Effects of low pH and feeding on calcification rates of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus.

摘要: Cold-Water Corals (CWCs), and most marine calcifiers, are especially threatened by ocean acidification (OA) the decrease in carbonate saturation state of seawater. The vulnerability these organisms, however, also involves other global stressors like warming, deoxygenation or changes sea surface productivity and, hence, food supply via downward transport organic matter to deep ocean. This study examined response CWC Desmophyllum dianthus low pH under different feeding regimes through a long-term incubation experiment. For this experiment, 152 polyps were incubated at 8.1, 7.8, 7.5 7.2 two for 14 months. Mean calcification rates over entire duration experiment ranged between -0.3 0.3 mg CaCO3 g-1d-1. Polyps affected 30% mortality was observed treatment. In addition, many surviving showed negative indicating that, long term, CWCs may have difficulty thriving such aragonite undersaturated waters. regime had significant effect on skeletal growth corals, with high frequency resulting more positive variable rates. evident corals reared (ΩA = 0.8) compared Early life-stages, which essential recruitment maintenance coral communities their associated biodiversity, revealed be highest risk. Overall, demonstrates D. availability. Future projected decreases related zooplankton potentially compromise viability populations.