Pteropods from the Caribbean Sea: variations in calcification as an indicator of past ocean carbonate saturation

• Published in: Biogeosciences
• Main Authors: Wall-Palmer, D., Hart, M. B., B, Smart, C., W, Sparks, R. S. J., Le Friant, A., Boudon, G., Deplus, C., Komorowski, J. C.
• Other Authors: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences Plymouth (SoGEES), Plymouth University, School of Earth Sciences Bristol, University of Bristol Bristol, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Université de La Réunion (UR)-Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPG Paris)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2016
• Subjects: [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://insu.hal.science/insu-01610198; https://insu.hal.science/insu-01610198/document; https://insu.hal.science/insu-01610198/file/biogeosciences-wall-palmer-2012.pdf; https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-9-309-2012

International audience The aragonite shell-bearing thecosome pteropods are an important component of the oceanic plankton. However , with increasing pCO 2 and the associated reduction in oceanic pH (ocean acidification), thecosome pteropods are thought to be particularly vulnerable to shell dissolution. The distribution and preservation of pteropods over the last 250 000 years have been investigated in marine sediment cores from the Caribbean Sea close to the island of Montserrat. Using the Limacina Dissolution Index (LDX), fluctuations in pteropod calcification through the most recent glacial/interglacial cycles are documented. By comparison to the oxygen isotope record (global ice volume), we show that pteropod calcification is closely linked to global changes in pCO 2 and pH and is, therefore, a global signal. These data are in agreement with the findings of experiments upon living pteropods, which show that variations in pH can greatly affect aragonitic shells. The results of this study provide information which may be useful in the prediction of future changes to the pteropod assemblage caused by ocean acidification.