Preindustrial to modern interdecadal variability in coral reef pH
Date
2005
Authors
Pelejero, Carles
Calvo, Eva
McCulloch, Malcolm
Marshall, Jerry
Gagan, Michael
Lough, Janice
Opdyke, Bradley
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Abstract
The oceans are becoming more acidic due to absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems is unclear, but it will likely depend on species adaptability and the rate of change of seawater pH relative to its natural variability. To constrain the natural variability in reef-water pH, we measured boron isotopic compositions in a ≃300-year-old massive Porites coral from the southwestern Pacific. Large variations in pH are found over ≃50-year cycles that covary with the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation of ocean-atmosphere anomalies, suggesting that natural pH cycles can modulate the impact of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: Carbon dioxide; Earth atmosphere; Ecosystems; Oscillations; pH effects; Seawater; Acidification; Coral reef; Marine ecosystems; Absorption; boron; carbon dioxide; isotope; boron; carbon dioxide; isotope; sea water; acidification; coral reef; marine ecosys
Citation
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Source
Science
Type
Journal article