Rubble persistence under ocean acidification threatened by accelerated bioerosion and lower‐density coral skeletons

Abstract

As the balance between erosional and constructive processes on coral reefs tilts in favor of framework loss under human‐induced local and global change, many reef habitats worldwide degrade and flatten. The resultant generation of coral rubble and the beds they form can have lasting effects on reef communities and structural complexity, threatening the continuity of reef ecological functions and the services they provide. To comprehensively capture changing framework processes and predict their evolution in the context of climate change, heavily colonized rubble fragments were exposed to ocean acidification (OA) conditions for 55 days. Controlled diurnal pH oscillations were incorporated in the treatments to account for the known impact of diel carbonate chemistry fluctuations on calcification and dissolution response to OA. Scenarios included contemporary pH (8.05 ± 0.025 diel fluctuation), elevated OA (7.90 ± 0.025), and high OA (7.70 ± 0.025). We used a multifaceted approach, combining chemical flux analyses, mass alteration measurements, and computed tomography scanning images to measure total and chemical bioerosion, as well as chemically driven secondary calcification. Rates of net carbonate loss measured in the contemporary conditions (1.36 kg m−2 year−1) were high compared to literature and increased in OA scenarios (elevated: 1.84 kg m−2 year−1 and high: 1.59 kg m−2 year−1). The acceleration of these rates was driven by enhanced chemical dissolution and reduced secondary calcification. Further analysis revealed that the extent of these changes was contingent on the density of the coral skeleton, in which the micro‐ and macroborer communities reside. Findings indicated that increased mechanical bioerosion rates occurred in rubble with lower skeletal density, which is of note considering that corals form lower‐density skeletons under OA. These direct and indirect effects of OA on chemical and mechanical framework‐altering processes will influence the permanence of this crucial habitat, carrying implications for biodiversity and reef ecosystem function.