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The role of ocean acidification in systemic carbonate mineral suppression in the Bering Sea

The role of ocean acidification in systemic carbonate mineral suppression in the Bering Sea
The role of ocean acidification in systemic carbonate mineral suppression in the Bering Sea
Ocean acidification driven by absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is now recognized as a systemic, global process that could threaten diverse marine ecosystems and a number of commercially important species. The change in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineral saturation states (?) brought on by the reduction of seawater pH is most pronounced in high latitude regions where unique biogeochemical processes create an environment more susceptible to the suppression of ? values for aragonite and calcite, which are critical to shell building organisms. New observations from the eastern Bering Sea shelf show that remineralization of organic matter exported from surface waters rapidly increases bottom water CO2 concentrations over the shelf in summer and fall, suppressing ? values. The removal of CO2 from surface waters by high rates of phytoplankton primary production increases ? values between spring and summer, but these increases are partly counteracted by mixing with sea ice melt water and terrestrial river runoff that have low ? values. While these environmental processes play an important role in creating seasonally low saturation states, ocean uptake of anthropogenic CO2 has shifted ? values for aragonite to below the saturation horizon in broad regions across the shelf for at least several months each year. Furthermore, we also report that calcite became undersaturated in September of 2009 in the bottom waters over the shelf. The reduction in CaCO3 mineral saturation states could have profound implications for several keystone calcifying species in the Bering Sea, particularly the commercially important crab fisheries.
Bering Sea, carbon biogeochemistry, carbonate mineral saturation states, ocean acidification
0094-8276
L19602
Mathis, Jeremy T.
f69fdb7f-0909-4e45-9ab8-6c73f84e9d8a
Cross, Jessica N.
541db4fa-c85c-4363-8720-e53cfa1d93f0
Bates, Nicholas R.
954a83d6-8424-49e9-8acd-e606221c9c57
Mathis, Jeremy T.
f69fdb7f-0909-4e45-9ab8-6c73f84e9d8a
Cross, Jessica N.
541db4fa-c85c-4363-8720-e53cfa1d93f0
Bates, Nicholas R.
954a83d6-8424-49e9-8acd-e606221c9c57

Mathis, Jeremy T., Cross, Jessica N. and Bates, Nicholas R. (2011) The role of ocean acidification in systemic carbonate mineral suppression in the Bering Sea. Geophysical Research Letters, 38 (19), L19602. (doi:10.1029/2011GL048884).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Ocean acidification driven by absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is now recognized as a systemic, global process that could threaten diverse marine ecosystems and a number of commercially important species. The change in calcium carbonate (CaCO3) mineral saturation states (?) brought on by the reduction of seawater pH is most pronounced in high latitude regions where unique biogeochemical processes create an environment more susceptible to the suppression of ? values for aragonite and calcite, which are critical to shell building organisms. New observations from the eastern Bering Sea shelf show that remineralization of organic matter exported from surface waters rapidly increases bottom water CO2 concentrations over the shelf in summer and fall, suppressing ? values. The removal of CO2 from surface waters by high rates of phytoplankton primary production increases ? values between spring and summer, but these increases are partly counteracted by mixing with sea ice melt water and terrestrial river runoff that have low ? values. While these environmental processes play an important role in creating seasonally low saturation states, ocean uptake of anthropogenic CO2 has shifted ? values for aragonite to below the saturation horizon in broad regions across the shelf for at least several months each year. Furthermore, we also report that calcite became undersaturated in September of 2009 in the bottom waters over the shelf. The reduction in CaCO3 mineral saturation states could have profound implications for several keystone calcifying species in the Bering Sea, particularly the commercially important crab fisheries.

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More information

Published date: 2011
Keywords: Bering Sea, carbon biogeochemistry, carbonate mineral saturation states, ocean acidification
Organisations: Ocean Biochemistry & Ecosystems

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 357317
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/357317
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: 1555ac08-e11b-4cde-a889-19aae07cb6a7

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Date deposited: 24 Sep 2013 10:29
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 14:57

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Author: Jeremy T. Mathis
Author: Jessica N. Cross

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