6533b882fe1ef96bd12d9cdf
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Seaweed fails to prevent ocean acidification impact on foraminifera along a shallow-water CO2 gradient
Laura Rachel PettitChristopher W SmartMalcom B HartMarco MilazzoJason M Hall-spencersubject
Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC)TemperateIdentificationSalinityCommunity composition and diversityTriloculinella dilatatainorganicAlkalinityElphidium spMiliolinella sp.Miliolinella subrotundaQuinqueloculina sp.Daitrona spTemperature waterCarbon inorganic dissolvedCalculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al 2010Adelosina longirostraPercentageAragonite saturation stateMiliolinella spRosalina globularisAlkalinity totaltotalElphidium sp.Elphidium crispumCO2 ventElphidium advenumpHTemperaturedissolvedPseudotriloculina spCarbonate ionPartial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air)Rosalina spQuinqueloculina annectensEarth System ResearchHaynesina depressulaField observationElphidium margaritaceumPotentiometric titrationCalcite saturation statePotentiometricwaterMassilina gualtierianaRocky-shore communitySpiroloculina ornataQuinqueloculina auberianaBenthosDaitrona sp.Pileolina patelliformisOcean Acidification International Coordination Centre OA ICCMediterranean SeaBicarbonate ionCalculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al. (2010)SpeciesVertebralina striataAffinetrina gualtierianaElphidium macellumCalculated using CO2SYSIndividualsCarbonate system computation flagFugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air)Rosalina sp.CarbonBiomass/Abundance/Elemental compositionBolivina pseudoplicataPartial pressure of carbon dioxide water at sea surface temperature wet airCarbon dioxideQuinqueloculina stelligeraQuinqueloculina spPeneroplis pertususRocky shore communityEntire communityPeneroplis planatusFugacity of carbon dioxide water at sea surface temperature wet airCornuspira involvensBiomass Abundance Elemental compositionCoast and continental shelfLobatula lobatulaQuinqueloculina boscianaPseudotriloculina sp.description
Ocean acidification causes biodiversity loss, alters ecosystems, and may impact food security, as shells of small organisms dissolve easily in corrosive waters. There is a suggestion that photosynthetic organisms could mitigate ocean acidification on a local scale, through seagrass protection or seaweed cultivation, as net ecosystem organic production raises the saturation state of calcium carbonate making seawater less corrosive. Here, we used a natural gradient in calcium carbonate saturation, caused by shallow-water CO2 seeps in the Mediterranean Sea, to assess whether seaweed that is resistant to acidification (Padina pavonica) could prevent adverse effects of acidification on epiphytic foraminifera. We found a reduction in the number of species of foraminifera as calcium carbonate saturation state fell and that the assemblage shifted from one dominated by calcareous species at reference sites (pH 8.19) to one dominated by agglutinated foraminifera at elevated levels of CO2 (pH 7.71). It is expected that ocean acidification will result in changes in foraminiferal assemblage composition and agglutinated forms may become more prevalent. Although Padina did not prevent adverse effects of ocean acidification, high biomass stands of seagrass or seaweed farms might be more successful in protecting epiphytic foraminifera.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01-01 |