Comment on G. Wansard & F. Mezquita, the response of ostracode shell chemistry to seasonal change in a Mediterranean freshwater spring environment

In a study of the minor element chemistry of ostracode shells, Wansard and Mezquita (2001) concluded that the Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca of the ambient water controlled the respective ratios in ostracode calcite. Contrary to their conclusion that minor element chemistry is not influenced by temperature, we find a very strong statistical correlation (r = 0.97) between temperature and shell chemistry in their data. This discrepancy apparently arises due to their use of a partition coefficient model of shell chemistry that masks a number of strong correlations in their data. We argue here that the partition coefficient model is not appropriate for this biologically mediated carbonate, and that a broader range of possible controls on shell chemistry needs to be tested.