Biogeosciences
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Articles | Volume 12, issue 21
Articles | Volume 12, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-6493-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-6493-2015
© Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 12, issue 21
Research article
 | 
13 Nov 2015
Research article |  | 13 Nov 2015

Phytoplankton calcification as an effective mechanism to alleviate cellular calcium poisoning

M. N. Müller, J. Barcelos e Ramos, K. G. Schulz, U. Riebesell, J. Kaźmierczak, F. Gallo, L. Mackinder, Y. Li, P. N. Nesterenko, T. W. Trull, and G. M. Hallegraeff

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Short summary
The White Cliffs of Dover date back to the Cretaceous and are made up of microscopic chalky shells which were produced mainly by marine phytoplankton (coccolithophores). This is iconic proof for their success at times of relatively high seawater calcium concentrations and, as shown here, to be linked to their ability to precipitate calcium as chalk. The invention of calcification can thus be considered an evolutionary milestone allowing coccolithophores to thrive at times when others struggled.
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