Coral reef calcification: carbonate, bicarbonate and proton flux under conditions of increasing ocean acidification

Data on calcification rate of coral and crustose coralline algae were used to test the proton flux model of calcification. There was a significant correlation between calcification (G) and the ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to proton concentration ([DIC] : [H + ] ratio). The ratio is tigh...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Main Author: Jokiel, P. L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Royal Society 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.0031
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2013.0031
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2013.0031
Description
Summary:Data on calcification rate of coral and crustose coralline algae were used to test the proton flux model of calcification. There was a significant correlation between calcification (G) and the ratio of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to proton concentration ([DIC] : [H + ] ratio). The ratio is tightly correlated with [CO 3 2− ] and with aragonite saturation state ( Ω a ). An argument is presented that correlation does not prove cause and effect, and that Ω a and [CO 3 2− ] have no basic physiological meaning on coral reefs other than a correlation with [DIC] : [H + ] ratio, which is the driver of G.