Comment on "Phytoplankton Calcification in a High-CO2 World"
Ulf Riebesell,1*
Richard G. J. Bellerby,2
Anja Engel,3
Victoria J. Fabry,4
David A. Hutchins,5
Thorsten B. H. Reusch,1
Kai G. Schulz,1
François M. M. Morel6
Iglesias-Rodriguez
et al. (Research Articles, 18 April 2008,
p. 336) reported that the coccolithophore
Emiliania huxleyi doubles its organic matter production and calcification in response
to high carbon dioxide partial pressures, contrary to previous
laboratory and field studies. We argue that shortcomings in
their experimental protocol compromise the interpretation of
their data and the resulting conclusions.
2 Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway.
3 Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Marine Research, D-27570 Bremerhaven, Germany.
4 Department of Biological Sciences, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA 92096, USA.
5 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
6 Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: uriebesell{at}ifm-geomar.de
