Journal
CORAL REEFS
Volume 24, Issue 4, Pages 582-592Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00338-005-0029-x
Keywords
high-latitude; marginal; chlorophyll a; nutrients; coral community; Gulf of California
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Non-framework building high-latitude coral communities have recently received increased attention as a result of their potential to act as refugia during global change, as proxies for such change and for testing the environmental tolerance limits of various species of coral. In this study, we report on high-resolution in situ measured environmental factors influencing the development of monospecific (Porites panamensis) non-framework building coral communities and the resulting coral-derived carbonate sediment production in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico (Bahia de Los Angeles, 29 degrees N, 113 degrees E). Half-hourly measurements of temperature and chlorophyll a (a nutrient proxy) for a 1-year period indicate temperature extremes ranging from 14 degrees C to 30 degrees C, and average chlorophyll a values of 2.2 mg Chl a/m(3) (eutrophic). Even though P. panamensis only occur as small massive and encrusting colonies, they nonetheless show a significant carbonate sediment production potential (0.14 kg CaCO3/m(2)/year). A calculation of carbonate production rates vs amount of coral found in the sediment shows that this high-latitude community must have persisted for an extended period of time.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available