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Growth Rings: Annual Periodicity in Two Gorgonian Corals
Author(s) -
Grigg Richard W.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1934424
Subject(s) - gorgonian , growth rate , biology , ecology , annual growth % , coral , zoology , botany , mathematics , geometry
Comparison of the number of growth rings present in the skeletons of colonies of two gorgonian corals, Muricea californica and M. fruticosa, with estimates of their age based on observed growth rates indicates that the periodicity of ring formation is annual. Data from two other methods used to determine periodicity support this conclusion. The results indicate that the observed growth of these gorgonians decreases constantly as a function of height. Height—age equations are derived for both species. Because the growth rate of both species was found to be variable, counting the rings to estimate age is more accurate than methods based on growth rates.