[Coral-List] HadISST 1.1 data: Bleaching is not due to Warming

[Derek Manzello]

FYI...CO2 becomes more soluble in seawater as the water becomes colder,
not warmer.  As SSTs increase the saturation state of
aragonite (form of calcium carbonate secreted by corals) will likewise
increase, although the temperature affects will likely be
negligible in comparison to the chemical.  For clarification see  figure
1 in the American Zoologist paper by Gattuso et al. 1999. (cited below).

These results seem a little questionable given that in several lab
studies done by J-P Gattuso et al.,  Langdon et al. and Marubini et
al. (See a few of the studies I have posted below) a doubling of
atmospheric CO2 was mimicked  over short temporal scales (max 2 months,
rather than many
decades) and no bleaching was reported.

Cheers,
Derek Manzello


References
Gattuso J-P, Frankignoulle M, Bourge I, Romaine S, Buddemeier RW (1998)
Effect of  calcium carbonate saturation of seawater
on coral calcification. Global Planetary Change 18: 37-46

Gattuso J-P, Allemand D, Frankignoulle M (1999) Photosynthesis and
calcification  at  cellular, organismal and community levels in
coral reefs: A review on interactions and control by carbonate
chemistry. Amer Zool 39: 160-183

Langdon C, Takahashi T, Sweeney C, Chipman D, Goddard J, Marubini F,
Aceves H, Barnett H, Atkinson MJ (2000) Effect of
calcium carbonate saturation state on the calcification rate of an
experimental coral reef. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 14:
639-654

Langdon C, Broecker WS, Hammond D, Glenn E, Fitzsimmons K, Nelson
SG,       Peng T-H, Hajdas I, Bonani G (2003) Effect
of elevated CO2 on the community metabolism of an experimental coral
reef. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 1: 11-1 to 11-14

Marubini F, Barnett H, Langdon C, Atkinson MJ (2001) Dependence of
calcification on light and carbonate ion concentration for
the hermatypic coral Porites compressa. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 220: 153-162