Freshwater acidification: an example of an endangered crayfish species sensitive to pH

<p>Carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere&nbsp;and dissolved in water leads to acidification. Relatively&nbsp;few studies have focused on fresh waters, where&nbsp;biocalcifying species are more readily impacted by&nbsp;changes in pH. Sensitivity to pH of an endangered&nbsp;calcium-demanding organism, the crayfish <em>Austropotamobius&nbsp;pallipes</em>, was investigated in the Pinail&nbsp;nature reserve, a natural system with 3000 permanent&nbsp;ponds, some inhabited by the crayfish and others not,&nbsp;originally due to human introduction. From the 14&nbsp;chemical parameters measured in this study, the main&nbsp;limiting factor preventing crayfish establishment&nbsp;appears to be water acidity (pH\ 6.8), which affects&nbsp;calcification, molting, growth and reproduction. We&nbsp;predict that 20% of the Pinail populations will&nbsp;disappear by 2060 due to freshwater acidification&nbsp;with the present level of fossil fuel consumption.</p>