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Posted: Tuesday, October 18th, 2005 2:54 PM HST

Hawaii researchers: Carbon dioxide slows growth of coral

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ University of Hawaii researchers have found higher levels of carbon dioxide in the ocean could significantly slow the growth of coral. Scientists at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at Coconut Island studied the effects of carbon dioxide on two species of coral living in Kaneohe Bay. Marlin Atkinson is a U-H oceanographer and specialist on coral reef biogeochemistry. He says results showed coral growth ``can be slowed pretty dramatically'' by decreasing carbonate ions. He says the chemical composition of the world's oceans has been moving toward more carbon dioxide and less calcium carbonate. He says a decade ago coral reef scientist were most concerned about nutrients from runoff ruining coral reefs. Now interest has shifted to carbon dioxide because of global warming and coral bleaching. The study reported in the September issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans found that increases in carbon dioxide decreased skeletal growth of coral by 50 percent. (Copyright 2005 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)