Abstract
Estuaries are dynamic interfaces between land and sea that play a disproportionately large role in
global carbon cycling. These systems transform and export organic matter while mediating
carbon flow to the coastal ocean. Rising atmospheric CO2 from anthropogenic emissions has
intensified ocean acidification, lowering pH and reducing carbonate ion availability. Such shifts
can disrupt key ecological processes, particularly phytoplankton growth and their interactions
with microzooplankton grazers, with cascading effects on food webs and carbon export. Mobile
Bay, Alabama, is a highly productive estuary where nutrient-rich freshwater from the Mobile–
Tensaw watershed meets saline waters from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Its high productivity,
strong pCO2 variability, and substantial anthropogenic nutrient inputs make it especially
vulnerable to the compounded effects of eutrophication and acidification. This study examined
how elevated pCO2 influences phytoplankton growth and size-structured composition of natural
plankton assemblages, and microzooplankton grazing in Mobile Bay, relative to ambient
conditions.
Purpose
This dataset documents the progress and outcomes of dilution experiments conducted
over a one-year period to assess the effects of elevated pCO₂ on phytoplankton growth
and microzooplankton grazing mortality. Data includes measurements from both
controlled bottle incubations and multi-stressor tank systems, allowing for comparison
across experimental scales.
DOI: 10.57778/bsag-4s16
Suggested Citation
Kayla Barnette, Cameron, J., Breland, K., Bowman, L., Lehrter, J., Hoadley, K., Robertson, A., & Krause, J. (2026). Effects of Short-term Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Perturbation on Phytoplankton Growth and Mortality in Coastal Alabama Waters (Version 0.1) [Data set]. Dauphin Island Sea Lab. https://doi.org/10.57778/BSAG-4S16
Related Publication Citation
Attribution
This project was paid for [in part] with federal funding for the Alabama Center of Excellence from the Department of the Treasury under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) in cooperation with the State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources under the Alabama Center of Excellence Program at the MESC/Dauphin Island Sea Lab.
