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Titel |
Pteropods from the Caribbean Sea: variations in calcification as an indicator of past ocean carbonate saturation |
VerfasserIn |
D. Wall-Palmer, M. B. Hart, C. W. Smart, R. S. J. Sparks, A. Friant, G. Boudon, C. Deplus, J. C. Komorowski |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1726-4170
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Biogeosciences ; 9, no. 1 ; Nr. 9, no. 1 (2012-01-16), S.309-315 |
Datensatznummer |
250006667
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/bg-9-309-2012.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
The aragonite shell-bearing thecosome pteropods are an
important component of the oceanic plankton. However, with increasing
pCO2 and the associated reduction in oceanic pH (ocean acidification),
thecosome pteropods are thought to be particularly vulnerable to shell
dissolution. The distribution and preservation of pteropods over the last
250 000 years have been investigated in marine sediment cores from the
Caribbean Sea close to the island of Montserrat. Using the Limacina Dissolution
Index (LDX), fluctuations in pteropod calcification through the most recent
glacial/interglacial cycles are documented. By comparison to the oxygen
isotope record (global ice volume), we show that pteropod calcification is
closely linked to global changes in pCO2 and pH and is, therefore, a
global signal. These data are in agreement with the findings of experiments
upon living pteropods, which show that variations in pH can greatly affect
aragonitic shells. The results of this study provide information which may
be useful in the prediction of future changes to the pteropod assemblage
caused by ocean acidification. |
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