Saltwater Fish Waste Is Actually A Buffer
A scientific discovery, published in the journal Science, suggests a major role that fish play in maintaining the pH of the world’s oceans. The discovery is focused on the marine carbon cycle—which incorporates the role of calcium carbonate as both a buffer and major component of the skeletal tissue of the reef-building corals. Prior to the discovery, scientists thought that the majority of calcium carbonate came from the exoskeletons of certain marine plankton.
To help avoid dehydration in the world’s oceans, saltwater fish ‘drink’ seawater all day long. As a result of this constant ingestion of seawater, excess calcium carbonate builds up in the guts of these fish. At super-high concentrations, the calcium carbonate precipitates and forms a solid chalky substance—sometimes called ‘gut rocks’. These gut rocks are then excreted by the fish, and potentially represent a major source of marine carbonate not previously understood. This newly discovered source of carbonate is estimated to account for three to fifteen percent of the ocean’s calcium carbonate and is therefore a significant contributor to the marine carbon cycle. This is yet another example of the interconnectedness of fish and coral species in the world’s oceans.
Original Article
University of Exeter. “Fish Guts Explain Marine Carbon Cycle Mystery.” ScienceDaily 19 January 2009. 17 February 2009 <http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2009/01/090115164607.htm>.
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