Global assessment of coralline algae mineralogy points to high vulnerability of Southwestern Atlantic reefs and rhodolith beds to ocean acidification.

ABSTRACT: Coralline algae constitute one of the main groups of highly vulnerable calcified benthic organisms to ocean acidification. Although damaging effects of seawater acidification on the coralline algae skeleton have been widely demonstrated, the susceptibility to dissolution varies according to the Mg²⁺ in the calcite lattice. Even though the Southwest Atlantic Ocean exhibits the world's largest rhodolith beds, which occupies 20,902 km², there is no information regarding the coralline algae species mineralogy in this area. Here, we provide mineralogical data of twenty-four coralline algae species, examine the similarity in taxonomic groups, spatial occurrence and the vulnerability of these algae to seawater acidification. Mineralogy revealed that coralline algae skeletons

SUBMITTER: de Carvalho RT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9187768 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature