Physiological and behavioral responses of the Baltic clam Macoma balthica to a laboratory simulated CO-leakage from a subseabed carbon storage site.

Carbon capture and storage in sub-seabed geological reservoirs is now officially included in the atmospheric CO emissions reduction policy and meets the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the last few years biological risk assessment studies have delivered substantial empirical data on possible consequences of CO leakages from underwater storage sites on benthic systems. Current knowledge on Carbon Capture and Storage CCS associated risks is limited to marine systems. Yet there are multiple areas identified as suitable for carbon storage, but their hydrogeochemical features are so distinct that they should be studied as separate cases. Baltic Sea is one example of an area but is host to a unique - in a world scale - ecosystem with low salinity in combination with reduced oxygen availability in the benthic zone. Geological surveys have designated a potential storage site in the Southern Baltic Sea, namely the B3 oil field. Thus, this study focuses on biological effects of seawater acidification caused by a simulated CO leakage scenarios under laboratory conditions on a model macrobenthic in-faunal species. Baltic clams Macoma balthica were exposed to different environmental pH scenarios: pH 7.7 (no leakage), pH 7.0 (moderate hypercapnia) and pH 6.3 (severe hypercapnia) in three independent experiments conducted with the use of a hyperbaric tank (Karl Eric Titank) mimicking hydrostatic pressure of 900 kPa, relevant to conditions at the B3 field. Selected physiological aspects of the Baltic clam, such as survival, shell growth rate, morphometric condition and biochemical composition were investigated along with their behavioral responses, i.e. sediment burrowing activity. The results showed modest effects of hypercapnia on physiological performance of the clams that did not lead to greater mortality in neither of the tested leakage scenarios. Apart from high survival of the clams even in the lowest seawater pH (6.3) there were only little changes observed in the burrowing depth of the clams and biochemical composition of their soft tissues related to seawater acidification. The most evident physiological responses of the clams to prolonged hypercapnia (40 days at pH 6.3) were manifested in decreased shell growth.