Coral calcifying fluid pH dictates response to ocean acidification

M Holcomb; A A Venn; E Tambutté; S Tambutté; D Allemand; J Trotter; M McCulloch

doi:10.1038/srep05207

Coral calcifying fluid pH dictates response to ocean acidification

Sci Rep. 2014 Jun 6:4:5207. doi: 10.1038/srep05207.

Authors

M Holcomb¹, A A Venn², E Tambutté², S Tambutté², D Allemand², J Trotter³, M McCulloch⁴

Affiliations

¹ 1] The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia [2] ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia [3] Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
² Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
³ The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia.
⁴ 1] The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia [2] ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia.

Abstract

Ocean acidification driven by rising levels of CO2 impairs calcification, threatening coral reef growth. Predicting how corals respond to CO2 requires a better understanding of how calcification is controlled. Here we show how spatial variations in the pH of the internal calcifying fluid (pHcf) in coral (Stylophora pistillata) colonies correlates with differential sensitivity of calcification to acidification. Coral apexes had the highest pHcf and experienced the smallest changes in pHcf in response to acidification. Lateral growth was associated with lower pHcf and greater changes with acidification. Calcification showed a pattern similar to pHcf, with lateral growth being more strongly affected by acidification than apical. Regulation of pHcf is therefore spatially variable within a coral and critical to determining the sensitivity of calcification to ocean acidification.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Acids / chemistry*
Animals
Anthozoa / physiology*
Calcification, Physiologic*
Carbon Dioxide / chemistry*
Coral Reefs
Homeostasis
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Oceans and Seas
Seawater / chemistry*

Substances

Acids
Carbon Dioxide