Wencke Schreiber, Henrik K C Gorb, Stanislav N Animals Gastropoda Hydrogen-Ion Concentration Microscopy, Confocal Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Ocean Acidification Seawater Ocean acidification is known to affect calcified structures in marine organisms, yet its impact on non-calcified but functionally essential feeding tools remains poorly understood. The radula is a defining molluscan apomorphy, whose mechanical performance is critical for feeding and survival. Here we investigated the effects of reduced seawater pH on the radular teeth of the intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea. Individuals were maintained for seven weeks under acidified conditions (pH 7.5) or near-present-day conditions (pH 8.1) and compared with a field-collected control group. Radulae were analysed using scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and nanoindentation. Radulae from acid-treated individuals exhibited markedly increased tooth wear in the working zone despite largely preserved gross morphology. Wear was most pronounced at the cusps of central and lateral teeth and showed rounded profiles indicative of progressive abrasive wear. Acidic conditions caused pronounced changes in the outer tooth coating, including reduced silicon enrichment and substantial decreases in stiffness and hardness, while the inner tooth structure was only weakly affected. Confocal microscopy revealed treatment-specific autofluorescence patterns, suggesting pH-dependent alterations of the organic matrix. Differences between laboratory-maintained and field-collected individuals further indicate that feeding conditions influence radular tooth properties. These results demonstrate that ocean acidification can impair radular function through material-level degradation of composite feeding structures, potentially reducing grazing efficiency and imposing sublethal fitness costs.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_42092269
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Marine environmental research
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Effects of ocean acidification on radular tooth material properties in Littorina littorea (Gastropoda, Mollusca).
Krings, Wencke
Schreiber, Henrik K C
Gorb, Stanislav N
Animals
Gastropoda
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Microscopy, Confocal
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Ocean Acidification
Seawater
Effects of ocean acidification on radular tooth material properties in Littorina littorea (Gastropoda, Mollusca). Krings, Wencke Schreiber, Henrik K C Gorb, Stanislav N Animals Gastropoda Hydrogen-Ion Concentration Microscopy, Confocal Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Ocean Acidification Seawater Ocean acidification is known to affect calcified structures in marine organisms, yet its impact on non-calcified but functionally essential feeding tools remains poorly understood. The radula is a defining molluscan apomorphy, whose mechanical performance is critical for feeding and survival. Here we investigated the effects of reduced seawater pH on the radular teeth of the intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea. Individuals were maintained for seven weeks under acidified conditions (pH 7.5) or near-present-day conditions (pH 8.1) and compared with a field-collected control group. Radulae were analysed using scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and nanoindentation. Radulae from acid-treated individuals exhibited markedly increased tooth wear in the working zone despite largely preserved gross morphology. Wear was most pronounced at the cusps of central and lateral teeth and showed rounded profiles indicative of progressive abrasive wear. Acidic conditions caused pronounced changes in the outer tooth coating, including reduced silicon enrichment and substantial decreases in stiffness and hardness, while the inner tooth structure was only weakly affected. Confocal microscopy revealed treatment-specific autofluorescence patterns, suggesting pH-dependent alterations of the organic matrix. Differences between laboratory-maintained and field-collected individuals further indicate that feeding conditions influence radular tooth properties. These results demonstrate that ocean acidification can impair radular function through material-level degradation of composite feeding structures, potentially reducing grazing efficiency and imposing sublethal fitness costs.
title Effects of ocean acidification on radular tooth material properties in Littorina littorea (Gastropoda, Mollusca).
topic Animals
Gastropoda
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Microscopy, Confocal
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Ocean Acidification
Seawater
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42092269/