[Coral-List] Ocean acidification beneficial in short term to Corals?

[Dennis Hubbard]

I'm far from an expert on this topic, but looking at the replies reminds me
that we need to be careful to distinguish among calcification, coral growth
and linear extension. They are obviously related, but it is still critical
that we are talking about the same thing. Some species have high initially
high extension rates and "backfill" later on. Some folks have noted that
skeletal densities may be declining. Might this be a novel way to maintain
linear extension rates in the face of lowered calcification rates? I'm sure
there are other combinations that warrant re-examining whether
disagreements stem as much from terminology than actual differences in the
data. This is more than semantics.

Dennis

On Thu, Feb 5, 2015 at 12:53 PM, Delbeek, Charles <CDelbeek at calacademy.org>
wrote:

> Not surprising ... you can see similar effects with increases in nitrogen
> and phosphorus but as Daphne points out the effects are variable, with some
> coral species showing opposite effects from others.
>
> At Waikiki Aquarium we used water from a saltwater well and it entered the
> tanks at a pH of 7.6-7.8 and the tanks were outside in full sunlight. The
> corals grew very quickly, but the skeletons were less dense that wild
> counterparts and they tended to more pigmented as well.
>
> J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
> Assistant Curator, Steinhart Aquarium
> California Academy of Sciences
>
> Desk: 415.379.5303
> Cell: 415.859.0420
> Fax: 415.379.5304
>
> cdelbeek at calacademy.org
> www.calacademy.org
>
> 55 Music Concourse Dr.
> Golden Gate Park
> San Francisco CA 94118
>
> Discover how all life is connected in Habitat Earth, our latest original
> planetarium show. Now playing in the world's largest all-digital
> planetarium dome.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:
> coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Fautin, Daphne G.
> Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2015 9:08 AM
> To: Lane W; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Ocean acidification beneficial in short term to
> Corals ?
>
> As organisms, corals vary, at every level -- individuals, species, etc.
> Such variability is the engine of evolution.
>
> So this is not surprising.  The question is how widespread these features
> are.  And how persistent they are; this study seems to show that the
> effects disappear as conditions grow more atypical of contemporary seas.
> The prospect for the future would be of less diversity, with only those
> taxa doing well in a much-modified ocean.
>
> Daphne G. Fautin
> Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
> University of Kansas
> 1200 Sunnyside Avenue
> Lawrence, Kansas 66045 USA
>
> telephone 1-785-864-3062
> fax 1-785-864-5321
> skype user name daphne.fautin
> cv: www.nhm.ku.edu/inverts/daphne.html
>
>     database of hexacorals, including sea anemones
>        most recent version released 2 January 2013
> hercules.kgs.ku.edu/Hexacoral/Anemone2/index.cfm
>
> ________________________________________
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> [coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml...noaa.gov] on behalf of Lane W [
> dryland404 at gmail.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2015 1:13 PM
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: [Coral-List] Ocean acidification beneficial in short term to
> Corals    ?
>
> Hello Coral listers,
>
> Does anyone have additional information in regards the the recently
> released reports showing some corals experiencing a benefit to increased
> ocean acidification and temperature? This seems contrary to has been
> taught...
>
>
> http://www.flmrg.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=63
>
> "The study showed that this species of coral (Siderastrea siderea)
> exhibited a peaked or parabolic response to both warming and acidification,
> that is, moderate acidification and warming actually enhanced coral
> calcification, with only extreme warming and acidification negatively
> impacting the corals," Ries said. "This was surprising given that most
> studies have shown that corals exhibit a more negative response to even
> moderate acidification."
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>



-- 
Dennis Hubbard
Chair, Dept of Geology-Oberlin College Oberlin OH 44074
(440) 775-8346

* "When you get on the wrong train.... every stop is the wrong stop"*
 Benjamin Stein: "*Ludes, A Ballad of the Drug and the Dream*"