Partial offsets in ocean acidification from changing coral reef biogeochemistry

Abstract

The water chemistry in reef systems can be significantly different from that of the open ocean. Now research based on observations from Bermuda shows that the responses of coral reef communities to ocean acidification could partially offset changes in seawater pH and aragonite saturation. Concerns have been raised about how coral reefs will be affected by ocean acidification1,2, but projections of future seawater CO2 chemistry have focused solely on changes in the pH and aragonite saturation state (Ωa) of open-ocean surface seawater conditions surrounding coral reefs1,2,3,4 rather than the reef systems themselves. The seawater CO2 chemistry within heterogeneous reef systems can be significantly different from that of the open ocean depending on the residence time, community composition and the main biogeochemical processes occurring on the reef, that is, net ecosystem production (NEP = gross primary production − autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration) and net ecosystem calcification (NEC = gross calcification − gross CaCO3 dissolution), which combined act to modify seawater chemistry5,6,7. On the basis of observations from the Bermuda coral reef, we show that a range of projected biogeochemical responses of coral reef communities to ocean acidification by the end of this century could partially offset changes in seawater pH and Ωa by an average of 12–24% and 15–31%, respectively.

Cite this article

Andersson, A., Yeakel, K., Bates, N. et al. Partial offsets in ocean acidification from changing coral reef biogeochemistry. Nature Clim Change 4, 56–61 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2050

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