Environmental controls on modern scleractinian coral and reef-scale calcification

Courtney, Travis A.; Lebrato, Mario; Bates, Nicholas R.; Collins, Andrew; Putron, Samantha J. de; Garley, Rebecca; Johnson, Rodney J.; Molinero, Juan‐Carlos; Noyes, Timothy J.; Sabine, Christopher L.; Andersson, Andréas

doi:10.1126/sciadv.1701356

Cited by 53 publications

(82 citation statements)

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“…Heterotrophic feeding can influence the capacity of different coral species to regulate their internal carbonate chemistry and rates of calcification (Houlbrèque & Ferrier‐Pagès, ; Maier et al, ). A positive correlation between calcification rates and chlorophyll a (as a proxy for food availability) has been demonstrated previously (Courtney et al, ; Lough et al, ; Miller, ) and unexpected temperature–growth patterns have been attributed to possible changes in food availability (Goffredo, Caroselli, Mattioli, Pignotti, & Zaccanti, ). Here, the concentration of chlorophyll a was higher during winter compared to summer and positively correlated with calcification rates for T. reniformis in Bremer Bay (Figure ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

“…(e) Schematic of the abiotic conditions and calcifying fluid carbonate chemistry parameters for the four coral genera in this study. Arrows indicate potential interactions between environmental and physiochemical factors that influence coral calcification rates (adapted from Courtney et al, ) [Colour figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, optimal seawater pH conditions for calcification are projected to contract towards the tropics, making high-latitude reefs (i.e., above 28°N and below 28°S) less suitable to support coral calcification (Anderson, Heron, & Pratchett, 2014;Orr et al, 2005;van Hooidonk et al, 2014). At the same time, ocean warming during winter at high-latitude when lower temperatures currently limit calcification rates (Cohen, Smith, McCartney, & van Etten, 2004;Courtney et al, 2017;Crossland, 1984;Kuffner, Hickey, & Morrison, 2013) could be expected to enhance coral calcification rates and hence potentially outweigh the negative effects of OA (Cooper, O'Leary, & Lough, 2012;McCulloch, Falter, Trotter, & Montagna, 2012). In contrast, ocean warming at low-latitude is likely to correspond to a shortening of the winter "reprieve" from summer temperatures, with potential negative effects on coral resilience (Heron et al, 2016;Maynard et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental and physiochemical controls on coral calcification along a latitudinal temperature gradient in Western Australia

Ross

DeCarlo

McCulloch

2018

Global Change Biology

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The processes that occur at the micro‐scale site of calcification are fundamental to understanding the response of coral growth in a changing world. However, our mechanistic understanding of chemical processes driving calcification is still evolving. Here, we report the results of a long‐term in situ study of coral calcification rates, photo‐physiology, and calcifying fluid (cf) carbonate chemistry (using boron isotopes, elemental systematics, and Raman spectroscopy) for seven species (four genera) of symbiotic corals growing in their natural environments at tropical, subtropical, and temperate locations in Western Australia (latitudinal range of ~11°). We find that changes in net coral calcification rates are primarily driven by pHcf and carbonate ion concentration [CO3normal2−]cf in conjunction with temperature and DICcf. Coral pHcf varies with latitudinal and seasonal changes in temperature and works together with the seasonally varying DICcf to optimize [CO3normal2−]cf at species‐dependent levels. Our results indicate that corals shift their pHcf to adapt and/or acclimatize to their localized thermal regimes. This biological response is likely to have critical implications for predicting the future of coral reefs under CO2‐driven warming and acidification.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental and physiochemical controls on coral calcification along a latitudinal temperature gradient in Western Australia

Ross

DeCarlo

McCulloch

2018

Global Change Biology

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“…However, continued improvement of local water quality and reduction in global CO 2 emissions (if achieved) have the potential to mitigate some of these projected growth decreases. For example, emission scenarios lower than or on par with the commitments of the Paris Agreement have been projected to potentially increase or at least maintain stable growth rates for Bermudan corals assuming +0.1°C/decade acclimatization rates (Courtney et al, ). Conversely, further deterioration of water quality and/or acceleration of warming and acidification beyond rates observed over the cored interval and/or development of synergistic impacts amongst stressors would accelerate future declines in coral extension.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nearshore coral growth declining on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

Baumann

Ries

Rippe

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

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Anthropogenic global change and local stressors are impacting coral growth and survival worldwide, altering the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems. Here, we show that skeletal extension rates of nearshore colonies of two abundant and widespread Caribbean corals (Siderastrea siderea, Pseudodiploria strigosa) declined across the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) over the past century, while offshore coral conspecifics exhibited relatively stable extension rates over the same temporal interval. This decline has caused nearshore coral extension rates to converge with those of their historically slower growing offshore coral counterparts. For both species, individual mass coral bleaching events were correlated with low rates of skeletal extension within specific reef environments, but no single bleaching event was correlated with low skeletal extension rates across all reef environments. We postulate that the decline in skeletal extension rates for nearshore corals is driven primarily by the combined effects of long‐term ocean warming and increasing exposure to higher levels of land‐based anthropogenic stressors, with acute thermally induced bleaching events playing a lesser role. If these declining trends in skeletal growth of nearshore S. siderea and P. strigosa continue into the future, the structure and function of these critical nearshore MBRS coral reef systems is likely to be severely impaired.

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“…Here, we used the Bermuda coral reef platform as a case study to examine benthic metabolism and the variability of carbonate chemistry across multiple functional scales. Bermuda is a highly suitable location to conduct this study, as historical spatial data exist on the ecosystem scale Yeakel et al, 2015), residence time over the reef platform is constrained (Venti et al, 2012), and multiple estimates of NCC exist using independent approaches (Bates et al, 2010;Courtney et al, 2016Courtney et al, , 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral Reef Carbonate Chemistry Variability at Different Functional Scales

et al. 2018

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There is a growing recognition for the need to understand how seawater carbonate chemistry over coral reef environments will change in a high-CO 2 world to better assess the impacts of ocean acidification on these valuable ecosystems. Coral reefs modify overlying water column chemistry through biogeochemical processes such as net community organic carbon production (NCP) and calcification (NCC). However, the relative importance and influence of these processes on seawater carbonate chemistry vary across multiple functional scales (defined here as space, time, and benthic community composition), and have not been fully constrained. Here, we use Bermuda as a case study to assess (1) spatiotemporal variability in physical and chemical parameters along a depth gradient at a rim reef location, (2) the spatial variability of total alkalinity (TA) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) over distinct benthic habitats to infer NCC:NCP ratios [< several km 2 ; rim reef vs. seagrass and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) sediments] on diel timescales, and (3) compare how TA-DIC relationships and NCC:NCP vary as we expand functional scales from local habitats to the entire reef platform (10's of km 2 ) on seasonal to interannual timescales. Our results demonstrate that TA-DIC relationships were strongly driven by local benthic metabolism and community composition over diel cycles. However, as the spatial scale expanded to the reef platform, the TA-DIC relationship reflected processes that were integrated over larger spatiotemporal scales, with effects of NCC becoming increasingly more important over NCP. This study demonstrates the importance of considering drivers across multiple functional scales to constrain carbonate chemistry variability over coral reefs.

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Environmental controls on modern scleractinian coral and reef-scale calcification

Abstract: In situ coral calcification was primarily controlled by temperature and relatively insensitive to seawater CO2 chemistry.

Cited by 53 publications

References 47 publications

Environmental and physiochemical controls on coral calcification along a latitudinal temperature gradient in Western Australia

Environmental and physiochemical controls on coral calcification along a latitudinal temperature gradient in Western Australia

Nearshore coral growth declining on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

Coral Reef Carbonate Chemistry Variability at Different Functional Scales

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