Seawater carbonate chemistry and functional morphology of foraminifera

• Main Authors: Khanna, Nikki, Godbold, Jasmin A, Austin, William EN, Paterson, David M
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2013
• Subjects: Alkalinity; total; Aragonite saturation state; Benthos; Bicarbonate ion; Bottles or small containers/Aquaria (<20 L); Brackish waters; Calcification/Dissolution; Calcite saturation state; Calculated using seacarb after Nisumaa et al. (2010); Carbon; inorganic; dissolved; Carbonate ion; Carbonate system computation flag; Carbon dioxide; EXP; Experiment; Foraminifera; Fugacity of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); Growth/Morphology; Haynesina germanica; Heterotrophic prokaryotes; Laboratory experiment; Length; standard deviation; North Atlantic; Number; OA-ICC; Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre; Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (water) at sea surface temperature (wet air); pH; Salinity; Single species; Size; Species; unique identification; Temperate; Temperature; water; Type; Width; Ythan_Estuary; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.951205; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.951205

Culturing experiments were performed on sediment samples from the Ythan Estuary, N. E. Scotland, to assess the impacts of ocean acidification on test surface ornamentation in the benthic foraminifer Haynesina germanica. Specimens were cultured for 36 weeks at either 380, 750 or 1000 ppm atmospheric CO2. Analysis of the test surface using SEM imaging reveals sensitivity of functionally important ornamentation associated with feeding to changing seawater CO2 levels. Specimens incubated at high CO2 levels displayed evidence of shell dissolution, a significant reduction and deformation of ornamentation. It is clear that these calcifying organisms are likely to be vulnerable to ocean acidification. A reduction in functionally important ornamentation could lead to a reduction in feeding efficiency with consequent impacts on this organism's survival and fitness.