Coral Reefs and Carbon Dioxide

Gattuso, Jean‐Pierre; Frankignoulle, Michel; Smith, Stephen V.; Ware, John R.; Wollast, Roland

doi:10.1126/science.271.5253.1298a

Cited by 46 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Although lagoons account for a large proportion of coral reef systems (Kennedy and Woodroffe, 2000;Zhao and Yu, 1997), and calcium carbonate production in lagoons contributes significantly to the global carbonate budget (Milliman, 1993;Smith, 1978), accumulation rates of calcium carbonate from coral reefs are estimated mainly on the basis of reef flats, with little attention being paid to the role of spatially more significant lagoons (Davies and Montaggioni, 1985). The contribution of coral reefs to global carbon cycle and climate change is still controversial (Berger, 1982a, b;Crossland et al, 1991;Gattuso et al, 1996;Kayanne, 1992;Kayanne et al, 1995;Kinsey and Hopley, 1991;Opdyke and Walker, 1992;Smith, 1978;Smith and Kinsey, 1976;Suzuki and Kawahata, 2003). Accurate estimation of carbonate production is important for the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for carbonate deposition and carbon recycling.…”

Section: Carbonate Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-precision TIMS U-series and AMS 14C dating of a coral reef lagoon sediment core from southern South China Sea

Zhao

Wang

et al. 2006

Quaternary Science Reviews

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Section: Carbonate Accumulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-precision TIMS U-series and AMS 14C dating of a coral reef lagoon sediment core from southern South China Sea

Zhao

Wang

et al. 2006

Quaternary Science Reviews

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“…Some of the later conclusions are, however, hampered by the techniques used, the limited data sets, and the representativity of the study sites (35) and are not consistent with reef sediment geochemistry (36). It is significant that most studies suggesting that reefs may be sinks of CO 2 were carried out on fringing reefs, which are more likely subject to anthropogenic stresses than other reef systems.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement of community metabolism and significance in the coral reef CO ₂ source-sink debate

Gattuso

Frankignoulle

Smith

1999

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

156

111

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Two methods are commonly used to measure the community metabolism (primary production, respiration, and calcification) of shallow-water marine communities and infer air-sea CO2 fluxes: the pH-total alkalinity and pH-O2 techniques. The underlying assumptions of each technique are examined to assess the recent claim that the most widely used technique in coral reefs (pH-total alkalinity), may have provided spurious results in the past because of high rates of nitrification and release of phosphoric acid in the water column [Chisholm, J. R. M. & Barnes, D. J. (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95, 6566 -6569]. At least three lines of evidence suggest that this claim is not founded. First, the rate of nitrification required to explain the discrepancy between the two methods recently reported is not realistic as it is much higher than the rates measured in another reef system and greater than the highest rate measured in a marine environment. Second, fluxes of ammonium, nitrate, and phosphorus are not consistent with high rates of nitrification and release of phosphoric acid. Third, the consistency of the metabolic parameters obtained by using the two techniques is in good agreement in two sites recently investigated. The pH-total alkalinity technique therefore appears to be applicable in most coral reef systems. Consequently, the conclusion that most coral reef flats are sources of CO2 to the atmosphere does not need revision. Furthermore, we provide geochemical evidence that calcification in coral reefs, as well as in other calcifying ecosystems, is a long-term source of CO2 for the atmosphere.T he contribution of an ecosystem to the global carbon cycle primarily results from (i) the balance between organic carbon production (photosynthetic CO 2 fixation) and consumption (respiratory CO 2 release) and (ii) the balance between calcium carbonate precipitation (a source of CO 2 ) and dissolution (a sink for CO 2 ) (1). Two methods are used to measure community metabolism of calcifying communities in flowing seawater: the alkalinity anomaly technique [pH-TA (2, 3)] and the pH-O 2 technique (4). In a recent paper, Chisholm and Barnes (5) cast doubt on the validity of the former method and suggest that it may explain the recent controversy on the role of coral reefs in the global carbon cycle. The validity of techniques used to estimate the metabolism of coastal marine communities is a critical issue at a time where unprecedented international programs (Land-Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone, LOICZ, and European Land-Ocean Interaction Studies, ELOISE) seek to estimate the contribution of the coastal zone to the global carbon cycle.The aim of the present paper is to examine the assumptions involved in the pH-TA and pH-O 2 techniques, to assess the claims of Chisholm and Barnes (5) by using both published and unpublished data, and to address the problem of the effect of reef metabolism on the global carbon cycle, in both the short and the long term.The pH-TA Technique. This technique is based on measurements of pH and t...

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“…In particular, sink / source problem of coral reefs with respect to the atmospheric CO2 has been the subject of considerable discussion Gattuso et al, 1996]. Coral reefs widely occur, and produce large amount of CaCO 3 in topical shallow regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The oceanic CO₂ System and Carbon Budget in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Suzuki¹,

Kawahata²,

Ayukai³

et al. 2001

Geophysical Research Letters

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Abstract. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the largest reef system in the world. During winter (dry season), a relative increase of CO2 fugacity, together with a depletion in total alkalinity, was evident in the GBR lagoon water. This suggests the release of CO2 due to CaCO 3 production in the lagoon. But, in detail, significant contribution from organic matter oxidation was also identified. Despite the dissolved carbon losses as carbonate, total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration normalized at constant salinity was relatively uniform throughout the study area. This indicates the presence of external carbon input to the lagoon. The most likely source is river discharge, which carries sizeable amounts of dissolved and particulate organic carbon as well as DIC. The marine CO2 system of the GBR lagoon highlights the nature of tropical carbonate shelves as a strong alkalinity sink and a net oxidation site of land-derived organic carbon.

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Coral Reefs and Carbon Dioxide

Cited by 46 publications

References 9 publications

High-precision TIMS U-series and AMS 14C dating of a coral reef lagoon sediment core from southern South China Sea

High-precision TIMS U-series and AMS 14C dating of a coral reef lagoon sediment core from southern South China Sea

Measurement of community metabolism and significance in the coral reef CO ₂ source-sink debate

The oceanic CO₂ System and Carbon Budget in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

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Coral Reefs and Carbon Dioxide

Cited by 46 publications

References 9 publications

High-precision TIMS U-series and AMS 14C dating of a coral reef lagoon sediment core from southern South China Sea

High-precision TIMS U-series and AMS 14C dating of a coral reef lagoon sediment core from southern South China Sea

Measurement of community metabolism and significance in the coral reef CO 2 source-sink debate

The oceanic CO2 System and Carbon Budget in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

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Product

Resources

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Measurement of community metabolism and significance in the coral reef CO ₂ source-sink debate

The oceanic CO₂ System and Carbon Budget in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia