The Effect of Carbon Dioxide Concentration on Calcification in the Red Coralline Alga BOSSIELLA ORBIGNIANA

<p>The relationship between various experimental concentrations of CO2 and calcification was studied by measuring Ca-45 incorporation into the crystalline matrix. Air containing CO2 at partial pressures (Pc02) of 0.04% to 5.5% was bubbled through synthetic sea water in incubation vessels. The resultant pH values ranged from 8.7 to 6.5. The relative concentrations ofCO2, HCO3 , and CO2— 3 were calculated from the measured ' pH—PCO2 combinations. Calcification was correlated positively with HCO expressed as percent of total carbon. Maximum calcification of about one—third above normal occurred between 0.1% and 1.0% P CCOO22 At 0.26% P calcification increased as increments of NaHCO3 in the range from CO2' 1 to 8 mM were added; this increase did not occur in the killed controls. The data suggest that calcification is controlled by a biological process that may be sensitive to pH and/or to the HCO3 concentration. The data also suggest that an increase in CO2 over the present atmospheric level would significantly increase calcification in this marine alga.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year

1977

Author dc:creator

• Smith, A. Dwight

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ariel A. Roth
• Arthur V. Chadwick
• Conrad D. Clausen
• Ivan G. Holmes
• Elwood S. McCluskey

• Biology
• Botany
• Coralline Algae; Calcification; Carbon Dioxide

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/947

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1884