RESUMO
Climate change is causing major changes to marine ecosystems globally, with ocean acidification of particular concern for coral reefs. Using a 200 d in situ carbon dioxide enrichment study on Heron Island, Australia, we simulated future ocean acidification conditions, and found reduced pH led to a drastic decline in net calcification of living corals to no net growth, and accelerated disintegration of dead corals. Net calcification declined more severely than in previous studies due to exposure to the natural community of bioeroding organisms in this in situ study and to a longer experimental duration. Our data suggest that reef flat corals reach net dissolution at an aragonite saturation state (ΩAR) of 2.3 (95% confidence interval: 1.8-2.8) with 100% living coral cover and at ΩAR > 3.5 with 30% living coral cover. This model suggests that areas of the reef with relatively low coral mortality, where living coral cover is high, are likely to be resistant to carbon dioxide-induced reef dissolution.
Assuntos
Antozoários , Animais , Austrália , Ecossistema , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Água do Mar , SolubilidadeRESUMO
Panamá's extreme hydroclimate seasonality is driven by Intertropical Convergence Zone rainfall and resulting runoff. River discharge (Q) carries terrestrially-derived barium to coastal waters that can be recorded in coral. We present a Ba/Ca record (1996-1917) generated from a Porites coral colony in the Gulf of Chiriquí near Coiba Island (Panamá) to understand regional hydroclimate. Here coral Ba/Ca is correlated to instrumental Q (R=0.67, p<0.001), producing a seasonally-resolved Reduced Major Axis regression of Ba/Ca (µmol/mol)=Q (m3/s)×0.006±0.001 (µmol/mol)(m3/s)-1+4.579±0.151. Our results support work in the neighboring Gulf of Panamá that determined seawater Ba/Ca, controlled by Q, is correlated to coral Ba/Ca (LaVigne et al., 2016). Additionally, the Coiba coral Ba/Ca records at least 5 El Niño events and identified 22 of the 37 wet seasons with below average precipitation. These data corroborate the Q proxy and provide insight into the use of coral Ba/Ca as an El Niño and drought indicator.