Publication Date

Spring 2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

Advisor

Maya deVries; Luke Gardner; Scott Hamilton

Abstract

Climate change threatens shellfish aquaculture worldwide, with ocean acidification (OA) accelerating shell dissolution and reducing calcification, hindering growth. This study addressed the negative impacts of OA on juvenile red abalone (Haliotis rufescens), a life stage that is particularly susceptible to climate stressors, and the ability of the red seaweed, dulse (Devaleraea mollis), to mitigate these effects. I tested the hypothesis that Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), with abalone and seaweed grown in co-culture, can raise seawater pH through photosynthesis to yield more favorable conditions for abalone growth and shell construction. A 5-month experiment was conducted to determine the benefits of IMTA on abalone growth, shell composition, and morphology under simulated ocean acidification conditions. In each tank, 620 abalone were raised in either High (8.1 ± 0.3), Ambient (7.9 ± 0.2), Medium (7.8 ± 0.3), or Low pH (7.6 ± 0.2). Abalone raised in High and Ambient pH treatments exhibited greater shell length, weight, area, and condition compared to those raised in medium and low pH treatments. Shell analyses indicated that these growth differences translate into differences in physical and chemical properties, with shells from the high and ambient pH treatments containing higher levels of Mg2+ and being more resistant to fracturing. These findings indicate that IMTA could shepherd abalone through the susceptible juvenile stage, increasing resilience of abalone aquaculture even within the context of future climate change.

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