title: Biomineralization control related to population density under ocean acidification.
abstract: Anthropogenic CO2is a major driver of current environmental change in most ecosystems1, and the related ocean acidification (OA) is threatening marine biota2. With increasing pCO2, calcification rates of several species decrease3, although cases of up-regulation are observed4. Here, we show that biological control over mineralization relates to species abundance along a natural pH gradient. As pCO2increased, the mineralogy of a scleractinian coral (Balanophyllia europaea) and a mollusc (Vermetus triqueter) did not change. In contrast, two calcifying algae (Padina pavonicaandAcetabularia acetabulum) reduced and changed mineralization with increasing pCO2, from aragonite to the less soluble calcium sulphates and whewellite, respectively. As pCO2increased, the coral and mollusc abundance was severely reduced, with both species disappearing at pH < 7.8. Conversely, the two calcifying and a non-calcifying algae (Lobophora variegata) showed less severe or no reductions with increasing pCO2, and were all found at the lowest pH site. The mineralization response to decreasing pH suggests a link with the degree of control over the biomineralization process by the organism, as only species with lower control managed to thrive in the lowest pH.
authors: Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Biology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Goffredo
authors: Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Biology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Fiorella
authors: F
authors: Prada
authors: Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Biology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Caroselli
authors: Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Geology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta S. Donato 1, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Capaccioni
authors: Marine Science Group, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Section of Biology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Zaccanti
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Pasquini
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 6/2, 40127 Bologna, Italy ; Centro Enrico Fermi, Piazza del Viminale 1, 00184 Rome, Italy.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Fantazzini
authors: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Simona
authors: S
authors: Fermani
authors: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Michela
authors: M
authors: Reggi
authors: The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors: Oren
authors: O
authors: Levy
authors: Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville 4810, Queensland, Australia.
authors: Katharina E
authors: KE
authors: Fabricius
authors: The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 52900 Ramat-Gan, Israel.
authors: Zvy
authors: Z
authors: Dubinsky
authors: Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via F. Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Falini