Skeletal Structural Basis of Density Banding in the Reef Coral Montastrea Annularis

Event Name/Location

Proceedings of the 7th International Coral Reef Symposium

Presentation Date

1993

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Presenters / Authors

Richard E. Dodge, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Alina Szmant-Froelich, University of Miami / RSMASFollow
R. Garcia, Nova Southeastern University
Peter K. Swart, University of Miami / RSMASFollow
A. Forester, Nova Southeastern University
J. J. Leder, University of Miami / RSMAS

Keywords

ICRS7, Sclerochronology, Skeleton, Density bands, Growth

Description

Density banding in coral skeletons can provide for reconstruction of the coral's growth en- vironment over long periods. The physical differ- ences between low and high density portions of a skeletal band are not well understood. The skeletal architecture of M. annularis from Southeast Flor- ida, the Florida Keys, St. Croix, the Bahamas, and Mexico was compared in X-ray revealed high den- sity (HD), low density (LD), and stress HD bands. Density changes arose from differences in the size, but not spacing, of exothecal structural elements (horizontal dissepiments and vertical costae). En- dothecal architecture size (e.g., columella, dissepi- ments, septa) was relatively constant between den- sity band types. Results have implications for studies of coral growth, sclerochronology, and iso- topic/trace element composition.

Comments

all conference proceedings can be found at http://www.reefbase.org

Additional Comments

ISSN: 0272-2615

Volume 1, pg. 186-195

NSUWorks Citation

Dodge, Richard E.; Szmant-Froelich, Alina; Garcia, R.; Swart, Peter K.; Forester, A.; and Leder, J. J., "Skeletal Structural Basis of Density Banding in the Reef Coral Montastrea Annularis" (1993). Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures. 38.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facpresentations/38