Irradiance and pH affect coccolithophore community composition on a transect between the North Sea and the Arctic Ocean

Charalampopoulou, Anastasia; Poulton, Alex J.; Tyrrell, Toby; Lucas, Mike I.. 2011 Irradiance and pH affect coccolithophore community composition on a transect between the North Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 431. 25-43. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09140

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Abstract/Summary

Little is known about the distribution of coccolithophores in Arctic regions, or the reasons why they are absent from certain locations but thrive in others. Factors thought to affect coccolithophore distribution include nutrients, salinity, temperature and light, as well as carbonate chemistry parameters. Here we present data collected in summer 2008 along a transect between the North Sea and Svalbard (Arctic). Coccolithophore abundance and diversity were measured and compared with a set of environmental variables that included macronutrients, salinity, temperature, irradiance, pH and Ωcalcite. Eighteen coccolithophore species were found in the southern North Sea where coccolithophores were previously thought to be absent. In the ice-covered region north of Svalbard, coccolithophores were scarce and dominated by the family Papposphaeraceae. A multivariate approach showed that changes in pH and mixed layer irradiance explained most of the variation in coccolithophore distribution and community composition (Spearman’s rS = 0.62). Differences between the Svalbard population and those from other regions were mostly explained by pH (rS = 0.45), whereas mixed layer irradiance explained most of the variation between the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and Arctic water assemblages (rS = 0.40). Estimates of cell specific calcification rates showed that species composition can considerably affect community calcification. Consequently, future ocean acidification (changes in pH) and stratification due to global warming (changes in mixed layer irradiance) may influence pelagic calcification by inducing changes in the species composition of coccolithophore communities.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09140
ISSN:	01718630
Additional Keywords:	Coccolithophore; Emiliania huxleyi; Arctic Ocean; pH; Irradiance; Ocean acidification
Date made live:	19 Jul 2011 09:06 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/293701

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09140

ISSN:

01718630

Additional Keywords:

Coccolithophore; Emiliania huxleyi; Arctic Ocean; pH; Irradiance; Ocean acidification

Date made live:

19 Jul 2011 09:06 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/293701