Discovery of the mineral brucite (magnesium hydroxide) in the tropical calcifying alga Polystrata dura (Peyssonneliales, Rhodophyta). Issue 3 (18th May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nash, Merinda C.; Russell, Bayden D.; Dixon, Kyatt R.; Liu, Minglu; Xu, Huifang; Graham, M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of phycology. Volume 51:Issue 3(2015)
• Page Start: 403
• Page End: 407
• Publication Date: 2015-05-18
• Subjects: Algae -- Periodicals; 579.8
• DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12299
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3646

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jpy12299-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Red algae of the family Peyssonneliaceae typically form thin crusts impregnated with aragonite. Here, we report the first discovery of brucite in a thick red algal crust (~1 cm) formed by the peyssonnelioid species <italic>Polystrata dura</italic> from Papua New Guinea. Cells of <italic>P. dura</italic> were found to be infilled by the magnesium‐rich mineral brucite [Mg(OH)₂]; minor amounts of magnesite and calcite were also detected. We propose that cell infill may be associated with the development of thick (&gt; ~5 mm) calcified red algal crusts, integral components of tropical biotic reefs. If brucite infill within the <italic>P. dura</italic> crust enhances resistance to dissolution similarly to crustose coralline algae that infill with dolomite, then these crusts would be more resilient to future ocean acidification than crusts without infill.</p> </abstract>