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Corals sustain growth but not skeletal density across the Florida Keys Reef Tract despite ongoing warming
Author(s) -
Rippe John P.,
Baumann Justin H.,
De Leener Daphne N.,
Aichelman Hannah E.,
Friedlander Eric B.,
Davies Sarah W.,
Castillo Karl D.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1111/gcb.14422
Subject(s) - reef , ocean acidification , ecology , coral reef , effects of global warming on oceans , oceanography , biology , subtropics , climate change , geography , global warming , geology
Abstract Through the continuous growth of their carbonate skeletons, corals record information about past environmental conditions and their effect on colony fitness. Here, we characterize century‐scale growth records of inner and outer reef corals across ~200 km of the Florida Keys Reef Tract (FKRT) using skeletal cores extracted from two ubiquitous reef‐building species, Siderastrea siderea and Pseudodiploria strigosa . We find that corals across the FKRT have sustained extension and calcification rates over the past century but have experienced a long‐term reduction in skeletal density, regardless of reef zone. Notably, P. strigosa colonies exhibit temporary reef zone‐dependent reductions in extension rate corresponding to two known extreme temperature events in 1969–1970 and 1997–1998. We propose that the subtropical climate of the FKRT may buffer corals from chronic growth declines associated with climate warming, though the significant reduction in skeletal density may indicate underlying vulnerability to present and future trends in ocean acidification.