Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are causing additional CO2 to be absorbed by the oceans. Recent studies show that exposure to elevated CO2 causes olfactory impairment in reef fishes; however, the ecological consequences of this impairment are largely unknown. This study examined the effects of short-term exposure to elevated CO2 on habitat preferences of coral-dwelling gobies. Adult gobies collected from the reef at Lizard Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia) were exposed for 4 days to ambient CO2 (440 $μ$atm) or elevated CO2 (880 $μ$atm).
Ocean acidification is one of the most pressing environmental concerns of our time, and not surprisingly, we have seen a recent explosion of research into the physiological impacts and ecological consequences of changes in ocean chemistry. We are gaining considerable insights from this work, but further advances require greater integration across disciplines. Here we showed that projected near-future CO2 levels impaired the ability of damselfish to learn the identity of predators.