The evolutionary advantages afforded by phytoplankton calcification remain enigmatic. In this work, fluoroelectrochemical experiments reveal that the presence of a CaCO3 shell of a naturally calcifying coccolithophore, Coccolithus braarudii, offers protection against extracellular oxidants as measured by the time required for the switch-off in their chlorophyll signal, compared to the deshelled equivalents, suggesting the shift toward calcification offers some advantages for survival in the surface of radical-rich seawater.
Keywords: calcium carbonate; coccolithophore; fluoroelectrochemical measurements; oxidative damage; reactive oxygen species.
© 2023 The Authors. Small published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.