Enochs I. C. auteur aut IRD Manzello D. P. auteur aut IRD Tribollet Aline auteur aut IRD Valentino L. auteur aut IRD Kolodziej G. auteur aut IRD Donham E. M. auteur aut IRD Fitchett M. D. auteur aut IRD Carlton R. auteur aut IRD Price N. N. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Experiments have demonstrated that ocean acidification (OA) conditions projected to occur by the end of the century will slow the calcification of numerous coral species and accelerate the biological erosion of reef habitats (bioerosion). Microborers, which bore holes less than 100 mu m diameter, are one of the most pervasive agents of bioerosion and are present throughout all calcium carbonate substrates within the reef environment. The response of diverse reef functional groups to OA is known from real-world ecosystems, but to date our understanding of the relationship between ocean pH and carbonate dissolution by microborers is limited to controlled laboratory experiments. Here we examine the settlement of microborers to pure mineral calcium carbonate substrates (calcite) along a natural pH gradient at a volcanically acidified reef at Maug, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Colonization of pioneer microborers was higher in the lower pH waters near the vent field. Depth of microborer penetration was highly variable both among and within sites (4.2-195.5 mu m) over the short duration of the study (3 mo.) and no clear relationship to increasing CO2 was observed. Calculated rates of biogenic dissolution, however, were highest at the two sites closer to the vent and were not significantly different from each other. These data represent the first evidence of OA-enhancement of microboring flora colonization in newly available substrates and provide further evidence that microborers, especially bioeroding chlorophytes, respond positively to low pH. The accelerated breakdown and dissolution of reef framework structures with OA will likely lead to declines in structural complexity and integrity, as well as possible loss of essential habitat. specialized PACIFIQUE MARIANNES MAUG ILE 032 036 11 7 e0159818 [16 p.] 2016 1932-6203 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010067788 10.1371/journal.pone.0159818 1932-6203 [F B010067788] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010067788 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers16-10/010067788.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2016-11-03 2021-01-06 fdi:010067788 fre