Phytoplankton Calcification in a High-CO 2 World

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Iglesias-Rodriguez, M. Debora, Halloran, Paul R., Rickaby, Rosalind E. M., Hall, Ian R., Colmenero-Hidalgo, Elena, Gittins, John R., Green, Darryl R. H., Tyrrell, Toby, Gibbs, Samantha J., von Dassow, Peter, Rehm, Eric, Armbrust, E. Virginia, Boessenkool, Karin P.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2008
• Subjects: Ocean acidification
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1154122; https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1154122

Ocean acidification in response to rising atmospheric CO 2 partial pressures is widely expected to reduce calcification by marine organisms. From the mid-Mesozoic, coccolithophores have been major calcium carbonate producers in the world's oceans, today accounting for about a third of the total marine CaCO 3 production. Here, we present laboratory evidence that calcification and net primary production in the coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi are significantly increased by high CO 2 partial pressures. Field evidence from the deep ocean is consistent with these laboratory conclusions, indicating that over the past 220 years there has been a 40% increase in average coccolith mass. Our findings show that coccolithophores are already responding and will probably continue to respond to rising atmospheric CO 2 partial pressures, which has important implications for biogeochemical modeling of future oceans and climate.