Ideas and Perspectives: When ocean acidification experiments are not the same, repeatability is not tested

Williamson, Phillip ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4149-5110, Poertner, Hans-Otto, Widdicombe, Steve and Gattuso, Jean-Pierre (2021) Ideas and Perspectives: When ocean acidification experiments are not the same, repeatability is not tested. Biogeosciences, 18 (5). 1787–1792. ISSN 1726-4189

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Abstract

Can experimental studies on the behavioural impacts of ocean acidification be trusted? That question was raised in early 2020 when a high-profile paper failed to corroborate previously observed responses of coral reef fish to high CO2. New information on the methodologies used in the “replicated” studies now provides a plausible explanation: the experimental conditions were substantially different. High sensitivity to test conditions is characteristic of ocean acidification research; such response variability shows that effects are complex, interacting with many other factors. Open-minded assessment of all research results, both negative and positive, remains the best way to develop process-based understanding. As in other fields, replication studies in ocean acidification are most likely to contribute to scientific advancement when carried out in a spirit of collaboration rather than confrontation.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 14 - life below water ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Research Groups/Centres > Theme - ClimateUEA
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	03 Mar 2023 17:30
Last Modified:	20 Mar 2023 12:45
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/91366
DOI:	10.5194/bg-18-1787-2021

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