Cited by 154Ocean Acidification Effects and ResponsesCoral and Marine Ecosystems StudiesCalcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition

Coral reef calcifiers buffer their response to ocean acidification using both bicarbonate and carbonate

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Comeau, S., Carpenter, R. C., Edmunds, P. J.·2013·Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Abstract

Central to evaluating the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on coral reefs is understanding how calcification is affected by the dissolution of CO 2 in sea water, which causes declines in carbonate ion concentration [CO 32−] and increases in bicarbonate ion concentration [HCO 3−]. To address this topic, we manipulated [CO 32−] and [HCO 3−] to test the effects on calcification of the coral Porites rus and the alga Hydrolithon onkodes, measured from the start to the end of a 15-day incubation, as well as in the day and night. [CO 32−] played a significant role in light and dark calcification of P. rus, whereas [HCO 3−] mainly affected calcification in the light. Both [CO 32−] and [HCO 3−] had a significant effect on the calcification of H. onkodes, but the strongest relationship was found with [CO 32−]. Our results show that the negative effect of declining [CO 32−] on the calcification of corals and algae can be partly mitigated by the use of HCO 3−for calcification and perhaps photosynthesis. These results add empirical support to two conceptual models that can form a template for further research to account for the calcification response of corals and crustose coralline algae to OA.

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Crossref · 10.1098/rspb.2012.2374

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  • Two laboratory studies that investigated the relationships of CCA along pH gradients found linear relationships and no apparent tipping points in CCA growth and survival.

    “Two laboratory studies that investigated the relationships of CCA along pH gradients found linear relationships and no apparent tipping points in CCA growth and survival913.”

    From In situ changes of tropical crustose coralline algae along carbon dioxide gradients (2015) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Methods and Results describe laboratory incubations of the CCA Hydrolithon onkodes and report how its calcification varied with carbonate and bicarbonate concentrations. They do not report CCA survival or establish linear relationships with pH and no tipping points; the Discussion’s linear interpolation is an estimate, not that finding. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Several laboratory and mesocosm studies have documented negative effects of OA on CCA calcification, dark dissolution and bleaching, recruitment, survival, and rates of morphological abnormalities and mortality in newly settled CCA.

    “Several laboratory and mesocosm studies have documented negative effects of OA on CCA calcification, dark dissolution and bleaching910, recruitment11, survival12, and rates of morphological abnormalities and mortality in newly settled CCA13.”

    From In situ changes of tropical crustose coralline algae along carbon dioxide gradients (2015) · cites this paper as [9]

    The Results section ('Light versus dark calcification') reports that calcification in the CCA Hydrolithon onkodes declined as carbonate concentration decreased, with dissolution exceeding calcification in low-carbonate treatments. The paper does not report a bleaching result for its experiment, so it supports the calcification and dissolution portion of the cited phrase but not bleaching. The later citations in the sentence attach to recruitment, survival, and newly settled CCA outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Ries JB. 2011 A physicochemical framework for interpreting the biological calcification response to CO 2 -induced ocean acidification. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 75, 4053 -4064. (doi:10.1016/j. gca.2011.04.025) · DOI
  2. Dickson AG, Sabine CL, Christian JR. 2007 Guide to best practices for ocean CO 2 measurements, vol. 3. Canada: PICES Special Publication.

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Authors
Comeau, S., Carpenter, R. C., & Edmunds, P. J.
Affiliations
California State University, Northridge (US)
Venue
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Published
2013-02-22
Volume
280
Issue
1753
Pages
20122374
ISSN
  • 0080-4649 (ISSN-L)
  • 0962-8452
  • 1471-2954
OpenAlex
W2166776036
Cited by
154
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 9
FWCI
10.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • California State University ScholarWorks (system-wide DSpace) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1041270, 0417413)
  • California State University, Northridge
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition
Keywords
ocean acidification, coral reef calcification, carbonate ions, bicarbonate, Porites rus, crustose coralline algae, photosynthesis, carbonate chemistry, coral reefs
MeSH terms
Acids, Rhodophyta, Animals, Bicarbonates, Calcification, Physiologic, Carbonates, Hydrogen-Ion Concentration, Oceans and Seas, Polynesia, Seawater, Sunlight, Anthozoa, Coral Reefs

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