Hermatypic Coral Growth Banding as Environmental Recorder

Authors

Richard E. Dodge, Yale UniversityFollow
J. Rimas Vaisnys, Yale University

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

12-25-1975

Keywords

Coral reefs, Environmental monitoring

Abstract

Study of incremental banding in coral skeletons was initiated by Ma and later extended by Wells and others. More recently, discrete annual banding in the skeletons of certain hermatypic corals has been described. Here we present an analysis of annual band width measurements from Bermuda corals which relates, through regression techniques, coral band time series to air temperature and air pressure variations. Our results indicate that coral bands record important aspects of their environment and therefore become useful where reconstruction of palaeoclimatic variables is of interest. Specifically the coral time series may be used as a palaeotemperature indicator or, when coupled with relatively well established palaeotemperatures, for palaeobarometric pressure determinations. Derived series of otherwise unobtainable palaeovariables are important not only for work on coral physiology, but also for construction and testing of climatic models; in this later instance information on palaeopressure is particularly desirable.

DOI

10.1038/258706a0

Volume

258

Issue

5537

First Page

706

Last Page

708

Comments

©1975 Nature Publishing Group

NSUWorks Citation

Dodge, Richard Eugene, and J. Rimas Vaisnys. 1975. "Hermatypic coral growth banding as environmental recorder." Nature no. 258 (5537):706-708.