A coastal coccolithophore maintains pH homeostasis and switches carbon sources in response to ocean acidification

Type Article
Date 2018-07
Language English
Author(s) Liu Yi-WeiORCID1, 2, 3, Eagle Robert A.2, 4, 5, Aciego Sarah M.1, 6, Gilmore Rosaleen E.5, Ries Justin B.7
Affiliation(s) 1 : Univ Michigan, Dept Earth & Environm Sci, 2534 CC Little Bldg,1100 North Univ Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA.
2 : Univ Brest, IFREMER, CNRS, Inst Univ Europeen Mer,UBO,IRD,LEMAR, Rue Dumont Urville, F-29280 Plouzane, France.
3 : Acad Sinica, Inst Earth Sci, 128,Sec 2,Acad Rd, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
4 : Univ Calif Los Angeles, Inst Environm & Sustainabil, La Kretz Hall,619 Charles E Young Dr 300, Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA.
5 : Univ Calif Los Angeles, Dept Atmospher & Ocean Sci, Math Sci Bldg,520 Portola Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA.
6 : Univ Wyoming, Dept Geol & Geophys, 1000 E Univ Ave, Laramie, WY 82071 USA.
7 : Northeastern Univ, Marine Sci Ctr, Dept Marine & Environm Sci, 430 Nahant Rd, Nahant, MA 01908 USA.
Source Nature Communications (2041-1723) (Nature Publishing Group), 2018-07 , Vol. 9 , P. 2857 (12p.)
DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-04463-7
WOS© Times Cited 29
Abstract

Ocean acidification will potentially inhibit calcification by marine organisms; however, the response of the most prolific ocean calcifiers, coccolithophores, to this perturbation remains under characterized. Here we report novel chemical constraints on the response of the widespread coccolithophore species Ochrosphaera neapolitana (O. neapolitana) to changing-CO2 conditions. We cultured this algae under three pCO(2)-controlled seawater pH conditions (8.05, 8.22, and 8.33). Boron isotopes within the algae's extracellular calcite plates show that this species maintains a constant pH at the calcification site, regardless of CO2-induced changes in pH of the surrounding seawater. Carbon and oxygen isotopes in the algae's calcite plates and carbon isotopes in the algae's organic matter suggest that O. neapolitana utilize carbon from a single internal dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) pool for both calcification and photosynthesis, and that a greater proportion of dissolved CO2 relative to HCO3- enters the internal DIC pool under acidified conditions. These two observations may explain how O. neapolitana continues calcifying and photosynthesizing at a constant rate under different atmospheric-pCO(2) conditions.

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