Annual density banding in massive coral skeletons: result of growth strategies to inhabit reefs with high microborers’ activity? |
| |
Authors: | J P Carricart-Ganivet |
| |
Institution: | (1) El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Apdo. Postal 424, Chetumal, Q. Roo, 77000, Mexico |
| |
Abstract: | Porites and Montastraea are the major reef-building massive coral genera in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic oceans, respectively. They are also the
most commonly used genera in sclerochronological studies. Despite the marked differences in the way these genera use calcareous
material to construct their skeletons (growth strategies) and in their skeletal architectural structure, they form annual
high and low density bands in their skeletons, that result from the positive relationship of coral calcification rate with
sea surface temperature and seasonal changes of the latter. Evidence in the literature suggests that the different growth
strategies allow these organisms to construct denser skeletons far from terrigenous inputs, on reefs where microborers’ activity
is high. It seems quite probable that this has consequences for the evolution, diversity, distribution and abundance of reef
corals. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|