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Biological forcing controls the chemistry of reef‐building coral skeleton
Author(s) -
Meibom Anders,
Mostefaoui Smail,
Cuif JeanPierre,
Dauphin Yannicke,
Houlbreque Fanny,
Dunbar Robert,
Constantz Brent
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl028657
Subject(s) - aragonite , stylophora pistillata , trace element , reef , porites , skeleton (computer programming) , uncorrelated , forcing (mathematics) , coral , geology , mineralogy , oceanography , chemistry , geochemistry , atmospheric sciences , calcite , biology , statistics , mathematics , anatomy
We present analyses of major elements C and Ca and trace elements N, S, Mg and Sr in a Porites sp. exoskeleton with a spatial resolution better than ∼150 nm. Trace element variations are evaluated directly against the ultra‐structure of the skeleton and are ascribed to dynamic biological forcing. Individual growth layers in the bulk fibrous aragonite skeleton form on sub‐daily timescales. Magnesium concentration variations are dramatically correlated with the growth layers, but are uncorrelated with Sr concentration variations. Observed (sub)seasonal relationships between water temperature and skeletal trace‐element chemistry are secondary, mediated by sensitive biological processes to which classical thermodynamic formalism does not apply.