11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

Poster Mini-Symposium 4: Coral Reef Organisms as Recorders of Local and Global Environmental Change
4.75
Variability Of Coral Skeletal Tin, Copper, Zinc, And Cadmium in Porites Lobata
Corals From Kona, Hawaii
Michael COLELLA 1 , Jamie WARD 1 , Sarah C. GRAY* 1 , Geoff DALY 1,2
1 Marine Science and Environmental Studies, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA,
2 Merkel & Associates, Inc., San Diego
Coral skeletal Cu, Zn, Sn, and Cd concentrations were measured along multiple transects
(1992-1998) in coral colonies collected from two sites on the west coast of Hawaii: a
moderately "anthropogenically impacted" site (Keauhou Bay) and a "control" site
(Makalawena). Metal concentrations were compared between skeletal transects from the
same colony (intra-colony variability), between different colonies from the same location
(inter-colony variability), and between coral colonies from the two locations (site-site
variability).
Cu and Zn concentrations ranged from 0.3 ppm to 7.5 ppm, and 0.1 ppm to 2.5 ppm,
respectively and mean Cu and Zn concentrations were found to be significantly higher in
corals from the impacted site compared to the control site. Possible sources of Cu and Zn
in Keauhou Bay include anti-fouling boat paints and golf course fertilizers, which are not
present at Makalawena. Mean coral skeletal Sn concentrations (non-lattice bound) from
the Hawaii corals (0.19 +/- 0.25 µmol Sn/mol Ca; range: below detection to 1.75 µmol
Sn/mol Ca) were comparable in concentration to those measured in other studies.
Significant differences in median tin concentrations within (intra-colony variability) and
between (inter-colony variability) colonies were found. The pattern of variability in tin
concentrations across a single colony may be related to a colonies size and shape. The
mean lattice-bound cadmium concentrations measured (5.81 +/- 9.78 nmol Cd/mol Ca)
were comparable to natural background Cd concentrations measured in open ocean corals
from the Galapagos (1-8 nmol Cd/mol Ca). Mean cadmium concentrations were
significantly different within a coral (i.e. between transects) and the general temporal
patterns in cadmium concentration could not be consistently replicated across a colony.
The large intra-colony variability in Sn and Cd prevented the detection of a significant
difference in mean Sn or Cd concentrations between the impacted and control sites.
4.76
Sclerosponge Skeletal Growth Band As A Proxy Of Ocean Surface Environmental
Change
Tamotsu OOMORI* 1 , Mutsumi MORI 2 , Eri HIROSAWA 2 , Miyo IKEDA 2 , Hiroyuki
FUJIMURA 2 , Takuro NOGUCHI 2 , Yoshihito OHTSUKA 3 , Michinari HATTORI 4 ,
Yuichi TAKAKU 3
1 University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa-prefecture, Japan, 2 University of the Ryukyus, 1-
Nishiharacho, Japan, 3 Institute for Environmental Sciences, Rokkasho, Japan, 4 Institute
for Environmental Sciences, okkasho, Japan
Growth band of carbonate skeletons of marine organisms is considered as a suitable
proxy of environmental change. Sclerosponge Acanthochaetetes wellsi survives at dark
area in tropical-subtropical shallow ocean such as under water caves and forms skeletal
growth band of Mg-rich calcite with growth rate of 0.4-1.2 mm/year(Oomori et.al., 1998)
. Sclerosponge samples were collected from the underwater caves at Miyakojima in 2000
and studied on the possible new indicator of marine environmental change in decades.
Skeletal samples were cut into thin plates with ca.5mm thickness and subjected to X-ray
densitometry to observe the growth band, then cut into small stabs along with the growth
band of skeletons. Powdered samples were subjected to mineral composition(XRD) ,
heavy metal element composition(ICP-MS) and isotope analysis of plutonium
239Pu/240Pu (HR-ICP-MS). Variation of Mg content of skeletons along the growth
band were measured by EPMA.
Several advantages of sclerosponge growth band as a proxy of environmental change will
be discussed in this paper. Acanthochaetetes wellsi enriches Mg, Pb and Pu and etc. in
its skeleton. Mg/Ca ratio of Mg-rich calcite skeleton measured by EPMA showed a
periodical variation which may correspond to temperature fluctuation in seawater.
Contents of 239Pu and 240Pu in the growth band are high in the interior and decreased
exponentially towards the surface, 0.78468 - 0.042925 pg/g and 0.175686-0.007298 pg/g,
respectively, which corresponds to the year range 1960 to 2000. 240Pu/239Pu
concentration ratio ranged from 0.2239-0.2088 at the interior (1964 to 1994), which is
comparable to the bottom surface sediment of East China Sea and Okinawa Trough
(0.21-0.26) to 0.1700 (1995 to 2000) which is similar to global fallout ratio (0.18: Kelly
et al., 1999). Comparative study of 239Pu and 240Pu and 240Pu/239Pu ratio in coral
growth band also carried on Porites sp. which corresponds to 1952-1981.
4.77
Rare Species As Bio-Indicators Of Environmental Thermal Stress: Clues From A Small
Coral
Andrei SALCEDO-GREBECHOV 1 , Alberto ACOSTA* 2
1 Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia, 2 Biology, Pontificia Universidad
Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia
It has been considered a priority to know the present and future status of populations of rare
species because they occupy very specific habitats, and they demonstrate low tolerance to
continuous stressors (i.e. global change, ENSO- thermal stress) which make them extremely
vulnerable. Hence, a population of the coral Manicina areolata was monitored in the San
Andres Island (Colombian Caribbean) during three years (2005-2007). Abundance and size of
live and dead (bleached) colonies were surveyed. During low intensity and moderate frequency
of ENSO sequential events, the population showed a 72% mortality (87/311 colonies) and
significant differences in size-structure due to increased mortality and absence of recruitment.
Fecundity showed a normal distribution pattern when compared to size. Size-based matrices
were constructed and 5 simulations (~10 years) were carried out emulating diverse, possible
future ENSO disturbance scenarios: 1. High intensity (assuming 85% mortality for all size
classes in the matrix); 2. Moderate intensity (assuming 80% mortality); 3. Low intensity (matrix
based on our monitoring period); 4. 40% decrease in fecundity; 5. Ideal scenario (zero mortality
and reproduction). All simulations, except the latter, agree with the local extinction of M.
areolata in 8,2+/-4,7 years (λ