Element ratio (Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, B/Ca, and Mg/Ca) profiles throughout the larval life stage of Mytilus edulis, 2011

Rising anthropogenic CO2 in the surface ocean has raised serious concerns for the ability of calcifying organisms to secrete their shells and skeletons. Previous mollusc carbonate perturbation experiments report deleterious effects at lowered pH (7.8-7.4 pH units), including reduced shell length and...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dawber, Caroline F, Branson, O, Elderfield, Henry, Harper, Elizabeth M, Greaves, Mervyn, Gazeau, Frédéric, Gattuso, Jean-Pierre, Middelburg, Jack J
Format: Dataset
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA 2011
Subjects:
Barium/Calcium ratio
Boron/Calcium ratio
Calcium
EPOCA
European Project on Ocean Acidification
ICP-Q-MS
Inductively coupled plasma-quadrupole-mass spectrometry
Magnesium/Calcium ratio
Mytilus edulis
weight
shell
Sample ID
Species
Strontium/Calcium ratio
Ocean acidification
Online Access:https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.769719
https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.769719
Description
Summary:Rising anthropogenic CO2 in the surface ocean has raised serious concerns for the ability of calcifying organisms to secrete their shells and skeletons. Previous mollusc carbonate perturbation experiments report deleterious effects at lowered pH (7.8-7.4 pH units), including reduced shell length and thickness and deformed shell morphology. It is not clear whether the reduced shell growth results from a decrease in calcification rate due to lowered aragonite saturation or from an indirect effect on mollusc metabolism. We take a novel approach to discerning between these two processes by examining the impact of lowered pH on the 'vital-effect' associated with element ratios. Reported herein are the first element ratio (Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, B/Ca, Mg/Ca and Mn/Ca) profiles throughout the larval life stage of Mytilus edulis. Element ratio data for individuals reared in ambient conditions provide new insights into biomineralization during larval development. Sr/Ca ratios are consistent with Sr incorporation in the mineral phase. Mg and Mn are likely hosted in an organic phase. The Ba partition coefficient of early larval shells is one of the highest reported in biogenic aragonite. The reason for the high Ba concentrations is unknown, but may reflect the assimilation of Ba from food and/or Ba concentration in an organic or amorphous carbonate phase. There is no observable difference in the way the studied elements are incorporated into the shells of individuals reared in ambient and lowered pH conditions. The reduced growth rate at lower pH may be a consequence of a disruption to the larval mollusc metabolism.

Similar Items