Using benthic foraminifera to track acidification in the Salish Sea
Presentation Abstract
This project uses benthic foraminifera as a proxy for low pH in Puget Sound sediments over a temporal range from 1974 to the present. Here we report preliminary results of our investigation. Benthic foraminifera occur as agglutinate and calcareous forms; calcareous foraminifera biomineralize their shells from calcium carbonate and are thus a sink for carbon in the oceans. Both agglutinate and calcareous foraminifera are consumed by a wide variety of mobile benthic invertebrates and bottom feeding fish, therefore they are an important component near the base of the food chain. They are excellent study organisms because they are small (typically
Investigations into foraminiferal assemblages in different embayments throughout Puget Sound indicate that partial dissolution of shells is widespread. In places, 100% of all calcareous individuals show signs of dissolution, e.g. pitting, holes, loss of surface layers. Some sediment samples, most notably those from areas with sluggish circulation, have only agglutinate foraminifera. The three most common calcareous foraminifera species in Puget Sound, Elphidiella hannai, Cribroelphidium excavatum and Buccella frigida all show partial dissolution, however, E. hannai is most heavily impacted, suggesting it is more susceptible to dissolution than other species.
Session Title
Ocean Acidification in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Foraminifera--Effect of water pollution on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Foraminifera--Monitoring--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Ocean acidification--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Environmental monitoring--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Coastal ecology--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Using benthic foraminifera to track acidification in the Salish Sea
2016SSEC
This project uses benthic foraminifera as a proxy for low pH in Puget Sound sediments over a temporal range from 1974 to the present. Here we report preliminary results of our investigation. Benthic foraminifera occur as agglutinate and calcareous forms; calcareous foraminifera biomineralize their shells from calcium carbonate and are thus a sink for carbon in the oceans. Both agglutinate and calcareous foraminifera are consumed by a wide variety of mobile benthic invertebrates and bottom feeding fish, therefore they are an important component near the base of the food chain. They are excellent study organisms because they are small (typically
Investigations into foraminiferal assemblages in different embayments throughout Puget Sound indicate that partial dissolution of shells is widespread. In places, 100% of all calcareous individuals show signs of dissolution, e.g. pitting, holes, loss of surface layers. Some sediment samples, most notably those from areas with sluggish circulation, have only agglutinate foraminifera. The three most common calcareous foraminifera species in Puget Sound, Elphidiella hannai, Cribroelphidium excavatum and Buccella frigida all show partial dissolution, however, E. hannai is most heavily impacted, suggesting it is more susceptible to dissolution than other species.
