Seawater carbonate chemistry and community calcification during Miyako Island (Japan) coral reef studies, 1994

Coral reefs are characterized by enormous carbonate production of the organisms. It is known that rapid calcification is linked to photosynthesis under control of the carbonate equilibrium in seawater. We have established a model simulating the coexisting states of photosynthesis and calcification in order to examine the effects of photosynthesis and calcification on the carbonate system in seawater. Supposing that the rates of photosynthesis and calcification are proportional to concentrations of their inorganic carbon source, the model calculations indicate that three kinds of unique interactions of the organic and inorganic carbon productions are expected. These are photosynthetic enhancement of calcification, calcification which benefits photosynthesis and carbonate dissolution induced by respiration. The first effect appears when the photosynthetic rate is more than approximately 1.2 larger than that of calcification. This effect is caused by the increase of CO3 content and carbonate saturation degree in seawater. If photosynthesis use molecular carbon dioxide, the second effect occurs when the calcification rate is more than approximately 1.6 times larger than that of photosynthesis. Time series model experiments indicate that photosynthesis and calcification potentially enhance each other and that organic and inorganic carbon is produced more efficiently in the coexisting system than in the isolated reactions. These coexisting effects on production enhancement of photosynthesis and calcification are expected to appear not only in the internal pool of organisms but also in a reef environment which is isolated from the outer ocean during low tide. According to the measurements on the fringing type Shiraho Reef in the Ryukyu Islands, the diurnal change of water properties (pH, total alkalinity, total carbon dioxide and carbonate saturation degree) were conspicuous. This environment offers an appropriate condition for the appearance of these coexisting effects. The photosynthetic enhancement of calcification and the respiratory inducement of decalcification were observed during day-time and night-time slack-water periods, respectively. These coexisting effects, especially the photosynthetic enhancement of calcification, appear to play important roles for fluorishing coral reef communities.

Seawater carbonate chemistry and protein and chlorophyll a content per nubbin of Acropora muricata during observations of La Saline fringing reef, La Reunion Island, western Indian Ocean, 2011

The effect of decreasing aragonite saturation state (Omega Arag) of seawater (elevated pCO2) on calcification rates of Acropora muricata was studied using nubbins prepared from parent colonies located at two sites of La Saline reef (La Réunion Island, western Indian Ocean): a back-reef site (BR) affected by nutrient-enriched groundwater discharge (mainly nitrate), and a reef flat site (RF) with low terrigenous inputs. Protein and chlorophyll a content of the nubbins, as well as zooxanthellae abundance, were lower at RF than BR. Nubbins were incubated at ~27°C over 2 h under sunlight, in filtered seawater manipulated to get differing initial pCO2 (1,440-340 µatm), Omega Arag (1.4-4.0), and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations (2,100-1,850 µmol/kg). Increasing DIC concentrations at constant total alkalinity (AT) resulted in a decrease in Omega Arag and an increase in pCO2. AT at the beginning of the incubations was kept at a natural level of 2,193 ± 6 µmol/kg (mean ± SD). Net photosynthesis (NP) and calcification were calculated from changes in pH and AT during the incubations. Calcification decrease in response to doubling pCO2 relative to preindustrial level was 22% for RF nubbins. When normalized to surface area of the nubbins, (1) NP and calcification were higher at BR than RF, (2) NP increased in high pCO2 treatments at BR compared to low pCO2 treatments, and (3) calcification was not related to Omega Arag at BR. When normalized to NP, calcification was linearly related to Omega Arag at both sites, and the slopes of the relationships were not significantly different. The increase in NP at BR in the high pCO2 treatments may have increased calcification and thus masked the negative effect of low Omega Arag on calcification. Removing the effect of NP variations at BR showed that calcification declined in a similar manner with decreased Omega Arag (increased pCO2) whatever the nutrient loading.

Ocean acidification impairs vermetid reef recruitment

Vermetids form reefs in sub-tropical and warm-temperate waters that protect coasts from erosion, regulate sediment transport and accumulation, serve as carbon sinks and provide habitat for other species. The gastropods that form these reefs brood encapsulated larvae; they are threatened by rapid environmental changes since their ability to disperse is very limited. We used transplant experiments along a natural CO2 gradient to assess ocean acidification effects on the reef-building gastropod Dendropoma petraeum. We found that although D. petraeum were able to reproduce and brood at elevated levels of CO2, recruitment success was adversely affected. Long-term exposure to acidified conditions predicted for the year 2100 and beyond caused shell dissolution and a significant increase in shell Mg content. Unless CO2 emissions are reduced and conservation measures taken, our results suggest these reefs are in danger of extinction within this century, with significant ecological and socioeconomic ramifications for coastal systems.

Seawater carbonate chemistry and calcification rate in the Bermuda reef community, 2010

Despite the potential impact of ocean acidification on ecosystems such as coral reefs, surprisingly, there is very limited field data on the relationships between calcification and seawater carbonate chemistry. In this study, contemporaneous in situ datasets of seawater carbonate chemistry and calcification rates from the high-latitude coral reef of Bermuda over annual timescales provide a framework for investigating the present and future potential impact of rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems in their natural environment. A strong correlation was found between the in situ rates of calcification for the major framework building coral species Diploria labyrinthiformis and the seasonal variability of [CO32-] and aragonite saturation state omega aragonite, rather than other environmental factors such as light and temperature. These field observations provide sufficient data to hypothesize that there is a seasonal "Carbonate Chemistry Coral Reef Ecosystem Feedback" (CREF hypothesis) between the primary components of the reef ecosystem (i.e., scleractinian hard corals and macroalgae) and seawater carbonate chemistry. In early summer, strong net autotrophy from benthic components of the reef system enhance [CO32-] and omega aragonite conditions, and rates of coral calcification due to the photosynthetic uptake of CO2. In late summer, rates of coral calcification are suppressed by release of CO2 from reef metabolism during a period of strong net heterotrophy. It is likely that this seasonal CREF mechanism is present in other tropical reefs although attenuated compared to high-latitude reefs such as Bermuda. Due to lower annual mean surface seawater [CO32-] and omega aragonite in Bermuda compared to tropical regions, we anticipate that Bermuda corals will experience seasonal periods of zero net calcification within the next decade at [CO32-] and omega aragonite thresholds of ~184 micro moles kg-1 and 2.65. However, net autotrophy of the reef during winter and spring (as part of the CREF hypothesis) may delay the onset of zero NEC or decalcification going forward by enhancing [CO32-] and omega aragonite. The Bermuda coral reef is one of the first responders to the negative impacts of ocean acidification, and we estimate that calcification rates for D. labyrinthiformis have declined by >50% compared to pre-industrial times.