Lucy Buxton

Assessing the Impact of Inorganic Carbon Availability on Coral


Lucy Buxton Current Appointment: PhD Candidate Contact: Aquatic Photosynthesis Group Department of Environmental Sciences University of Technology, Sydney PO Box 123 Broadway NSW 2000 Australia Office: Building 4, Level 5, Room 66 (City Campus) Phone: 9514 8345 Fax: 9514 4079 Email: Lucy.Buxton@uts.edu.au Project Outline The oceans, covering more than two thirds of the Earth’s surface play a vital role in removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. However the massive CO₂ loads added to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution have disrupted this delicate balance, and are causing considerable chemical changes in surface waters. This has a two fold effect: chemical changes are causing acidification of surface waters, which in turn alters the balance of inorganic carbon (Ci) available to photosynthetic organisms in upper waters. CO₂ is already recognised as a major greenhouse gas and clear causal links have now been drawn between atmospheric CO₂ and increases to global mean temperatures. Acidification of marine waters is an additional concern to that of global warming. And while global warming and resulting climate change has received considerable political, social, and scientific attention in recent years, the threat that acidification poses to marine flora and fauna has only recently been highlighted. Sea surface acidification is predicted to occur most in warm shallow areas of low surface mixing, therefore making coral reefs and reef lagoons a prime target for localised acidification. Coral reefs are already at risk from temperature changes caused by global warming; the additional effects of changes in Ci availability and acidification have yet to be addressed. There is a vital need to incorporate the unknown effect of seawater acidification in bleaching hypotheses. Supervisors Associate Professor Peter Ralph Associate Professor Kenneth Brown Publications Owen R, Mitchelmore C, Woodley C, Trapido-Rosenthal H, Galloway T, Depledge M, Readman J, Buxton L, Sarkis S, Jones R, Knap A 2005. A Common Sense Approach for Confronting Coral Reef Decline Associated with Human Activities. Editorial, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Special Edition, 51:481-485. Trapido-Rosenthal. H, Owen. R, Buxton L, Zielke. S, Bhagooli. R, and Archer. J. 2005. Increased Symbiont Nitric Oxide Synthase Activity and Coral Bleaching. Biological Bulletin 208:3-6. Al-Sabti. K, Quinn. B, Buxton. L, 2004. Micronuclei induction in the sand scallop Argopecten gibbus to monitor the water genotoxicity in Bermuda. Atlantis Mobile Marine Laboratory, Final Report. Owen. R, Buxton. L, Sarkis. S, Toaspern. M, Knap. A and Depledge. M. 2002. An evaluation of haemolymph cholinesterase activities in the tropical scallop, Euvola (Pecten) ziczac, for the rapid assessment of pesticide exposure. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44:10:1010-1017. Teaching Activities Demonstrator, Cells, Genetics and Evolution, University of Technology, Sydney Research Host, Student Research Scheme, CSIRO Australia Teaching Assistant, Marine Ecotoxicology, Bermuda Biological Station for Research Professional Experience University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Bermuda Biological Station for Research, Bermuda London Aquarium, UK Dorset Marine Wildlife Trust, UK Charles Darwin Research Station, Galapagos Islands