Abstract
Rates of gross primary production (GPP), respiration (R), and net
calcification (Gnet) in coral reef sediments are expected to
change in response to global warming (and the consequent increase in sea
surface temperature) and coastal eutrophication (and the subsequent increase
in the concentration of organic matter, OM, being filtered by permeable coral
reef carbonate sediments). To date, no studies have examined the combined
effect of seawater warming and OM enrichment on coral reef carbonate sediment
metabolism and dissolution. This study used 22 h in situ benthic chamber
incubations to examine the combined effect of temperature (T) and OM, in
the form of coral mucus and phytodetritus, on GPP, R,
and Gnet in the permeable coral reef carbonate sediments of Heron
Island lagoon, Australia. Compared to control incubations, both warming
(+2.4 °C) and OM increased R and GPP. Under warmed conditions,
R (Q10 = 10.7) was enhanced to a greater extent than GPP (Q10 = 7.3), resulting in a shift to net heterotrophy and net dissolution. Under
both phytodetritus and coral mucus treatments, GPP was enhanced to a greater
extent than R, resulting in a net increase in GPP / R and
Gnet. The combined effect of warming and OM enhanced R and GPP,
but the net effect on GPP / R and Gnet was not
significantly different from control incubations. These findings show that a
shift to net heterotrophy and dissolution due to short-term increases in
seawater warming may be countered by a net increase GPP / R and
Gnet due to short-term increases in nutrient release from OM.
Citation
ID:
190809
Ref Key:
lantz2017biogeosciencesthe