While ocean acidification (OA) is expected to have wide-ranging negative effects on marine species, organisms currently living in variable pH environments that expose them intermittently to pH values approaching those predicted for the future, may be better adapted to tolerate prolonged exposure to high pCO 2 levels caused by OA. Seasonal upwelling brings low pH water to the surface along the Pacific Coast of North America.
Cryptic colouration in crustaceans, important for both camouflage and visual communication, is achieved through physiological and morphological mechanisms that are sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Consequently, ocean warming and ocean acidification can affect crustaceans' biophotonic appearance and exoskeleton composition in ways that might disrupt colouration and transparency.