Nemo's Future: A Systematic Quantitative Literature Review on the Effects of Ocean Acidification on Fish Behavior

Anthropogenic climate change caused by increasing carbon emissions poses a threat to nearly every living organism. One consequence of these emissions is ocean acidification (OA). While OA has been shown to directly inhibit growth in calcifying animals, it might also have negative effects on other marine life. I conducted a systematic quantitative literature review on the effects of OA on fish behavior. The review consisted of 29 peer-reviewed, published journal articles. Most articles report some degree of negative impact of OA. Impacts include sensory impairment, erratic swimming patterns and attraction to predators. Many studies report insignificant impacts, thus continued research is needed to understand the consequences of human behavior and assist in mitigating our impact.