The significance of coral reefs as global carbon sinks— response to Greenhouse

Kinsey, D.W.; Hopley, David

doi:10.1016/0031-0182(91)90172-n

Cited by 94 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In addition, the east Pacific Ocean value ( f 10 G) is close to the 11.7 G determined in the Houtman Abrolhos Islands (Smith, 1981;Kinsey, 1985). The lower production estimated for the GBR at 6-9 m depth (6.7 G) lies within Kinsey and Hopley's (1991) 6-8 G in the same area, found to be common in areas of high but incomplete coral cover. The similarity of these results indicates that my 2001 estimates are probably realistic.…”

Section: Censusesmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…G: kg m -2 year -1 . a From Spalding et al (2001) and Kinsey and Hopley (1991). b From Vecsei (2001).…”

Section: Fore-reef Lengthmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Many scientists have used a carbonate content of 50%, an average of diverse reef facies with generally high rubble content from the GBR (Hopley, 1982). Kinsey and Hopley (1991) state that the majority of reef sediments, apparently from the GBR, are within F 10% of this value. However, 50% carbonate content is likely to be too high for the majority of reef sediments.…”

Section: Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 96%

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A new estimate of global reefal carbonate production including the fore-reefs

Vecsei

2004

Global and Planetary Change

106

100

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Section: Censusesmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…G: kg m -2 year -1 . a From Spalding et al (2001) and Kinsey and Hopley (1991). b From Vecsei (2001).…”

Section: Fore-reef Lengthmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 96%

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A new estimate of global reefal carbonate production including the fore-reefs

Vecsei

2004

Global and Planetary Change

106

100

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“…They may take up about 2% of the annual anthropogenic production of CO 2 if they are sinks (5) or they may release up to 8% if they are sources (6). Gross productivity on coral reefs is among the highest for natural ecosystems (7) and photosynthesis by reef benthos encourages invasion of CO 2 from the atmosphere by reducing its concentration in overlying seawater.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Anomalies in coral reef community metabolism and their potential importance in the reef CO ₂ source-sink debate

Chisholm

Barnes²

1998

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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It is not certain whether coral reefs are sources of or sinks for atmospheric CO 2 . Air-sea exchange of CO 2 over reefs has been measured directly and inferred from changes in the seawater carbonate equilibrium. Such measurements have provided conf licting results. We provide community metabolic data that indicate that large changes in CO 2 concentration can occur in coral reef waters via biogeochemical processes not directly associated with photosynthesis, respiration, calcification, and CaCO 3 dissolution. These processes can significantly distort estimates of reef calcification and net productivity and obscure the contribution of coral reefs to global air-sea exchange of CO 2 . They may, nonetheless, explain apparent anomalies in the metabolic performance of reefs close to land and reconcile the differing experimental findings that have given rise to the CO 2 debate.There is debate as to whether coral reefs are sources of or sinks for atmospheric CO 2 (1-4). They may take up about 2% of the annual anthropogenic production of CO 2 if they are sinks (5) or they may release up to 8% if they are sources (6). Gross productivity on coral reefs is among the highest for natural ecosystems (7) and photosynthesis by reef benthos encourages invasion of CO 2 from the atmosphere by reducing its concentration in overlying seawater. Respiration and formation of reef rock (calcification) have the reverse effect. Although calcification decreases the overall concentration of inorganic carbon in seawater, associated acidification,increases the amount present as dissolved (gaseous) CO 2 . Measurements of organic and inorganic carbon metabolism on different reefs have yielded conflicting data on the direction of the net CO 2 flux (1,8). Metabolism on the Tiahura fringing barrier reef, Moorea, apparently released CO 2 to the atmosphere (8), whereas metabolism on Shiraho Reef, Ishigaki Island, Japan, had apparently the reverse effect (1). Most researchers consider that reefs are a source of CO 2 (2,3,6,8,9). Critics of the Shiraho Reef study argue (i) that the reef must have been dominated by noncalcareous algae that increased the ratio of organic to inorganic carbon metabolism, (ii) that the measurements were not representative of the whole reef, and (iii) that erroneous conclusions were drawn from inadequate data (2, 3). Critics also suggest that insufficient measurements were taken to differentiate changes in the concentration of CO 2 caused by benthic metabolism from natural variability in the CO 2 concentration of seawater flowing onto the reef (2). Overall, these criticisms follow from the general view that coral reefs are sources of CO 2 . The net air-sea flux of CO 2 is thought to be controlled by calcification because the ratio of photosynthesis to respiration on unperturbed reefs over 24 h is considered to be close to unity (10).In March 1996, we made an expedition to Lizard Island, northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia (Fig. 1), to measure changes in the O 2 concentration and pH of seawater flowing across a 300...

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“…Modern coral reefs are estimated to cover about 0.2% of the world's ocean area and about 15% of the shallow (<200 m) seas [37]. It has been estimated that coral reefs form a sink equivalent to about 2% of annual COz emissions from burning of fossil fuels, and that this sink would be doubled by a moderate annual increase in sea level [38]. While coral reefs form a significant global sink for carbon, they are restricted to shallow tropical seas and there seems little possibility of their manipulation to provide a substantially larger sink.…”

Section: Calcification As a Mechanism For Reducing Co 2 Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%