title: Coral calcifying fluid pH dictates response to ocean acidification.
abstract: Ocean acidification driven by rising levels of CO2 impairs calcification, threatening coral reef growth. Predicting how corals respond to CO2 requires a better understanding of how calcification is controlled. Here we show how spatial variations in the pH of the internal calcifying fluid (pHcf) in coral (Stylophora pistillata) colonies correlates with differential sensitivity of calcification to acidification. Coral apexes had the highest pHcf and experienced the smallest changes in pHcf in response to acidification. Lateral growth was associated with lower pHcf and greater changes with acidification. Calcification showed a pattern similar to pHcf, with lateral growth being more strongly affected by acidification than apical. Regulation of pHcf is therefore spatially variable within a coral and critical to determining the sensitivity of calcification to ocean acidification.
authors.affiliation: 1] The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia [2] ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia [3] Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holcomb
authors.affiliation: Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Venn
authors.affiliation: Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tambutté
authors.affiliation: Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tambutté
authors.affiliation: Centre Scientifique de Monaco and Laboratoire Européen Associé 647 "Biosensib, " Centre Scientifique de Monaco-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, MC-98000 Monaco, Monaco.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Allemand
authors.affiliation: The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trotter
authors.affiliation: 1] The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia [2] ARC Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCulloch
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D057894:Coral Reefs; D006706:Homeostasis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D002245:Carbon Dioxide