Ocean acidification (OA), attributed to the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) into the surface ocean, and coastal eutrophication, attributed in part to land-use change and terrestrial runoff of fertilizers, have received recent attention in an experimental framework examining the effects of each on coral reef net ecosystem calcification (Gnet). However, OA and eutrophication in conjunction have yet to receive attention from the perspective of coral reef sediment dissolution.
By the end of the century coral reefs likely will be affected negatively by ocean acidification (OA), but both the effects of OA on coral communities and the crossed effects of OA with other physical environmental variables are lacking. One of the least considered physical parameters is water flow, which is surprising considering its strong role in modulating the physiology of reef organisms and communities. In the present study, the effects of flow were tested on coral reef communities maintained in outdoor flumes under ambient pCO2 and high pCO2 (1300 $μ$atm).
Ocean acidification (OA) has been shown to affect significantly the net calcification process and growth rate of many marine calcifying organisms. Recent studies have shown that the responses of these organisms to OA can vary significantly among species. However, much less is known concerning the intraspecific variability in response to OA. In this study, we compared simultaneously the responses of two populations of the edible mussel Mytilus chilensis (Hupe) exposed to OA. Three nominal CO2 concentrations (380, 700, and 1,000 $μ$atm of CO2) were used.