Is there any relationship between phytoplankton seasonal dynamics and the carbonate system?

• Published in: Journal of Marine Systems
• Main Authors: Merico, A, Tyrrell, T, Cokacar, Tülay
• Other Authors: ,, 2639972
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Oşinografi; Fiziksel Oşinografi; Jeoloji Mühendisliği; Health Sciences; YER BİLİMİ; MULTİDİSİPLİNER; Yerbilimleri; Temel Bilimler (SCI); DENİZ VE TATLISU BİYOLOJİSİ; Bitki ve Hayvan Bilimleri; Tarım ve Çevre Bilimleri (AGE); OŞİNOGRAFİ; JEOLOJİ; Tarımsal Bilimler; Ziraat; Toprak ve Bitki Besleme; Toprak ve Su Muhafazası ve Amenajmanı; Su Hasadı; Deniz Bilimleri ve Teknolojisi; Mühendislik ve Teknoloji; Oceanography; Stratigraphy; Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology; Geology; Economic Geology; Small Animals; Physical Sciences; Bering Sea
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12627/169883; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2005.11.004

Production of calcium carbonate by marine calcifying organisms has been shown to decrease under increasing CO2. This effect appears to be driven by a decrease in [CO32-]. The modelling study here described aims at investigating whether the success of a marine calcifying phytoplankton species, the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, may be tied to [CO32-]. The work highlights the complex interactions between the carbonate system variables and spring blooms, and the possibility of a link to the competition between calcifying vs. non-calcifying species on the Bering Sea shelf. We find that the strong seasonal cycle in [CO32-] is driven primarily by carbon drawdown during spring blooms. The interesting outcome of this work is the fact that E. huxleyi bloom timings always coincide with periods of high [CO32-], which is consistent with studies showing coccoliths malformations and a slowdown in calcification at low [CO32-]. Whether the condition of high [CO32-] can be considered a crucial ecological factor for the success of E. huxleyi, however, remains an open and important question needing further investigation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.