In this study, we examined how CO2-driven acidification affected the embyro development and hatching of snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), an important fishery species in Alaska. Ovigerous females were held in one of three treatments: ambient pH (~8.1), pH 7.8, and pH 7.5, through two annual reproductive cycles. Morphometric changes during development and hatching success were measured for embryos both years and calcification was measured for the adult females at the end of the 2-year experiment. We also examined how CO2-driven acidification affected larval survival and condition in snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio). Experiments on the effects of reduced pH on morphology; starvation survival; mass; and Ca, Mg, C, and N contents of the larvae were conducted in a design that fully crossed maternal treatment (pH at which the ovigerous females were held during embryo development) and larval treatment (which were the same 3 pH treatments).

In order to allow full comparability with other ocean acidification data sets, the R package seacarb (Gattuso et al, 2022) was used to compute a complete and consistent set of carbonate system variables, as described by Nisumaa et al. (2010). In this dataset the original values were archived in addition with the recalculated parameters (see related PI). The date of carbonate chemistry calculation by seacarb is 2023-12-05.