Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios
Current research on coral reefs seeks to link the responses to anthropogenic stressors (such as global warming and ocean acidification [OA]) among differing functional levels of biological organization. While experimental studies have identified ex situ taxon-specific responses to OA and global warm...
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doaj-d92c7e588977476fb1458a443b52741e2020-11-24T22:46:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452017-09-01410.3389/fmars.2017.00298268137Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification RatiosCoulson A. Lantz0Robert C. Carpenter1Steeve Comeau2Peter J. Edmunds3School of Environment, Science, and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, United StatesSchool of Earth Sciences, Ocean Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, Cawley, WA, AustraliaDepartment of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, United StatesCurrent research on coral reefs seeks to link the responses to anthropogenic stressors (such as global warming and ocean acidification [OA]) among differing functional levels of biological organization. While experimental studies have identified ex situ taxon-specific responses to OA and global warming, isolating and connecting these effects in situ at the community-level has proved difficult. The difficulties arise from the large number of naturally varying parameters affecting corals reefs, such as light intensity and seawater residence time that affect net community production and calcification. To control variation in seawater residence time and allow light intensity to vary naturally, experimental outer reef (17-m depth) benthic communities composed of calcified algae, corals, and reef pavement were constructed in large outdoor flumes in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Net community production (P), net community calcification (G), the ratio of P/G (P/Gratio), and slope of P regressed on G (P/Gslope) were calculated for the communities, and concurrently for the constituent members under the same temperature, light, and flow conditions. P and G, for both the communities and constituent members, were correlated positively with light intensity, whereas P/Gratio and P/Gslope were unaffected by light intensity. P/Gratios and P/Gslopes exhibited values that were specific to each community member. These results suggest that the P/Gratio and P/Gslope may be unaffected by natural variability in light intensity and could serve as useful metrics to relate responses at the taxon and community level, which is an important step in assessing the effects of environmental changes on coral reefs.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2017.00298/fullocean acidificationcoral reefcalcificationphotosynthesisproduction:calcification ratio |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Coulson A. Lantz Robert C. Carpenter Steeve Comeau Peter J. Edmunds |
spellingShingle |
Coulson A. Lantz Robert C. Carpenter Steeve Comeau Peter J. Edmunds Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios Frontiers in Marine Science ocean acidification coral reef calcification photosynthesis production:calcification ratio |
author_facet |
Coulson A. Lantz Robert C. Carpenter Steeve Comeau Peter J. Edmunds |
author_sort |
Coulson A. Lantz |
title |
Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios |
title_short |
Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios |
title_full |
Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios |
title_fullStr |
Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios |
title_full_unstemmed |
Organisms Composing an Experimental Coral Reef Community from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Exhibit Taxon-Specific Net Production: Net Calcification Ratios |
title_sort |
organisms composing an experimental coral reef community from mo'orea, french polynesia, exhibit taxon-specific net production: net calcification ratios |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
issn |
2296-7745 |
publishDate |
2017-09-01 |
description |
Current research on coral reefs seeks to link the responses to anthropogenic stressors (such as global warming and ocean acidification [OA]) among differing functional levels of biological organization. While experimental studies have identified ex situ taxon-specific responses to OA and global warming, isolating and connecting these effects in situ at the community-level has proved difficult. The difficulties arise from the large number of naturally varying parameters affecting corals reefs, such as light intensity and seawater residence time that affect net community production and calcification. To control variation in seawater residence time and allow light intensity to vary naturally, experimental outer reef (17-m depth) benthic communities composed of calcified algae, corals, and reef pavement were constructed in large outdoor flumes in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Net community production (P), net community calcification (G), the ratio of P/G (P/Gratio), and slope of P regressed on G (P/Gslope) were calculated for the communities, and concurrently for the constituent members under the same temperature, light, and flow conditions. P and G, for both the communities and constituent members, were correlated positively with light intensity, whereas P/Gratio and P/Gslope were unaffected by light intensity. P/Gratios and P/Gslopes exhibited values that were specific to each community member. These results suggest that the P/Gratio and P/Gslope may be unaffected by natural variability in light intensity and could serve as useful metrics to relate responses at the taxon and community level, which is an important step in assessing the effects of environmental changes on coral reefs. |
topic |
ocean acidification coral reef calcification photosynthesis production:calcification ratio |
url |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2017.00298/full |
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