Dissolved Inorganic Carbon : A Part from the Book Chapter : Sequestration of Atmospheric Carbon through Ocean Calcifiers: An Approach towards Climate Change

“There are three pools of oceanic DIC [Dissolved Inorganic Carbon]: HCO3- (90%), CO32- (9%), and dissolved CO2 (1%). The latter pool is close to equilibrium with the atmosphere (present pCO2 ca. 360 μatm). The carbon atom incorporated into CaCO3 is derived from the HCO3- pool, with the consequence that H+ is liberated and the water gets more acid. The acid pushes an additional amount of HCO3- across into the oceanic CO2 pool. There is then a physical equilibration between the seawater and atmosphere CO2 pools, and this physical equilibration pushes CO2 into the atmosphere.”

We want to make it clear that we do not doubt, or query in any way these chemical facts or interpretations as they apply to the progress of inorganic chemistry in the open water environment, where it is doubtless perfectly true to say that: “Calcification is, therefore, a CO2-releasing process that can make water in equilibrium with the atmosphere degas, against the initial pCO2 gradient” but the number and range of reactions taking place within and between the atmosphere and ocean systems is enormous, so we believe that a perfectly respectable scheme can be made to the effect that the above quotation from reference  may, in fact, describe the reverse of what actually happens (Pers. Commun., A. B. McDonald, 2022).

Author(s) Details:

David Moore
Department of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biological Sciences, The University of
Manchester, UK.

Matthias Heilweck
Independent Researcher, F-68240, Kaysersberg, France.

William Burton Fears
Department of Medicine, Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas and Founding Fellow of the
American College of Endocrinology, USA.

Peter Petros
Kaapa Biotech Oy, Teilinummentie 4, 09120 Karjalohja, Finland.

Samuel J Squires
Department of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, UK.

Elena Tamburini
Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

Robert Paul Waldron
Independent Researcher, LA-70448, Mandeville, Louisiana, USA.

Also See : Pteridophyte Species in the Western Ghats : A Part from the Book Chapter : Pteridophyte Flora of Western Ghats- A Review

Recent Global Research Developments in the Responses of Marine Calcifiers to Ocean Acidification

A review and meta-analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science explored the potential impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on marine calcifiers in the Southern Ocean (SO) [1]. Here are the key findings:

1. Ocean Acidification (OA): Since the industrial revolution, approximately 30% of anthropogenic CO₂ has been absorbed by the global oceans. OA is causing a decrease in average surface seawater pH levels, which is projected to decline further by ~0.3 by the year 2100. This process is shallowing the saturation horizon, making it critical to understand the vulnerability of marine calcifiers.
2. Species Vulnerability: Marine calcifiers deposit calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in their skeletons. The negative impact of OA is likely to be seen first in species that deposit more soluble CaCO₃ mineral phases, such as aragonite and high-Mg calcite (HMC). Ocean warming could exacerbate the effects of OA in these particular species.
3. Mineralogical Composition Matters: The response variation to OA depends on the mineralogical composition of the skeletons. Taxa with calcitic, aragonitic, and HMC skeletons may be at greater risk, while low-Mg calcite (LMC) species could be more resilient.
4. Geographic Range and Strategies: Researchers considered a species’ geographic range, skeletal mineralogy, biological traits, and potential strategies to overcome OA.

Additionally, another study discussed the combined effects of global warming and ocean acidification on major calcifiers like foraminifera and corals, emphasizing their contribution to the global carbonate burial rate [2].

References

1. Figuerola B, Hancock AM, Bax N, Cummings VJ, Downey R, Griffiths HJ, Smith J and Stark JS (2021) A Review and Meta-Analysis of Potential Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Calcifiers From the Southern Ocean. Front. Mar. Sci. 8:584445. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.584445
2. Kawahata, H., Fujita, K., Iguchi, A. et al. Perspective on the response of marine calcifiers to global warming and ocean acidification—Behavior of corals and foraminifera in a high CO2 world “hot house”. Prog Earth Planet Sci 6, 5 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40645-018-0239-9

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