Abstract
Because the precipitation of calcium carbonate results in the sequestering of carbon, it frequently has been thought that coral reefs function as sinks of global atmospheric CO[sub 2]. However, the precipitation of calcium carbonate is accompanied by a shift of pH that results in the release of CO[sub 2]. This release of CO[sub 2] is less in buffered sea water than fresh water systems; nevertheless, coral reefs are sources, not sinks, of atmospheric carbon. Using estimated rates of coral reef carbonate production, we compute that coral reefs release 0.02 to 0.08 Gt C as CO[sub 2] annually. This is approximately 0.4% to 1.4% of the current anthropogenic CO[sub 2] production due to fossil fuel combustion.
Ware, J R;
Smith, S V;
Reakakudla, M L
[1]
- Hawaii University, Honolulu, HI (USA). Dept. of Oceanography
Citation Formats
Ware, J R, Smith, S V, and Reakakudla, M L.
Coral reefs - sources or sinks of atmospheric CO[sub 2].
Germany: N. p.,
1992.
Web.
doi:10.1007/BF00255465.
Ware, J R, Smith, S V, & Reakakudla, M L.
Coral reefs - sources or sinks of atmospheric CO[sub 2].
Germany.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00255465
Ware, J R, Smith, S V, and Reakakudla, M L.
1992.
"Coral reefs - sources or sinks of atmospheric CO[sub 2]."
Germany.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00255465.
@misc{etde_6764196,
title = {Coral reefs - sources or sinks of atmospheric CO[sub 2]}
author = {Ware, J R, Smith, S V, and Reakakudla, M L}
abstractNote = {Because the precipitation of calcium carbonate results in the sequestering of carbon, it frequently has been thought that coral reefs function as sinks of global atmospheric CO[sub 2]. However, the precipitation of calcium carbonate is accompanied by a shift of pH that results in the release of CO[sub 2]. This release of CO[sub 2] is less in buffered sea water than fresh water systems; nevertheless, coral reefs are sources, not sinks, of atmospheric carbon. Using estimated rates of coral reef carbonate production, we compute that coral reefs release 0.02 to 0.08 Gt C as CO[sub 2] annually. This is approximately 0.4% to 1.4% of the current anthropogenic CO[sub 2] production due to fossil fuel combustion.}
doi = {10.1007/BF00255465}
journal = []
volume = {11:3}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Germany}
year = {1992}
month = {Sep}
}
title = {Coral reefs - sources or sinks of atmospheric CO[sub 2]}
author = {Ware, J R, Smith, S V, and Reakakudla, M L}
abstractNote = {Because the precipitation of calcium carbonate results in the sequestering of carbon, it frequently has been thought that coral reefs function as sinks of global atmospheric CO[sub 2]. However, the precipitation of calcium carbonate is accompanied by a shift of pH that results in the release of CO[sub 2]. This release of CO[sub 2] is less in buffered sea water than fresh water systems; nevertheless, coral reefs are sources, not sinks, of atmospheric carbon. Using estimated rates of coral reef carbonate production, we compute that coral reefs release 0.02 to 0.08 Gt C as CO[sub 2] annually. This is approximately 0.4% to 1.4% of the current anthropogenic CO[sub 2] production due to fossil fuel combustion.}
doi = {10.1007/BF00255465}
journal = []
volume = {11:3}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Germany}
year = {1992}
month = {Sep}
}