A recent literature review by Schönberg et al. (2017) on bioerosion under ocean acidification and global change led to a detailed comment by Silbiger and DeCarlo (2017). We use the opportunity to reply to this comment, to correct misinterpreted data and to further stimulate the discussion in bioerosion science. We still believe that our paper and the included method discussion were timely. Most discussed studies captured only a partial bioeroder community, for which upscaling and generalization remains difficult. However, after re-visiting Silbiger et al. (2014) we would like to propose a new interpretation: Their net bioerosion/accretion did not change along a natural gradient, but may have responded to localized pH “anomalies”.
Schönberg C. H. L., Tribollet A., Fang J. K.-H., Carreiro-Silva M., Wisshak M., 2017. Viewpoints in bioerosion research—are we really disagreeing? A reply to the comment by Silbiger and DeCarlo (2017). ICES Journal of Marine Science 74 (9): 2494-2500. Article (subscription required).
