Pamela Hallock, a biogeological oceanographer and distinguished university professor at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, has spent her career studying the ocean and the impacts of human activities on marine environments. Although she typically finds little comfort in climate change, she recently found a bright spot in her research on a species of single-celled organisms called foraminifera (forams). These forams, specifically the species Amphistegina lobifera, have been increasing in numbers in suitable environments, such as the warm, nutrient-poor waters of the Mediterranean Sea. These forams have become so prolific that they are now building beaches in regions with warm waters and high alkalinity.
The recent study on A. lobifera offers a unique perspective on the impacts of humans on marine environments. The species emerged on Earth during a period of higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and warm waters with elevated alkalinity increase their rates of metabolism and shell formation. Despite concerns about its invasive potential in the region, A. lobifera’s presence in the Mediterranean Sea is actually a return to ancestral waters for these critters. Hallock believes that human influence on the environment has made the habitat suitable for forams once again.
The study highlights the potential benefits of A. lobifera in the Mediterranean region, particularly for countries like Turkey where their calcium carbonate skeletons are building beaches at a rate comparable to sea level rise. What was once a shoreline covered in jagged volcanic and limestone rock is now accumulating sand made of dead foram skeletons and other shells. Although concerns about the species’ invasiveness persist, A. lobifera may prove to be a boon for tourism in the region.
Looking ahead, there is reason to believe that A. lobifera may continue to flourish in a warming world with elevated atmospheric CO2. This could have implications for shallow-water carbonate production and beach building in regions with warm waters and high alkalinity. As climate change progresses, the return of prolific shallow-water carbonate production may ultimately prove to be beneficial on a local scale. This unique perspective on the impacts of humans on marine environments raises important questions about the future of our oceans and the potential positive outcomes of species like A. lobifera thriving in changing conditions.
Overall, Pamela Hallock’s research on A. lobifera sheds light on the complex interactions between species and their environment, as well as the potential consequences of human influence on marine ecosystems. While climate change presents many challenges for ocean life, there are also opportunities for species like foraminifera to adapt and thrive in new conditions. By studying these organisms and their responses to environmental changes, researchers like Hallock can gain insights into the resilience and adaptability of marine life in the face of global environmental challenges.