Articles | Volume 18, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6061-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-6061-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
25 Nov 2021
Research article |
| 25 Nov 2021
| 25 Nov 2021
A stable ultrastructural pattern despite variable cell size in Lithothamnion corallioides
Valentina Alice Bracchi
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Milan, 20126, Italy
Giulia Piazza
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Milan, 20126, Italy
Daniela Basso
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Milan, 20126, Italy
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Giuseppe Maruca, Mara Cipriani, Rocco Dominici, Gianpietro Imbrogno, Giovanni Vespasiano, Carmine Apollaro, Francesco Perri, Fabio Bruno, Antonio Lagudi, Umberto Severino, Valentina A. Bracchi, Daniela Basso, Emilio Cellini, Fabrizio Mauri, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, and Adriano Guido
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1547, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1547, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
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This study shows a new method for mapping coralligenous bioconstructions using high-resolution acoustic data. The protocol integrates bathymetry, backscatter, and geomorphological indices, providing detailed information on the spatial and volumetric distribution of benthic habitats. This approach offers valuable insights for monitoring and conserving Mediterranean ecosystems, with potential applications in understanding habitat structure and guiding future conservation actions.
Mara Cipriani, Carmine Apollaro, Daniela Basso, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Marco Bertolino, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Fabio Bruno, Gabriele Costa, Rocco Dominici, Alessandro Gallo, Maurizio Muzzupappa, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, Francesco Sciuto, Giovanni Vespasiano, and Adriano Guido
Biogeosciences, 21, 49–72, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-49-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-49-2024, 2024
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Who constructs the build-ups of the Mediterranean Sea? What is the role of skeletal and soft-bodied organisms in these bioconstructions? Do bacteria play a role in their formation? In this research, for the first time, the coralligenous of the Mediterranean shelf is studied from a geobiological point of view with an interdisciplinary biological and geological approach, highlighting important biotic relationships that can be used in interpreting the fossil build-up systems.
Giulia Piazza, Valentina A. Bracchi, Antonio Langone, Agostino N. Meroni, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 19, 1047–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, 2022
Short summary
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The coralline alga Lithothamnion corallioides is widely distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and NE Atlantic Ocean, where it constitutes rhodolith beds, which are diversity-rich ecosystems on the seabed. The boron incorporated in the calcified thallus of coralline algae (B/Ca) can be used to trace past changes in seawater carbonate and pH. This paper suggests a non-negligible effect of algal growth rate on B/Ca, recommending caution in adopting this proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
Giuseppe Maruca, Mara Cipriani, Rocco Dominici, Gianpietro Imbrogno, Giovanni Vespasiano, Carmine Apollaro, Francesco Perri, Fabio Bruno, Antonio Lagudi, Umberto Severino, Valentina A. Bracchi, Daniela Basso, Emilio Cellini, Fabrizio Mauri, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, and Adriano Guido
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1547, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1547, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
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This study shows a new method for mapping coralligenous bioconstructions using high-resolution acoustic data. The protocol integrates bathymetry, backscatter, and geomorphological indices, providing detailed information on the spatial and volumetric distribution of benthic habitats. This approach offers valuable insights for monitoring and conserving Mediterranean ecosystems, with potential applications in understanding habitat structure and guiding future conservation actions.
Chiara Santinelli, Silvia Valsecchi, Simona Retelletti Brogi, Giancarlo Bachi, Giovanni Checcucci, Mirco Guerrazzi, Elisa Camatti, Stefano Caserini, Arianna Azzellino, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 21, 5131–5141, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5131-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5131-2024, 2024
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Ocean liming is a technique proposed to mitigate ocean acidification. Every action we take has an impact on the environment and the effects on the invisible world are often overlooked. With this study, we show that lime addition impacts the dynamics of dissolved organic matter, one of the largest reservoirs of carbon on Earth, representing the main source of energy for marine microbes. Further studies to assess the impacts on marine ecosystems are therefore crucial before taking any action.
Mara Cipriani, Carmine Apollaro, Daniela Basso, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Marco Bertolino, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Fabio Bruno, Gabriele Costa, Rocco Dominici, Alessandro Gallo, Maurizio Muzzupappa, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, Francesco Sciuto, Giovanni Vespasiano, and Adriano Guido
Biogeosciences, 21, 49–72, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-49-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-49-2024, 2024
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Who constructs the build-ups of the Mediterranean Sea? What is the role of skeletal and soft-bodied organisms in these bioconstructions? Do bacteria play a role in their formation? In this research, for the first time, the coralligenous of the Mediterranean shelf is studied from a geobiological point of view with an interdisciplinary biological and geological approach, highlighting important biotic relationships that can be used in interpreting the fossil build-up systems.
Li-Qing Jiang, Adam V. Subhas, Daniela Basso, Katja Fennel, and Jean-Pierre Gattuso
State Planet, 2-oae2023, 13, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-13-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-13-2023, 2023
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This paper provides comprehensive guidelines for ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) researchers on archiving their metadata and data. It includes data standards for various OAE studies and a universal metadata template. Controlled vocabularies for terms like alkalinization methods are included. These guidelines also apply to ocean acidification data.
Ulf Riebesell, Daniela Basso, Sonja Geilert, Andrew W. Dale, and Matthias Kreuzburg
State Planet, 2-oae2023, 6, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-6-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2-oae2023-6-2023, 2023
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Mesocosm experiments represent a highly valuable tool in determining the safe operating space of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) applications. By combining realism and biological complexity with controllability and replication, they provide an ideal OAE test bed and a critical stepping stone towards field applications. Mesocosm approaches can also be helpful in testing the efficacy, efficiency and permanence of OAE applications.
Valentina Beccari, Ahuva Almogi-Labin, Daniela Basso, Giuliana Panieri, Yizhaq Makovsky, Irka Hajdas, and Silvia Spezzaferri
J. Micropalaeontol., 42, 13–29, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-42-13-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-42-13-2023, 2023
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Planktonic gastropods (pteropods and heteropods) have been investigated in cores collected in the eastern Mediterranean along the Israeli coast in coral, pockmark, and channel areas. The sediment spans the last 5300 years. Our study reveals that neglecting the smaller fraction (> 63 µm) may result in a misinterpretation of the palaeoceanography. The presence of tropical and subtropical species reveals that the eastern Mediterranean acted as a refugium for these organisms.
Giulia Piazza, Valentina A. Bracchi, Antonio Langone, Agostino N. Meroni, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 19, 1047–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, 2022
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The coralline alga Lithothamnion corallioides is widely distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and NE Atlantic Ocean, where it constitutes rhodolith beds, which are diversity-rich ecosystems on the seabed. The boron incorporated in the calcified thallus of coralline algae (B/Ca) can be used to trace past changes in seawater carbonate and pH. This paper suggests a non-negligible effect of algal growth rate on B/Ca, recommending caution in adopting this proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
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Biogeosciences, 20, 1605–1619, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1605-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1605-2023, 2023
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We carried out an enclosure experiment using surface water off Peru with different additions of oxygen minimum zone water. In this paper, we report on enzyme activity and provide data on the decomposition of organic matter. We found very high activity with respect to an enzyme breaking down protein, suggesting that this is important for nutrient recycling both at present and in the future ocean.
Thomas Letulle, Danièle Gaspard, Mathieu Daëron, Florent Arnaud-Godet, Arnauld Vinçon-Laugier, Guillaume Suan, and Christophe Lécuyer
Biogeosciences, 20, 1381–1403, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1381-2023, 2023
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This paper studies the chemistry of modern marine shells called brachiopods. We investigate the relationship of the chemistry of these shells with sea temperatures to test and develop tools for estimating sea temperatures in the distant past. Our results confirm that two of the investigated chemical markers could be useful thermometers despite some second-order variability independent of temperature. The other chemical markers investigated, however, should not be used as a thermometer.
Franziska Tell, Lukas Jonkers, Julie Meilland, and Michal Kucera
Biogeosciences, 19, 4903–4927, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4903-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4903-2022, 2022
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This study analyses the production of calcite shells formed by one of the main Arctic pelagic calcifiers, the foraminifera N. pachyderma. Using vertically resolved profiles of shell concentration, size and weight, we show that calcification occurs throughout the upper 300 m with an average production flux below the calcification zone of 8 mg CaCO3 m−2 d−1 representing 23 % of the total pelagic biogenic carbonate production. The production flux is attenuated in the twilight zone by dissolution.
Paweł Działak, Marcin D. Syczewski, Kamil Kornaus, Mirosław Słowakiewicz, Łukasz Zych, and Andrzej Borkowski
Biogeosciences, 19, 4533–4550, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4533-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-4533-2022, 2022
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Bacteriophages comprise one of the factors that may influence mineralization processes. The number of bacteriophages in the environment usually exceeds the number of bacteria by an order of magnitude. One of the more interesting processes is the formation of framboidal pyrite, and it is not entirely clear what processes determine its formation. Our studies indicate that some bacterial viruses may influence the formation of framboid-like or spherical structures.
Philipp M. Spreter, Markus Reuter, Regina Mertz-Kraus, Oliver Taylor, and Thomas C. Brachert
Biogeosciences, 19, 3559–3573, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-3559-2022, 2022
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We investigate the calcification rate of reef corals from an upwelling zone, where low seawater pH and high nutrient concentrations represent a recent analogue for the future ocean. Calcification rate of the corals largely relies on extension growth. Variable responses of extension growth to nutrients either compensate or exacerbate negative effects of weak skeletal thickening associated with low seawater pH – a mechanism that is critical for the persistence of coral reefs under global change.
Giulia Piazza, Valentina A. Bracchi, Antonio Langone, Agostino N. Meroni, and Daniela Basso
Biogeosciences, 19, 1047–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-1047-2022, 2022
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The coralline alga Lithothamnion corallioides is widely distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and NE Atlantic Ocean, where it constitutes rhodolith beds, which are diversity-rich ecosystems on the seabed. The boron incorporated in the calcified thallus of coralline algae (B/Ca) can be used to trace past changes in seawater carbonate and pH. This paper suggests a non-negligible effect of algal growth rate on B/Ca, recommending caution in adopting this proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
Sarina Schmidt, Ed C. Hathorne, Joachim Schönfeld, and Dieter Garbe-Schönberg
Biogeosciences, 19, 629–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-629-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-629-2022, 2022
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The study addresses the potential of marine shell-forming organisms as proxy carriers for heavy metal contamination in the environment. The aim is to investigate if the incorporation of heavy metals is a direct function of their concentration in seawater. Culturing experiments with a metal mixture were carried out over a wide concentration range. Our results show shell-forming organisms to be natural archives that enable the determination of metals in polluted and pristine environments.
Trystan Sanders, Jörn Thomsen, Jens Daniel Müller, Gregor Rehder, and Frank Melzner
Biogeosciences, 18, 2573–2590, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2573-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-2573-2021, 2021
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The Baltic Sea is expected to experience a rapid drop in salinity and increases in acidity and warming in the next century. Calcifying mussels dominate Baltic Sea seafloor ecosystems yet are sensitive to changes in seawater chemistry. We combine laboratory experiments and a field study and show that a lack of calcium causes extremely slow growth rates in mussels at low salinities. Subsequently, climate change in the Baltic may have drastic ramifications for Baltic seafloor ecosystems.
Luc Beaufort, Yves Gally, Baptiste Suchéras-Marx, Patrick Ferrand, and Julien Duboisset
Biogeosciences, 18, 775–785, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-775-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-775-2021, 2021
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The coccoliths are major contributors to the particulate inorganic carbon in the ocean. They are extremely difficult to weigh because they are too small to be manipulated. We propose a universal method to measure thickness and weight of fine calcite using polarizing microscopy that does not require fine-tuning of the light or a calibration process. This method named "bidirectional circular polarization" uses two images taken with two directions of a circular polarizer.
Anna Piwoni-Piórewicz, Stanislav Strekopytov, Emma Humphreys-Williams, and Piotr Kukliński
Biogeosciences, 18, 707–728, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-707-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-707-2021, 2021
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Calcifying organisms occur globally in almost every environment, and the process of biomineralization is of great importance in the global carbon cycle and use of skeletons as environmental data archives. The composition of skeletons is very complex. It is determined by the mechanisms of biological control on biomineralization and the response of calcifying organisms to varying environmental drivers. Yet for trace elements, such as Cu, Pb and Cd, an impact of environmental factors is pronounced.
Siham de Goeyse, Alice E. Webb, Gert-Jan Reichart, and Lennart J. de Nooijer
Biogeosciences, 18, 393–401, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-393-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-393-2021, 2021
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Foraminifera are calcifying organisms that play a role in the marine inorganic-carbon cycle and are widely used to reconstruct paleoclimates. However, the fundamental process by which they calcify remains essentially unknown. Here we use inhibitors to show that an enzyme is speeding up the conversion between bicarbonate and CO2. This helps the foraminifera acquire sufficient carbon for calcification and might aid their tolerance to elevated CO2 level.
Anne Roepert, Lubos Polerecky, Esmee Geerken, Gert-Jan Reichart, and Jack J. Middelburg
Biogeosciences, 17, 4727–4743, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4727-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4727-2020, 2020
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We investigated, for the first time, the spatial distribution of chlorine and fluorine in the shell walls of four benthic foraminifera species: Ammonia tepida, Amphistegina lessonii, Archaias angulatus, and Sorites marginalis. Cross sections of specimens were imaged using nanoSIMS. The distribution of Cl and F was co-located with organics in the rotaliids and rather homogeneously distributed in miliolids. We suggest that the incorporation is governed by the biomineralization pathway.
Vincent Mouchi, Camille Godbillot, Vianney Forest, Alexey Ulianov, Franck Lartaud, Marc de Rafélis, Laurent Emmanuel, and Eric P. Verrecchia
Biogeosciences, 17, 2205–2217, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2205-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-2205-2020, 2020
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Rare earth elements (REEs) in coastal seawater are included in bivalve shells during growth, and a regional fingerprint can be defined for provenance and environmental monitoring studies. We present a large dataset of REE abundances from oysters from six locations in France. The cupped oyster can be discriminated from one locality to another, but this is not the case for the flat oyster. Therefore, provenance studies using bivalve shells based on REEs are not adapted for the flat oyster.
Rosie L. Oakes and Jocelyn A. Sessa
Biogeosciences, 17, 1975–1990, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1975-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-1975-2020, 2020
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Pteropods are a group of tiny swimming snails whose fragile shells put them at risk from ocean acidification. We investigated the factors influencing the thickness of pteropods shells in the Cariaco Basin, off Venezuela, which is unaffected by ocean acidification. We found that pteropods formed thicker shells when nutrient concentrations, an indicator of food availability, were highest, indicating that food may be an important factor in mitigating the effects of ocean acidification on pteropods.
Miguel Gómez Batista, Marc Metian, François Oberhänsli, Simon Pouil, Peter W. Swarzenski, Eric Tambutté, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Carlos M. Alonso Hernández, and Frédéric Gazeau
Biogeosciences, 17, 887–899, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-887-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-887-2020, 2020
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In this paper, we assessed four methods (total alkalinity anomaly, calcium anomaly, 45Ca incorporation, and 13C incorporation) to determine coral calcification of a reef-building coral. Under all conditions (light vs. dark incubations and ambient vs. lowered pH levels), calcification rates estimated using the alkalinity and calcium anomaly techniques as well as 45Ca incorporation were highly correlated, while significantly different results were obtained with the 13C incorporation technique.
Alan Marron, Lucie Cassarino, Jade Hatton, Paul Curnow, and Katharine R. Hendry
Biogeosciences, 16, 4805–4813, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4805-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-4805-2019, 2019
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Isotopic signatures of silica fossils can be used as archives of past oceanic silicon cycling, which is linked to marine carbon uptake. However, the biochemistry that lies behind such chemical fingerprints remains poorly understood. We present the first measurements of silicon isotopes in a group of protists closely related to animals, choanoflagellates. Our results highlight a taxonomic basis to silica isotope signatures, possibly via a shared transport pathway in choanoflagellates and animals.
Laura M. Otter, Oluwatoosin B. A. Agbaje, Matt R. Kilburn, Christoph Lenz, Hadrien Henry, Patrick Trimby, Peter Hoppe, and Dorrit E. Jacob
Biogeosciences, 16, 3439–3455, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3439-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-3439-2019, 2019
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This study uses strontium as a trace elemental marker in combination with high-resolution nano-analytical techniques to label the growth fronts of bivalves in controlled aquaculture conditions. The growing shells incorporate the labels and are used as
snapshotsvisualizing the growth processes across different shell architectures. These observations are combined with structural investigations across length scales and altogether allow for a detailed understanding of this shell.
Simon Michael Ritter, Margot Isenbeck-Schröter, Christian Scholz, Frank Keppler, Johannes Gescher, Lukas Klose, Nils Schorndorf, Jerónimo Avilés Olguín, Arturo González-González, and Wolfgang Stinnesbeck
Biogeosciences, 16, 2285–2305, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2285-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2285-2019, 2019
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Unique and spectacular under water speleothems termed as Hells Bells were recently reported from sinkholes (cenotes) of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. However, the mystery of their formation remained unresolved. Here, we present detailed geochemical analyses and delineate that the growth of Hells Bells results from a combination of biogeochemical processes and variable hydraulic conditions within the cenote.
Andrew C. Mitchell, Erika J. Espinosa-Ortiz, Stacy L. Parks, Adrienne J. Phillips, Alfred B. Cunningham, and Robin Gerlach
Biogeosciences, 16, 2147–2161, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2147-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2147-2019, 2019
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Microbially induced carbonate mineral precipitation (MICP) is a natural process that is also being investigated for subsurface engineering applications including radionuclide immobilization and microfracture plugging. We demonstrate that rates of MICP from microbial urea hydrolysis (ureolysis) vary with different bacterial strains, but rates are similar in both oxygenated and oxygen-free conditions. Ureolysis MICP is therefore a viable biotechnology in the predominately oxygen-free subsurface.
Inge van Dijk, Christine Barras, Lennart Jan de Nooijer, Aurélia Mouret, Esmee Geerken, Shai Oron, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 16, 2115–2130, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2115-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-2115-2019, 2019
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Systematics in the incorporation of different elements in shells of marine organisms can be used to test calcification models and thus processes involved in precipitation of calcium carbonates. On different scales, we observe a covariation of sulfur and magnesium incorporation in shells of foraminifera, which provides insights into the mechanics behind shell formation. The observed patterns imply that all species of foraminifera actively take up calcium and carbon in a coupled process.
Eveline M. Mezger, Lennart J. de Nooijer, Jacqueline Bertlich, Jelle Bijma, Dirk Nürnberg, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 16, 1147–1165, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1147-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1147-2019, 2019
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Seawater salinity is an important factor when trying to reconstruct past ocean conditions. Foraminifera, small organisms living in the sea, produce shells that incorporate more Na at higher salinities. The accuracy of reconstructions depends on the fundamental understanding involved in the incorporation and preservation of the original Na of the shell. In this study, we unravel the Na composition of different components of the shell and describe the relative contribution of these components.
Hengchao Xu, Xiaotong Peng, Shijie Bai, Kaiwen Ta, Shouye Yang, Shuangquan Liu, Ho Bin Jang, and Zixiao Guo
Biogeosciences, 16, 949–960, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-949-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-949-2019, 2019
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Viruses have been acknowledged as important components of the marine system for the past 2 decades, but understanding of their role in the functioning of the geochemical cycle remains poor. Results show viral lysis of cyanobacteria can influence the carbonate equilibrium system remarkably and promotes the formation and precipitation of carbonate minerals. Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and aragonite are evident in the lysate, implying that different precipitation processes have occurred.
Nicole M. J. Geerlings, Eva-Maria Zetsche, Silvia Hidalgo-Martinez, Jack J. Middelburg, and Filip J. R. Meysman
Biogeosciences, 16, 811–829, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-811-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-811-2019, 2019
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Multicellular cable bacteria form long filaments that can reach lengths of several centimeters. They affect the chemistry and mineralogy of their surroundings and vice versa. How the surroundings affect the cable bacteria is investigated. They show three different types of biomineral formation: (1) a polymer containing phosphorus in their cells, (2) a sheath of clay surrounding the surface of the filament and (3) the encrustation of a filament via a solid phase containing iron and phosphorus.
Facheng Ye, Hana Jurikova, Lucia Angiolini, Uwe Brand, Gaia Crippa, Daniela Henkel, Jürgen Laudien, Claas Hiebenthal, and Danijela Šmajgl
Biogeosciences, 16, 617–642, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-617-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-617-2019, 2019
Yukiko Nagai, Katsuyuki Uematsu, Chong Chen, Ryoji Wani, Jarosław Tyszka, and Takashi Toyofuku
Biogeosciences, 15, 6773–6789, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6773-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6773-2018, 2018
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We interpret detailed SEM and time-lapse observations of the calcification process in living foraminifera, which we reveal to be directly linked to the construction mechanism of organic membranes where the calcium carbonate precipitation takes place. We show that these membranes are a highly perforated outline is first woven by skeletal pseudopodia and then later overlaid by a layer of membranous pseudopodia to close the gaps. The chemical composition is related to these structures.
Agathe Martignier, Montserrat Filella, Kilian Pollok, Michael Melkonian, Michael Bensimon, François Barja, Falko Langenhorst, Jean-Michel Jaquet, and Daniel Ariztegui
Biogeosciences, 15, 6591–6605, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6591-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6591-2018, 2018
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The unicellular microalga Tetraselmis cordiformis (Chlorophyta) was recently discovered to form intracellular mineral inclusions, called micropearls, which had been previously overlooked. The present study shows that 10 Tetraselmis species out of the 12 tested share this biomineralization capacity, producing amorphous calcium carbonate inclusions often enriched in Sr. This novel biomineralization process can take place in marine, brackish or freshwater and is therefore a widespread phenomenon.
Ulrike Braeckman, Felix Janssen, Gaute Lavik, Marcus Elvert, Hannah Marchant, Caroline Buckner, Christina Bienhold, and Frank Wenzhöfer
Biogeosciences, 15, 6537–6557, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6537-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6537-2018, 2018
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Global warming has altered Arctic phytoplankton communities, with unknown effects on deep-sea communities that depend strongly on food produced at the surface. We compared the responses of Arctic deep-sea benthos to input of phytodetritus from diatoms and coccolithophorids. Coccolithophorid carbon was 5× less recycled than diatom carbon. The utilization of the coccolithophorid carbon may be less efficient, so a shift from diatom to coccolithophorid blooms could entail a delay in carbon cycling.
Hongrui Zhang, Heather Stoll, Clara Bolton, Xiaobo Jin, and Chuanlian Liu
Biogeosciences, 15, 4759–4775, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4759-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4759-2018, 2018
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The sinking speeds of coccoliths are relevant for laboratory methods to separate coccoliths for geochemical analysis. However, in the absence of estimates of coccolith settling velocity, previous implementations have depended mainly on time-consuming method development by trial and error. In this study, the sinking velocities of cocooliths were carefully measured for the first time. We also provide an estimation of coccolith sinking velocity by shape, which will make coccolith separation easier.
Justin Michael Whitaker, Sai Vanapalli, and Danielle Fortin
Biogeosciences, 15, 4367–4380, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4367-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-4367-2018, 2018
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Materials, like soils or cements, can require repair. This study used a new bacterium (Sporosarcina ureae) in a repair method called "microbially induced carbonate precipitation" (MICP). In three trials, benefits were shown: S. ureae could make a model sandy soil much stronger by MICP, in fact better than a lot of other bacteria. However, MICP-treated samples got weaker in three trials of acid rain. In conclusion, S. ureae in MICP repair shows promise when used in appropriate climates.
Esmee Geerken, Lennart Jan de Nooijer, Inge van Dijk, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 15, 2205–2218, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2205-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2205-2018, 2018
Jörn Thomsen, Kirti Ramesh, Trystan Sanders, Markus Bleich, and Frank Melzner
Biogeosciences, 15, 1469–1482, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1469-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1469-2018, 2018
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The distribution of mussel in estuaries is limited but the mechanisms are not well understood. We document for the first time that reduced Ca2+ concentration in the low saline, brackish Baltic Sea affects the ability of mussel larvae to calcify the first larval shell. As complete formation of the shell is a prerequisite for successful development, impaired calcification during this sensitive life stage can have detrimental effects on the species' ability to colonize habitats.
Sha Ni, Isabelle Taubner, Florian Böhm, Vera Winde, and Michael E. Böttcher
Biogeosciences, 15, 1425–1445, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1425-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-1425-2018, 2018
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Spirorbis tube worms are common epibionts on brown algae in the Baltic Sea. We made experiments with Spirorbis in the
Kiel Outdoor Benthocosmsat CO2 and temperature conditions predicted for the year 2100. The worms were able to grow tubes even at CO2 levels favouring shell dissolution but did not survive at mean temperatures over 24° C. This indicates that Spirorbis worms will suffer from future excessive ocean warming and from ocean acidification fostering corrosion of their protective tubes.
Andrea C. Gerecht, Luka Šupraha, Gerald Langer, and Jorijntje Henderiks
Biogeosciences, 15, 833–845, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-833-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-833-2018, 2018
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Calcifying phytoplankton play an import role in long-term CO2 removal from the atmosphere. We therefore studied the ability of a representative species to continue sequestrating CO2 under future climate conditions. We show that CO2 sequestration is negatively affected by both an increase in temperature and the resulting decrease in nutrient availability. This will impact the biogeochemical cycle of carbon and may have a positive feedback on rising CO2 levels.
Merinda C. Nash and Walter Adey
Biogeosciences, 15, 781–795, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-781-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-781-2018, 2018
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Past seawater temperatures can be reconstructed using magnesium / calcium ratios of biogenic carbonates. As temperature increases, so does magnesium. Here we show that for these Arctic/subarctic coralline algae, anatomy is the first control on Mg / Ca, not temperature. When using coralline algae for temperature reconstruction, it is first necessary to check for anatomical influences on Mg / Ca.
Thomas M. DeCarlo, Juan P. D'Olivo, Taryn Foster, Michael Holcomb, Thomas Becker, and Malcolm T. McCulloch
Biogeosciences, 14, 5253–5269, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5253-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-5253-2017, 2017
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We present a new technique to quantify the chemical conditions under which corals build their skeletons by analysing them with lasers at a very fine resolution, down to 1/100th the width of a human hair. Our first applications to laboratory-cultured and wild corals demonstrates the complex interplay among seawater conditions (temperature and acidity), calcifying fluid chemistry, and bulk skeleton accretion, which will define the sensitivity of coral calcification to 21st century climate change.
Giulia Faucher, Linn Hoffmann, Lennart T. Bach, Cinzia Bottini, Elisabetta Erba, and Ulf Riebesell
Biogeosciences, 14, 3603–3613, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3603-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3603-2017, 2017
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The main goal of this study was to understand if, similarly to the fossil record, high quantities of toxic metals induce coccolith dwarfism in coccolithophore species. We investigated, for the first time, the effects of trace metals on coccolithophore species other than E. huxleyi and on coccolith morphology and size. Our data show a species-specific sensitivity to trace metal concentration, allowing the recognition of the most-, intermediate- and least-tolerant taxa to trace metal enrichments.
Lennart J. de Nooijer, Anieke Brombacher, Antje Mewes, Gerald Langer, Gernot Nehrke, Jelle Bijma, and Gert-Jan Reichart
Biogeosciences, 14, 3387–3400, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3387-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3387-2017, 2017
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Short summary
Ultrastructures of Lithothamnion corallioides, a crustose coralline alga collected from the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea at different depths, show high-Mg-calcite cell walls formed by crystals with a specific shape and orientation that are unaffected by different environmental conditions of the living sites. This suggests that the biomineralization process is biologically controlled in coralline algae and can have interesting applications in paleontology.
Ultrastructures of Lithothamnion corallioides, a crustose coralline alga collected from the...
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