Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean)

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dc.contributor.authorPoulton, Alex J
dc.contributor.authorBakker, Dorothee C E
dc.contributor.authorLucas, Mike I
dc.contributor.authorStinchcombe, Mark C
dc.contributor.authorTyrrell, Toby
dc.date.accessioned2021-10-08T06:20:16Z
dc.date.available2021-10-08T06:20:16Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractAlthough coccolithophores are not as common in the Southern Ocean as they are in sub-polar waters of the North Atlantic, a few species, such as <i>Emiliania huxleyi</i>, are found during the summer months. Little is actually known about the calcite production (CP) of these communities, or how their distribution and physiology relates to environmental variables in this region. In February 2009, we made observations across Drake Passage (between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula) of coccolithophore distribution, CP, primary production, chlorophyll-<i>a</i> and macronutrient concentrations, irradiance and carbonate chemistry. Although CP represented less than 1 % of total carbon fixation, coccolithophores were widespread across Drake Passage. The B/C morphotype of <i>E. huxleyi</i> was the dominant coccolithophore, with low estimates of coccolith calcite (~ 0.01 pmol C coccolith<sup>−1</sup>) from biometric measurements. Both cell-normalised calcification (0.01–0.16 pmol C cell<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>) and total CP (< 20 μmol C m<sup>−3</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>) were much lower than those observed in the sub-polar North Atlantic where <i>E. huxleyi</i> morphotype A is dominant. However, estimates of coccolith production rates were similar (0.1–1.2 coccoliths cell<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>) to previous measurements made in the sub-polar North Atlantic. A multivariate statistical approach found that temperature and irradiance together were best able to explain the observed variation in species distribution and abundance (Spearman's rank correlation ρ = 0.4, p < 0.01). Rates of calcification per cell and coccolith production, as well as community CP and <i>E. huxleyi</i> abundance, were all positively correlated (p < 0.05) to the strong latitudinal gradient in temperature, irradiance and calcite saturation states across Drake Passage. Broadly, our results lend support to recent suggestions that coccolithophores, especially <i>E. huxleyi</i>, are advancing pole-wards. However, our in situ observations indicate that this may owe more to sea-surface warming and increasing irradiance rather than increasing CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations.
dc.identifier.apacitationPoulton, A. J., Bakker, D. C. E., Lucas, M. I., Stinchcombe, M. C., & Tyrrell, T. (2016). Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean). <i>Biogeosciences</i>, 13(21), 5917 - 5935. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34237en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationPoulton, Alex J, Dorothee C E Bakker, Mike I Lucas, Mark C Stinchcombe, and Toby Tyrrell "Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean)." <i>Biogeosciences</i> 13, 21. (2016): 5917 - 5935. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34237en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationPoulton, A.J., Bakker, D.C.E., Lucas, M.I., Stinchcombe, M.C. & Tyrrell, T. 2016. Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean). <i>Biogeosciences.</i> 13(21):5917 - 5935. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34237en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1726-4170
dc.identifier.issn1726-4189
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Poulton, Alex J AU - Bakker, Dorothee C E AU - Lucas, Mike I AU - Stinchcombe, Mark C AU - Tyrrell, Toby AB - Although coccolithophores are not as common in the Southern Ocean as they are in sub-polar waters of the North Atlantic, a few species, such as <i>Emiliania huxleyi</i>, are found during the summer months. Little is actually known about the calcite production (CP) of these communities, or how their distribution and physiology relates to environmental variables in this region. In February 2009, we made observations across Drake Passage (between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula) of coccolithophore distribution, CP, primary production, chlorophyll-<i>a</i> and macronutrient concentrations, irradiance and carbonate chemistry. Although CP represented less than 1 % of total carbon fixation, coccolithophores were widespread across Drake Passage. The B/C morphotype of <i>E. huxleyi</i> was the dominant coccolithophore, with low estimates of coccolith calcite (~ 0.01 pmol C coccolith<sup>−1</sup>) from biometric measurements. Both cell-normalised calcification (0.01–0.16 pmol C cell<sup>−1</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>) and total CP (< 20 μmol C m<sup>−3</sup> d<sup>−1</sup>) were much lower than those observed in the sub-polar North Atlantic where <i>E. huxleyi</i> morphotype A is dominant. However, estimates of coccolith production rates were similar (0.1–1.2 coccoliths cell<sup>−1</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>) to previous measurements made in the sub-polar North Atlantic. A multivariate statistical approach found that temperature and irradiance together were best able to explain the observed variation in species distribution and abundance (Spearman's rank correlation ρ = 0.4, p < 0.01). Rates of calcification per cell and coccolith production, as well as community CP and <i>E. huxleyi</i> abundance, were all positively correlated (p < 0.05) to the strong latitudinal gradient in temperature, irradiance and calcite saturation states across Drake Passage. Broadly, our results lend support to recent suggestions that coccolithophores, especially <i>E. huxleyi</i>, are advancing pole-wards. However, our in situ observations indicate that this may owe more to sea-surface warming and increasing irradiance rather than increasing CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 21 J1 - Biogeosciences LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2016 SM - 1726-4170 SM - 1726-4189 T1 - Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean) TI - Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean) UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34237 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/34237
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationPoulton AJ, Bakker DCE, Lucas MI, Stinchcombe MC, Tyrrell T. Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean). Biogeosciences. 2016;13(21):5917 - 5935. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/34237.en_ZA
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.departmentMarine Research (MA-RE) Institute
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.sourceBiogeosciences
dc.source.journalissue21
dc.source.journalvolume13
dc.source.pagination5917 - 5935
dc.source.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-13-5917-2016
dc.subject.otherBurns
dc.subject.otherDisaster Planning
dc.subject.otherHumans
dc.subject.otherMass Casualty Incidents
dc.subject.otherNational Health Programs
dc.subject.otherPractice Guidelines as Topic
dc.subject.otherSocieties, Medical
dc.subject.otherSouth Africa
dc.titleEnvironmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean)
dc.typeJournal Article
uct.type.publicationResearch
uct.type.resourceJournal Article
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