Impact of ocean acidification on crystallographic vital effect of the coral skeleton

Distinguishing between environmental and species-specific physiological signals, recorded in coral skeletons, is one of the fundamental challenges in their reliable use as (paleo)climate proxies. To date, characteristic biological bias in skeleton-recorded environmental signatures (vital effect) was shown in shifts in geochemical signatures. Herein, for the first time, we have assessed crystallographic parameters of bio-aragonite to study the response of the reefbuilding coral Stylophora pistillata to experimental seawater acidification (pH 8.2, 7.6 and 7.3). Skeletons formed under high pCO2 conditions show systematic crystallographic changes such as better constrained crystal orientation and anisotropic distortions of bio-aragonite lattice parameters due to increased amount of intracrystalline organic matrix and water content. These variations in crystallographic features that seem to reflect physiological adjustments of biomineralizing organisms to environmental change, are herein called crystallographic vital effect (CVE). CVE may register those changes in the biomineralization process that may not yet be perceived at the macromorphological skeletal level. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10833-6 OPEN

26Mg labeling of the sea urchin regenerating spine: Insights into echinoderm biomineralization process

This paper reports the results of the first dynamic labeling experiment with regenerating spines of sea urchins Paracentrotus lividus using the stable isotope Mg-26 and NanoSIMS high-resolution isotopic imaging, which provide a direct information about the growth process. Growing spines were labeled twice (for 72 and 24 h, respectively) by increasing the abundance of Mg-26 in seawater. The incorporation of Mg-26 into the growing spines was subsequently imaged with the NanoSIMS ion microprobe. Stereom trabeculae initially grow as conical micro-spines, which form within less than 1 day. These micro-spines fuse together by lateral outgrowths and form a thin, open meshwork (inner stereom), which is subsequently reinforced by addition of layered thickening deposits (outer stereom). The (longitudinal) growth rate of the inner stereom is ca. 125 mu m/day. A single (ca. 1 mu m) thickening layer in the stereom trabeculae is deposited during 24 h. The thickening process is contemporaneous with the formation micro-spines and involves both longitudinal trabeculae and transverse bridges to a similar degree. Furthermore, the skeleton-forming cells remain active in the previously formed open stereom for at least 10 days, and do not migrate upwards until the end of the thickening process. The experimental capability presented here provides a new way to obtain detailed information about the skeleton formation of a multitude of marine, calcite producing organisms. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Aragonitic scleractinian corals in the Cretaceous calcitic sea

Changes in seawater chemistry have affected the evolution of calcifying marine organisms, including their skeletal polymorph (calcite versus aragonite), which is believed to have been strongly influenced by the Mg/Ca ratio at the time these animals first emerged. However, we show that micrabaciids, a scleractinian coral clade that first appeared in the fossil record of the Cretaceous, when the ocean Mg/Ca ratio was near the lowest in the Phanerozoic (thus a priori favoring calcitic mineralogy), formed skeletons composed exclusively of aragonite. Exceptionally preserved aragonitic coralla of Micrabacia from the Late Cretaceous Ripley Formation (southeastern USA) have skeletal microstructures identical to their modern representatives. In addition, skeletons of Micrabacia from Cretaceous chalk deposits of eastern Poland are clearly diagenetically altered in a manner consistent with originally aragonitic mineralogy. These deposits have also preserved fossils of the scleractinian Coelosmilia, the skeleton of which is interpreted as originally calcitic. These findings show that if changes in seawater Mg/Ca ratio influenced the mineralogy of scleractinian corals, the outcome was taxon specific. The aragonitic mineralogy, unique skeletal microstructures and ultrastructures, and low Mg/Ca ratios in both fossil and living micrabaciids indicate that their biomineralization process is strongly controlled and has withstood major fluctuations in seawater chemistry during the past 70 m.y

Evidence for Rhythmicity Pacemaker in the Calcification Process of Scleractinian Coral

Reef-building scleractinian (stony) corals are among the most efficient bio-mineralizing organisms in nature. The calcification rate of scleractinian corals oscillates under ambient light conditions, with a cyclic, diurnal pattern. A fundamental question is whether this cyclic pattern is controlled by exogenous signals or by an endogenous 'biological-clock' mechanism, or both. To address this problem, we have studied calcification patterns of the Red Sea scleractinian coral Acropora eurystoma with frequent measurements of total alkalinity (AT) under different light conditions. Additionally, skeletal extension and ultra-structure of newly deposited calcium carbonate were elucidated with Sr-86 isotope labeling analysis, combined with NanoSIMS ion microprobe and scanning electron microscope imaging. Our results show that the calcification process persists with its cyclic pattern under constant light conditions while dissolution takes place within one day of constant dark conditions, indicating that an intrinsic, light-entrained mechanism may be involved in controlling the calcification process in photosymbiotic corals

A modern scleractinian coral with a two-component calcite–aragonite skeleton

Until now, all of the ca. 1,800 known modern scleractinian coral species were thought to produce skeletons exclusively of aragonite. Asymbiotic Paraconotrochus antarcticus living in the Southern Ocean is the first example of an extant scleractinian that forms a two-component carbonate skeleton, with an inner structure made of high-Mg calcite and an outer structure composed of aragonite. This discovery adds support to the notion that the coral skeletal formation process is strongly biologically controlled. Mitophylogenomic analysis shows that P. antarcticus represents an ancient scleractinian clade, suggesting that skeletal mineralogy/polymorph of a taxon, once established, is a trait conserved throughout the evolution of that clade.One of the most conserved traits in the evolution of biomineralizing organisms is the taxon-specific selection of skeletal minerals. All modern scleractinian corals are thought to produce skeletons exclusively of the calcium-carbonate polymorph aragonite. Despite strong fluctuations in ocean chemistry (notably the Mg/Ca ratio), this feature is believed to be conserved throughout the coral fossil record, spanning more than 240 million years. Only one example, the Cretaceous scleractinian coral Coelosmilia (ca. 70 to 65 Ma), is thought to have produced a calcitic skeleton. Here, we report that the modern asymbiotic scleractinian coral Paraconotrochus antarcticus living in the Southern Ocean forms a two-component carbonate skeleton, with an inner structure made of high-Mg calcite and an outer structure composed of aragonite. P. antarcticus and Cretaceous Coelosmilia skeletons share a unique microstructure indicating a close phylogenetic relationship, consistent with the early divergence of P. antarcticus within the Vacatina (i.e., Robusta) clade, estimated to have occurred in the Mesozoic (ca. 116 Mya). Scleractinian corals thus join the group of marine organisms capable of forming bimineralic structures, which requires a highly controlled biomineralization mechanism; this capability dates back at least 100 My. Due to its relatively prolonged isolation, the Southern Ocean stands out as a repository for extant marine organisms with ancient traits.Mitogenome sequences data have been deposited in GenBank (MT409109). All other study data are included in the article text and supporting information

Molecular techniques and their limitations shape our view of the holobiont

It is now recognised that the biology of almost any organism cannot be fully understood without recognising the existence and potential functional importance of associated microbes. Arguably, the emergence of this holistic viewpoint may never have occurred without the development of a crucial molecular technique, 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing, which allowed microbial communities to be easily profiled across a broad range of contexts. A diverse array of molecular techniques are now used to profile microbial communities, infer their evolutionary histories, visualise them in host tissues, and measure their molecular activity. In this review, we examine each of these categories of measurement and inference with a focus on the questions they make tractable, and the degree to which their capabilities and limitations shape our view of the holobiont

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of extant crinoidal echinoderm skeletons

The variability of delta C-13 and delta O-18 was determined within the columnal facet of individual ossicles, within different regions of skeletons and within bulk skeletons of extant stalked crinoids. Isotopic compositions of individual ossicles may vary by up similar to 1%. for both isotopes, whereas isotopic variability within a skeleton may be as high as similar to 2.8 parts per thousand. for delta C-13 and similar to 1.2 parts per thousand. for delta O-18. In contrast, mean isotopic compositions and variations are similar for different specimens of a single species from any particular locality. Isotopic variation was evaluated between higher taxonomic groups of crinoids. including Isocrinida, Comatulida. Bourgueticrinida and Cyrtocrinida. Skeletons of isocrinids, comatulids and bourgueticrinids are consistently more negative in delta C-13 than those of cyrtocrinids. This difference may be as high as similar to 10 parts per thousand, and is unrelated to the place of origin. Such isotopic differences reflect distinct physiological differences between crinoid groups we studied. Overall, their delta O-18 values show weak temperature dependence, which are overshadowed by the strong influence of physiological or vital effects on the isotopic composition of crinoid skeletal carbonate. Thus great caution needs to be exercised when using the stable isotope composition of crinoids as an environmental proxy. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A Cretaceous scleractinian coral with a calcitic skeleton

It has been generally thought that scleractinian corals form purely aragonitic skeletons. We show that a well-preserved fossil coral, Coelosmilia sp. from the Upper Cretaceous (about 70 million years ago), has preserved skeletal structural features identical to those observed in present-day scleractinians. However, the skeleton of Coelosmilia sp. is entirely calcitic. Its fine-scale structure and chemistry indicate that the calcite is primary and did not form from the diagenetic alteration of aragonite. This result implies that corals, like other groups of marine, calcium carbonate-producing organisms, can form skeletons of different carbonate polymorphs

Le biocostruzioni a coralli ermatipici del miocene superiore della Calabria sud-occidentale (Vibo Valentia, Palmi,RC): implicazioni paleoambientali e diagenetiche

Università della Calabri

Skeletal growth dynamics linked to trace-element composition in the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis

The micro-and ultra-structural skeletal growth dynamics of the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus 1758) was studied with pulsed Sr-86-labeling and high spatial resolution NanoSIMS isotopic imaging. Average extension rates for the two basic ultra-structural components of the skeleton, Rapid Accretion Deposits (RAD) and Thickening Deposits (TD), were compared between corallite wall, spines and dissepiments. The RAD, forming the basal part of the dissepiment, were found to form extremely fast compared with RAD and TD in other parts of the skeleton. Trace element compositions (i.e., Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios) obtained for each ultra-structural component reveal the full range of chemical variation on the scale of the individual corallite. The Mg/Ca ratio was found to vary about a factor of 6, from similar to 2.2 mmol/mol in slow growing ornamental spines to similar to 13 mmol/mol in the fast forming dissepiment RAD. A positive relationship between Mg/Ca and inferred average extension rate was observed. Sr/Ca, on the other hand, although it varies substantially in the range between similar to 6.5 and similar to 9.5 mmol/mol, does not show any relationship with inferred average extension rate, nor does is correlate with the Mg/Ca ratio. Rayleigh fractionation models are not capable of explaining the trace element variations. The results presented in this study imply that the coral is capable of controlling its biomineralization activity with great temporal and spatial precision. Spatial heterogeneity in coral tissue activity should be carefully investigated in the development of biomineralization models for scleractinian corals. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved