Production of carbonate sediments by a unicellular green alga

Other| December 01, 1998 Production of carbonate sediments by a unicellular green alga Kimberly K. Yates; Kimberly K. Yates University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Lisa L. Robbins Lisa L. Robbins Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar American Mineralogist (1998) 83 (11-12_Part_2): 1503–1509. https://doi.org/10.2138/am-1998-11-1238 Article history first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Kimberly K. Yates, Lisa L. Robbins; Production of carbonate sediments by a unicellular green alga. American Mineralogist 1998;; 83 (11-12_Part_2): 1503–1509. doi: https://doi.org/10.2138/am-1998-11-1238 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyAmerican Mineralogist Search Advanced Search Abstract This study investigates the ability of the unicellular green alga Nannochloris atomus to precipitate CaCO 3 , quantifies mineral precipitation rates, estimates sediment production in a N. atomus bloom, and discusses the implications of microbial calcification for carbonate sediment deposition. A series of N. atomus cultures, isolated from Lake Reeve, Australia, were incubated at various pH and calcium concentrations to determine environmental parameters for calcification. Rates of calcification were calculated from initial and post-incubation alkalinity, pH, and calcium measurements. Replicate experiments and controls consisting of non-calcifying cultures, uninoculated media, and dead cell cultures were performed using environmental culture parameters determined in series cultures. Average calcification rates from replicate experiments were used to predict daily sediment production rates in a small bloom of N. atomus. N. atomus precipitates 0.138 g/L of calcite in approximately 4 h when incubated at pH 8.5, 14.24 mM calcium concentration, 33 degrees C, 100 mu E/m 2 /s light intensity, and a cell population density of 10 7 cells/mL. Assuming continuous precipitation, this corresponds to a maximum estimated sediment production rate of 1.6X10 6 kg of CaCO 3 per 12 h day in a single bloom of 3.2X10 9 L. Our results suggest that microbial calcification contributes significantly to the carbonate sediment budget. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.