Articles | Volume 22, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-405-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-405-2025
Research article
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22 Jan 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 22 Jan 2025

Growth response of Emiliania huxleyi to ocean alkalinity enhancement

Giulia Faucher, Mathias Haunost, Allanah Joy Paul, Anne Ulrike Christiane Tietz, and Ulf Riebesell

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Cited articles

Bach, L. T., Riebesell, U., and Schulz, K. G.: Distinguishing between the effects of ocean acidification and ocean carbonation in the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, Limnol. Oceanogr., 56, 2040–2050, https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2011.56.6.2040, 2011. 
Bach, L. T., Mackinder, L. C., Schulz, K. G., Wheeler, G., Schroeder, D. C., Brownlee, C., and Riebesell, U.: Dissecting the impact of CO2 and pH on the mechanisms of photosynthesis and calcification in the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, New Phytol., 199, 121–134, 2013. 
Bach, L. T., Riebesell, U., Gutowska, M. A., Federwisch, L., and Schulz, K. G.: A unifying concept of coccolithophore sensitivity to changing carbonate chemistry embedded in an ecological framework, Prog. Oceanogr., 135, 125–138, 2015. 
Bach, L. T., Gill, S. J., Rickaby, R. E., Gore, S., and Renforth, P.: CO2 removal with enhanced weathering and ocean alkalinity enhancement: potential risks and co-benefits for marine pelagic ecosystems, Front. Clim., 1, 7, https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2019.00007, 2019. 
Badger, M. R., Andrews, T. J., Whitney, S. M., Ludwig, M., Yellowlees, D. C., Leggat, W., and Price, G. D.: The diversity and coevolution of Rubisco, plastids, pyrenoids, and chloroplast-based CO 2-concentrating mechanisms in algae, Can. J. Bot., 76, 1052–1071, https://doi.org/10.1139/b98-074, 1998. 
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The authors show the effects of elevated seawater pH and alkalinity on the ecophysiology (i.e., growth rate and cellular particulate inorganic and organic carbon) of marine ubiquitous calcifying coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi through laboratory experiments to discuss the ecological implications of ocean alkalinity enhancement, a key strategy of marine carbon dioxide removal.
Short summary
Ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) is being evaluated for its capacity to absorb atmospheric CO2 in the ocean and store it long term to mitigate climate change. As researchers plan for field tests to gain insights into OAE, sharing knowledge on its environmental impact on marine ecosystems is urgent. Our study examined NaOH-induced OAE in Emiliania huxleyi, a key coccolithophore species, and found that the added total alkalinity (ΔTA) should stay below 600 µmol kg⁻¹ to avoid negative impacts.
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