Ocean Acidification Impacts on Coral Reef Calcification: A Global Meta-Analysis
Thompson, R., Wilson, J., Anderson, K., Brown, L.. Ocean Acidification Impacts on Coral Reef Calcification: A Global Meta-Analysis. LRES.
Vol.2, No.1. Jun 2026. https://doi.org/10.58923/lres.2026.0103
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Highlights
- Ocean acidification—driven by anthropogenic CO₂ absorption—threatens coral reef ecosystems that support 25% of marine biodiversity and provide coastal protection for 500 million people.
- We conduct a meta-analysis of 186 experimental studies examining the effects of elevated pCO₂ on coral and coralline algae calcification rates, spanning 1990–2024.
- Calcification rates decline by 14.2% per 0.1 pH unit reduction across all species, with massive corals showing greater resilience (9.8% decline) than branching corals (19.4% decline).
Abstract
Ocean acidification—driven by anthropogenic CO₂ absorption—threatens coral reef ecosystems that support 25% of marine biodiversity and provide coastal protection for 500 million people. We conduct a meta-analysis of 186 experimental studies examining the effects of elevated pCO₂ on coral and coralline algae calcification rates, spanning 1990–2024. Calcification rates decline by 14.2% per 0.1 pH unit reduction across all species, with massive corals showing greater resilience (9.8% decline) than branching corals (19.4% decline). At projected end-of-century pH (7.9 under SSP5-8.5), 78% of analyzed coral species show net dissolution. Regional variation is substantial: Indo-Pacific corals show 23% higher tolerance than Caribbean counterparts, suggesting evolutionary adaptation potential.