Seawater carbonate chemistry and processes during experiments with Emiliania huxleyi (PML B93/11A)

The formation of calcareous skeletons by marine planktonic organisms and their subsequent sinking to depth generates a continuous rain of calcium carbonate to the deep ocean and underlying sediments. This is important in regulating marine carbon cycling and ocean-atmosphere CO2 exchange. The present rise in atmospheric CO2 levels causes significant changes in surface ocean pH and carbonate chemistry. Such changes have been shown to slow down calcification in corals and coralline macroalgae, but the majority of marine calcification occurs in planktonic organisms. Here we report reduced calcite production at increased CO2 concentrations in monospecific cultures of two dominant marine calcifying phytoplankton species, the coccolithophorids Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica . This was accompanied by an increased proportion of malformed coccoliths and incomplete coccospheres. Diminished calcification led to a reduction in the ratio of calcite precipitation to organic matter production. Similar results were obtained in incubations of natural plankton assemblages from the north Pacific ocean when exposed to experimentally elevated CO2 levels. We suggest that the progressive increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations may therefore slow down the production of calcium carbonate in the surface ocean. As the process of calcification releases CO2 to the atmosphere, the response observed here could potentially act as a negative feedback on atmospheric CO2 levels.

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Cite this as

Riebesell, Ulf, Zondervan, Ingrid, Rost, Björn, Tortell, Philippe Daniel, Zeebe, Richard E, Morel, Francois M M (2002). Dataset: Seawater carbonate chemistry and processes during experiments with Emiliania huxleyi (PML B93/11A). https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.726883

DOI retrieved: 2002

Additional Info

Field Value
Imported on November 30, 2024
Last update November 30, 2024
License CC-BY-3.0
Source https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.726883
Author Riebesell, Ulf
Given Name Ulf
Family Name Riebesell
More Authors
Zondervan, Ingrid
Rost, Björn
Tortell, Philippe Daniel
Zeebe, Richard E
Morel, Francois M M
Source Creation 2002
Publication Year 2002
Resource Type text/tab-separated-values - filename: Riebesell_2000
Subject Areas
Name: BiologicalClassification

Name: Chemistry

Related Identifiers
Title: Reduced calcification of marine plankton in response to increased atmospheric CO2
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1038/35030078
Type: DOI
Relation: IsSupplementTo
Year: 2000
Source: Nature
Authors: Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Rost Björn , Tortell Philippe Daniel , Zeebe Richard E , Morel Francois M M .

Title: Light-dependent carbon isotope fractionation in the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2002.47.1.0120
Type: DOI
Relation: References
Year: 2002
Source: Limnology and Oceanography
Authors: Rost Björn , Zondervan Ingrid , Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Rost Björn , Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Zeebe Richard E , Rost Björn , Riebesell Ulf .

Title: Effect of CO2 concentration on the PIC/POC ratio in the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi grown under light-limiting conditions and different daylengths
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-0981(02)00037-0
Type: DOI
Relation: References
Year: 2002
Source: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
Authors: Rost Björn , Zondervan Ingrid , Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Rost Björn , Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Zeebe Richard E , Rost Björn , Riebesell Ulf .

Title: Decreasing Marine Biogenic Calcification: A Negative Feedback on Rising Atmospheric pCO2
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GB001321
Type: DOI
Relation: References
Year: 2001
Source: Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Authors: Rost Björn , Zondervan Ingrid , Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Rost Björn , Riebesell Ulf , Zondervan Ingrid , Zeebe Richard E , Rost Björn , Riebesell Ulf .