Coral calcification and its response to global environmental changes

Abstract

Calcification mechanism of reef-building corals and its response to global environmental changes are reviewed based on the recently published literature. Coral calcification is an extracellular reaction occurred in subcalicoblastic extracellular calcifying medium. To maintain progress of calcification, calcium ions and dissolved inorganic carbon species are needed to be supplied in the calcifying medium while calcification inhibitors such as protons should be removed efficiently. Catalytic reaction of carbonic anhydrase in calicoblastic endoderm layers seems to play important role for fast calcification of corals. Better understanding on coral calcification is essential to evaluate on-going ocean acidification impact on reef calcification. More integrated research strategy is required including physiology, skeletal geochemistry, and molecular biology.