Coral reefs are exceptional environments where changes in calcification, photosynthesis, and respiration induce large temporal variations of pH. We argue that boron isotopic variations in corals provide a robust proxy for paleo-pH which, together with the likely concomitant changes in the reconstructed partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2) calculated by Matear and McNeil, fall within ranges that are typical of modern coral reef ecosystems.
Pelejero C., Calvo E., McCulloch M. T., Marshall J. F, Gagan M. K., Lough J. M., and Opdyke, B. N. Response to Comment on “Preindustrial to Modern Interdecadal Variability in Coral Reef pH”. Science 314 (5799), 595c. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1128502]. Article.
