Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-711
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-711
22 Aug 2022
 | 22 Aug 2022

Calcification response of planktic foraminifera to environmental change in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the industrial era

Thibauld M. Béjard, Andrés S. Rigual-Hernández, José A. Flores, Javier P. Tarruella, Xavier Durrieu de Madron, Isabel Cacho, Neghar Haghipour, Timothy Eglinton, and Francisco J. Sierro

Abstract. The aim of this work is to investigate the variability of planktic foraminifera calcification in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea on seasonal, interannual and pre-industrial Holocene time scales. This study is based on data from a 12-year-long sediment trap record retrieved in the in the Gulf of Lions and seabed sediment samples from the Gulf of Lions and the promontory of Menorca. Three different planktic foraminifera species were selected based on their different ecology and abundance: Globigerina bulloides, Neogloboquadrina incompta, and Globorotalia truncatulinoides. A total of 273 samples were weighted in both sediment trap and seabed samples. As the traditionally used sieve fractions method is considered unreliable because of the effect of morphometric parameters on the foraminifera weight, we measured area and diameter to constrain the effect of these parameters. The results of our study show substantial different seasonal calcification patterns across species: G. bulloides showed a slight calcification increase during the high productivity period, while both N. incompta and G. truncatulinoides display a higher calcification during the low productivity period. The comparison of these patterns with environmental parameters revealed that Optimum Growth Conditions temperature and carbonate system parameters are the most likely to influence seasonal calcification in the Gulf of Lions. Interannual analysis suggest that both G. bulloides and N. incompta slightly reduced their calcification between 1994 and 2005, while G. truncatulinoides exhibited a constant and pronounced increase in its calcification that translated in an increase of 20 % of its shell weight for the 400–500 µm narrow size class. While our data suggest that carbonate system parameters are the most likely environmental parameter driving foraminifera calcification changes over the years.

Finally, comparison between sediment trap data and seabed sediments allowed us to assess the changes of planktic foraminifera calcification during the late Holocene, including the preindustrial era. Several lines of evidence strongly indicate that selective dissolution did not bias the results in any of our data sets. Our results showed a clear calcification reduction between pre-industrial Holocene and recent data with G. truncatulinoides experiencing the largest calcification decrease (32–40 %) followed by N. incompta (20–27 %) and G. bulloides (18–24 %). Overall, our results provide evidence of clear reduction in planktic foraminifera calcification in the Mediterranean most likely associated with ongoing ocean acidification and consistent with previous observations in other settings of the world’s oceans.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

14 Apr 2023
Calcification response of planktic foraminifera to environmental change in the western Mediterranean Sea during the industrial era
Thibauld M. Béjard, Andrés S. Rigual-Hernández, José A. Flores, Javier P. Tarruella, Xavier Durrieu de Madron, Isabel Cacho, Neghar Haghipour, Aidan Hunter, and Francisco J. Sierro
Biogeosciences, 20, 1505–1528, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1505-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1505-2023, 2023
Short summary

Thibauld M. Béjard et al.

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-711', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Aug 2022
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Thibauld Béjard, 30 Nov 2022
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-711', Anonymous Referee #2, 02 Nov 2022
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Thibauld Béjard, 30 Nov 2022

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-711', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Aug 2022
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Thibauld Béjard, 30 Nov 2022
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-711', Anonymous Referee #2, 02 Nov 2022
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Thibauld Béjard, 30 Nov 2022

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (06 Dec 2022) by Markus Kienast
AR by Thibauld Béjard on behalf of the Authors (23 Jan 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
EF by Polina Shvedko (23 Jan 2023)  Supplement 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (26 Jan 2023) by Markus Kienast
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (06 Feb 2023)
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (13 Feb 2023) by Markus Kienast
AR by Thibauld Béjard on behalf of the Authors (28 Feb 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (06 Mar 2023) by Markus Kienast
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (14 Mar 2023)
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (20 Mar 2023) by Markus Kienast
AR by Thibauld Béjard on behalf of the Authors (23 Mar 2023)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

14 Apr 2023
Calcification response of planktic foraminifera to environmental change in the western Mediterranean Sea during the industrial era
Thibauld M. Béjard, Andrés S. Rigual-Hernández, José A. Flores, Javier P. Tarruella, Xavier Durrieu de Madron, Isabel Cacho, Neghar Haghipour, Aidan Hunter, and Francisco J. Sierro
Biogeosciences, 20, 1505–1528, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1505-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1505-2023, 2023
Short summary

Thibauld M. Béjard et al.

Thibauld M. Béjard et al.

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Short summary
The Mediterranean Sea is undergoing a rapid and unprecedented environmental change. Planktic foraminifera calcification is affected on different time scales. On seasonal and interannual scales, calcification trends differ according to the species and are linked mainly to Sea Surface Temperatures and carbonate system parameters; while comparison with pre-industrial assemblages shows that all 3 species have reduced their calcification between 20 to 35 % according to the species.