title: Preindustrial to modern interdecadal variability in coral reef pH.
abstract: The oceans are becoming more acidic due to absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems is unclear, but it will likely depend on species adaptability and the rate of change of seawater pH relative to its natural variability. To constrain the natural variability in reef-water pH, we measured boron isotopic compositions in a approximately 300-year-old massive Porites coral from the southwestern Pacific. Large variations in pH are found over approximately 50-year cycles that covary with the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation of ocean-atmosphere anomalies, suggesting that natural pH cycles can modulate the impact of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems.
authors.affiliation: Research School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. pelejero@cmima.csic.es
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pelejero
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Malcolm T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gagan
authors.forename: Janice M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lough
authors.forename: Bradley N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Opdyke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D001272:Atmosphere; D001895:Boron / Q000032:analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D001895:Boron