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. 2016 Dec 15;6:38637. doi: 10.1038/srep38637

Table 2. Exoskeleton thickness, mineral composition, and mechanical properties.

Segment Exposure period Treatment Thickness* Ca (wt. %) Mg (wt. %) Ca:Mg Hardness (GPa) Stiffness (GPa)
merus 3 months ambient 8.62 ± 1.34 (N = 6) 35.38 ± 6.52 (N = 6) 2.86 ± 0.25 (N = 6) 12.47 ± 2.80 (N = 6) 0.48 ± 0.03 (N = 7) 6.41 ± 0.48 (N = 7)
reduced pH 9.91 ± 1.6 (N = 8) 41.13 ± 10.47 (N = 7) 2.99 ± 0.71 (N = 7) 14.50 ± 5.14 (N = 7) 0.49 ± 0.02 (N = 8) 4.98 ± 0.73 (N = 8)
reduced pH/increased temp 9.21 ± 0.72 (N = 7) 34.74 ± 1.96 (N = 6) 2.83 ± 0.33 (N = 6) 12.43 ± 1.52 (N = 6) 0.47 ± 0.07 (N = 8) 4.14 ± 0.92 (N = 8)
6 months ambient 9.41 ± 1.36 (N = 12) 46.46 ± 6.19 (N = 11) 2.62 ± 0.58 (N = 11) 19.03 ± 7.52 (N = 11) 0.51 ± 0.07 (N = 12) 5.18 ± 1.07 (N = 12)
reduced pH 9.38 ± 2.22 (N = 11) 44.28 ± 5.21 (N = 11) 3.37 ± 0.81 (N = 11) 13.90 ± 3.68 (N = 11) 0.51 ± 0.05 (N = 10) 4.52 ± 0.19 (N = 10)
reduced pH/increased temp 9.20 ± 1.70 (N = 12) 46.84 ± 7.18 (N = 12) 2.57 ± 0.51 (N = 12) 19.16 ± 5.70 (N = 12) 0.57 ± 0.07 (N = 11) 6.70 ± 1.38 (N = 11)
carapace 3 months ambient 9.84 ± 1.66 (N = 8) 37.67 ± 5.73 (N = 6) 2.36 ± 0.42 (N = 6) 16.61 ± 5.51 (N = 6) 0.38 ± 0.02 (N = 8) 6.12 ± 0.24 (N = 8)
reduced pH 11.84 ± 1.57 (N = 6) 35.54 ± 3.93 (N = 5) 2.95 ± 0.71 (N = 5) 12.93 ± 4.69 (N = 5) 0.39 ± 0.05 (N = 7) 2.99 ± 0.79 (N = 7)
reduced pH/increased temp 10.54 ± 1.54 (N = 7) 32.95 ± 6.50 (N = 7) 2.52 ± 0.51 (N = 7) 13.75 ± 4.48 (N = 7) 0.43 ± 0.05 (N = 8) 5.62 ± 0.67 (N = 8)
6 months ambient 9.94 ± 1.11 (N = 12) 41.33 ± 8.32 (N = 11) 3.01 ± 0.61 (N = 11) 14.37 ± 4.61 (N = 11) 0.48 ± 0.09 (N = 10) 6.84 ± 0.80 (N = 10)
reduced pH 10.57 ± 2.38 (N = 11) 39.16 ± 7.13 (N = 11) 3.18 ± 0.60 (N = 11) 12.64 ± 2.94 (N = 11) 0.55 ± 0.09 (N = 11) 10.18 ± 1.32 (N = 11)
reduced pH/increased temp 10.95 ± 1.94 (N = 11) 40.41 ± 6.69 (N = 12) 3.04 ± 0.70 (N = 12) 13.80 ± 3.56 (N = 12) 0.51 ± 0.05 (N = 11) 8.62 ± 0.83 (N = 11)

Values are mean ± standard deviation. N = number of individuals. Bold values indicate significant difference between treatments (see text for statistics). Values in italics indicate significant difference between exposure periods within treatments (α = 0.05). *Thickness is unitless, as it was corrected for body size by dividing values by carapace length.