title: Shell formation in cultivated bivalves cannot be part of carbon  trading systems: a study case with Mytilus galloprovincialis.
abstract: Respiration and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) production by the farmed Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis were calculated to assess their importance as carbon dioxide (CO2) sink/source in the Sacca di Scardovari (Po Delta River, Italy). The ratio of CO2 released to CaCO3 precipitated was calculated as a function of the near-bottom temperature. From our estimates, M. galloprovincialis sequestered 136.6 mol(CO2) m(-2) year(-1) for shell formation, but the CO2 fluxes due to respiration and calcification resulted 187.8 and 86.8 mol(CO2) m(-2) year(-1) respectively. Mussel farming seems therefore to be a significant additional source of CO2 to seawater. For this reason shell formation in cultivated shellfish cannot be part of carbon trading systems.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munari
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mistri
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000378:metabolism*; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D007558:Italy; D049878:Mytilus / Q000502:physiology*; D012623:Seawater; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002244:Carbon; D002119:Calcium Carbonate