Rapid decline in pH of coral calcification fluid due to incorporation of anthropogenic CO₂.

ABSTRACT: Marine calcifying organisms, such as stony corals, are under threat by rapid ocean acidification (OA) arising from the oceanic uptake of anthropogenic CO₂. To better understand how organisms and ecosystems will adapt to or be damaged by the resulting environmental changes, field observations are crucial. Here, we show clear evidence, based on boron isotopic ratio (δ¹¹B) measurements, that OA is affecting the pH of the calcification fluid (pH_CF) in Porites corals within the western North Pacific Subtropical Gyre at two separate locations, Chichijima Island (Ogasawara Archipelago) and Kikaijima Island. Corals from each location have displayed a rapid decline in δ¹¹B since 1960. A comparison with the pH of the ambient seawater (pH_SW) near

SUBMITTER: Kubota K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5550433 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature