Calcification in aquatic plants

Borowitzka, M.A. (1984) Calcification in aquatic plants. Plant, Cell and Environment, 7 (6). pp. 457-466.

Abstract

The CaCO3 deposits of aquatic plants may be intra‐, inter‐ and extracellular. Calcification is mainly the result of photosynthetic CO2 or HCO− 3 assimilation. This raises the local pH and CO2− 3 concentration resulting from shifts in the dissolved inorganic carbon equilibrium, due to either net CO2 depletion as in Halimeda or localized OH− efflux (or H+ influx) as in Chara. The plant cell wall may be important in CaCO3 nucleation by acting as an epitaxial substratum or template, or by creating a microenvironment enriched in Ca2+ compared to Mg2+. Hypotheses on the reason for the lack of calcification in many aquatic plants are presented.

Publication Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation:	School of Environmental and Life Sciences
Copyright:	© 1984, Wiley Blackwell.
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/32729

Item Control Page