Solution of shallow-water carbonates: An insignificant buffer against rising atmospheric CO2

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Research Article| June 01, 2003 Solution of shallow-water carbonates: An insignificant buffer against rising atmospheric CO2 Andreas J. Andersson; Andreas J. Andersson 1 Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Fred T. Mackenzie; Fred T. Mackenzie 1 Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Leah May Ver Leah May Ver 1 Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Andreas J. Andersson 1 Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Fred T. Mackenzie 1 Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Leah May Ver 1 Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 01 Nov 2002 Revision Received: 11 Feb 2003 Accepted: 15 Feb 2003 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2003) 31 (6): 513–516. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0513:SOSCAI>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 01 Nov 2002 Revision Received: 11 Feb 2003 Accepted: 15 Feb 2003 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Andreas J. Andersson, Fred T. Mackenzie, Leah May Ver; Solution of shallow-water carbonates: An insignificant buffer against rising atmospheric CO2. Geology 2003;; 31 (6): 513–516. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0513:SOSCAI>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Model predictions suggest that the saturation state of surface ocean waters with respect to carbonate minerals will decline during the twenty-first century owing to increased invasion of atmospheric CO2. As a result, calcareous organisms may have difficulty calcifying, leading to production of weaker skeletons and greater vulnerability to erosion. Alternatively, it has been suggested that there will be no significant impact on coral reef ecosystems because any changes in saturation state and pH will be restored by dissolution of metastable carbonate minerals. To resolve this controversy, we employ a physical-biogeochemical box model representative of the shallow-water ocean environment. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the carbonate saturation state of surface waters could significantly decrease and hamper the biogenic production of CaCO3 during the twenty-first century. Similarly, the average saturation state of marine pore waters could decline significantly, inducing dissolution of metastable carbonate phases within the pore-water–sediment system. Such dissolution could buffer the carbon chemistry of the pore waters, but overlying surface waters of reefs and other shallow-water carbonate environments will not accumulate sufficient alkalinity to buffer pH or carbonate saturation state changes owing to invasion of atmospheric CO2. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.