The Effects of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Fatty Acid Contents of Marine Organisms: A Global Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Ocean warming and acidification pose significant threats to marine biodiversity and human nutrition by fundamentally altering the biochemical composition of marine organisms. A primary concern is the potential decline in omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) that are essential to human health and primarily obtained through seafood consumption. The influence of these climate stressors on FA content across marine food webs remains poorly understood. To address this critical knowledge gap, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 489 experiments across 143 publications and 132 marine species, quantifying the effects of warming and acidification on nutritionally important FAs in marine primary producers, invertebrates and fishes. Under warmer conditions, we detected reductions of up to 34% and 50% in omega-3 FA proportions and concentrations, respectively, and up to 53% in omega-3: omega-6 ratios, together with increases of up to 22% and 17% in saturated FA proportions and concentrations, respectively across taxa groups. Critically, these effects were intensified as warming increased. The most severe reductions in omega-3 FAs were observed in primary producers, suggesting that climate-driven changes at the base of the food web could impair trophic transfer of these micronutrients, limiting nutrient availability for higher trophic levels and ultimately humans. Ocean acidification, conversely, demonstrated a minor overall effect on FA levels, although this result was based on substantially…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in animal, not in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
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