Barium to calcium （Ba/Ca） ratio in corals has been considered as a useful geochemical proxy for upwelling,river flood and other oceanic processes.However,recent studies indicated that additional environmental or bio...Barium to calcium （Ba/Ca） ratio in corals has been considered as a useful geochemical proxy for upwelling,river flood and other oceanic processes.However,recent studies indicated that additional environmental or biological factors can influence the incorporation of Ba into coral skeletons.In this study,Ba/Ca ratios of two Porites corals collected from Daya Bay,northern South China Sea were analyzed.Ba/Ca signals in the two corals were ‘anomalous’ in comparison with Ba behaviors seen in other near-shore corals influenced by upwelling or riverine runoff.Our Ba/Ca profiles displayed similar and remarkable patterns characterized by low and randomly fluctuating background signals periodically interrupted by sharp and large synchronous peaks,clearly indicating an environmental forcing.Further analysis indicated that the Ba/Ca profiles were not correlated with previously claimed environmental factors such as precipitation,coastal upwelling,anthropogenic activities or phytoplankton blooms in other areas.The maxima of Ba/Ca appeared to occur in the period of Sr/Ca maxima,coinciding with the winter minimum temperatures,which suggests that the anomalous high Ba/Ca signals were related to winter-time low sea surface temperature.We speculated that the Ba/Ca peaks in corals of the Daya Bay were most likely the results of enrichment of Ba-rich particles in their skeletons when coral polyps retracted under the stresses of anomalous winter low temperatures.In this case,Ba/Ca ratio in relatively high-latitude corals can be a potential proxy for tracing the low temperature stress.展开更多
The time series of annual and seasonal growth rate of two coral Porites, collected at different sites of fringe reef in the Sanya Bay, Hainan Island have been obtained by analyzing X-radiograph of skeletal band. There...The time series of annual and seasonal growth rate of two coral Porites, collected at different sites of fringe reef in the Sanya Bay, Hainan Island have been obtained by analyzing X-radiograph of skeletal band. There are obvious seasonal variations of the growth rate in two corals, the average low rate in winter and the average high rate from spring to autumn. Compared with the time series of environmental variables, the coral growth rate is only correlated statistically with seawater temperature and not related to rainfall and sunshine. Furthermore, the growth rate in spring and summer is correlated directly with seawater temperature of the winter-early spring ( between December and March ) and the other seasonal growth rate has no relationship with seasonal variations of seawater temperature. We propose that seawater temperature is one of the factors affecting the coral growth rate in the area and the low seawater temperature is a primary control of the seasonal growth rate.展开更多
Annual skeletal extension rates of the sclera-actinian corals Porites species were investigated in 32 colonies from the northern Gulf of Aqaba fringing reef at various depths (1 - 42 m). All corals reveal clear and re...Annual skeletal extension rates of the sclera-actinian corals Porites species were investigated in 32 colonies from the northern Gulf of Aqaba fringing reef at various depths (1 - 42 m). All corals reveal clear and regular skeletal density banding patterns. Results showed that the high-density annual growth bands were formed during winter and the low-density annual growth bands during summer. The mean annual extension rates of the studied corals reveal a large inter-colony variability with values ranged between 2.36 to 20.0 mm/year. While a general trend of decreasing coral extension rate with depth was observed and best explained by a simple exponential model, the rates clustered into two groups: 10.86 ± 2.54 mm/year in water depths less than 10 m, and 5.23 ± 1.99 mm/year below 12 m. Light intensity seems to be the primary environmental factor responsible for decreasing coral extension rate with depth since the effect of other environmental parameters could be neglected from the Gulf of Aqaba. Time series record of the mean annual coral extension rate showed a slight increasing linear trend which could be linked to increase seawater temperature over the period of time represented.展开更多
Coral bleaching has generally been recognized as the main reason for tropical coral reef degradation, but there are few long-term records of coral bleaching events. In this study, trace metals including chromium(Cr), ...Coral bleaching has generally been recognized as the main reason for tropical coral reef degradation, but there are few long-term records of coral bleaching events. In this study, trace metals including chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), molybdenum(Mo), manganese(Mn), lead(Pb), tin(Sn), titanium(Ti), vanadium(V), and yttrium(Y), were analyzed in two Porites corals collected from Meiji Reef in the tropical South China Sea(SCS) to assess differences in trace metal concentrations in bleached compared with unbleached coral growth bands. Ti, V, Cr, and Mo generally showed irregular fluctuations in both corals. Bleached layers contained high concentrations of Mn, Cu, Sn, and Pb. Unbleached layers showed moderately high concentrations of Mn and Cu only. The different distribution of trace metals in Porites may be attributable to different selectivity on the basis of vital utility or toxicity. Ti, V, Cr, and Mo are discriminated against by both coral polyps and zooxanthellae, but Mn, Cu, Sn, and Pb are accumulated by zooxanthellae and only Mn and Cu are accumulated by polyps as essential elements. The marked increase in Cu, Mn, Pb, and Sn are associated with bleaching processes, including mucus secretion, tissue retraction, and zooxanthellae expulsion and occlusion. Variation in these trace elements within the coral skeleton can be used as potential tracers of short-lived bleaching events.展开更多
In this study, we assess coral health by detecting the severity of coral diseases and compromised health states on massive Porites. Field surveys are conducted at twenty-two sites covering the eastern, inner and weste...In this study, we assess coral health by detecting the severity of coral diseases and compromised health states on massive Porites. Field surveys are conducted at twenty-two sites covering the eastern, inner and western Gulf of Thailand as well as the Andaman Sea during 2010–2015. A total of nine coral diseases and signs of compromised health are observed in the waters of Thailand, consisting of pigmentation responses(pink lines, pink patches,pink spots and pink borers), white syndromes(white patches, white bands and ulcerative white spots), growth anomalies, and unusual bleaching patterns. The highest severity of all observed coral diseases and signs of compromised health are found at Ko Khang Khao in the inner Gulf of Thailand, while that observed in the Andaman Sea is relatively low. Composition of the diseases vary across the study sites. Four groups of study sites,in which there is an 80% similarity of diseases or signs of compromised health composition, are clustered and detected based on the Bray-Curtis similarity. The canonical analysis of principal coordinates reveal that most study sites in the Gulf of Thailand, especially the inner Gulf of Thailand, tend to show a high severity of the diseases. The association of disease severity and composition and the level of human impact are also detected.The study sites located near the shores and/or the areas with intensive tourism tend to have higher human impact, especially on poor water quality, which may be linked to the higher severity and composition of coral diseases and signs of compromised health in the Gulf of Thailand. Fish bites are also observed in many study sites.The severity of fish bites in the Gulf of Thailand is much lower compared to the Andaman Sea. Ko Rawi exhibits the highest severity, following by Ko Surin Nua and Ko Butang. The study sites within marine national park boundaries have a significantly higher severity of fish bites than those outside of the marine national park boundaries. This study suggests that higher coral diseases and signs of compromised health severity might be linked to anthropogenic disturbances on coral communities in the waters of Thailand.展开更多
Bacterial diseases affecting corals pose an enormous threat to the health of coral reefs. The relationship between certain bacterial species and coral diseases remain largely unknown. Pigment abnormalities are common ...Bacterial diseases affecting corals pose an enormous threat to the health of coral reefs. The relationship between certain bacterial species and coral diseases remain largely unknown. Pigment abnormalities are common in Porites lutea. Here we used Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the bacterial communities associated with healthy P. lutea and P. lutea with pigment abnormalities. We observed an increase of alpha diversity of the bacterial community of P. lutea with pigment abnormalities, relative to healthy corals. We then identified changes in the abundance of individual operational taxonomic units(OTUs) between pigmented and healthy corals. We were able to identify eight OTUs associated with pigment abnormalities, which are possibly the causative agents of pigment abnormalities.展开更多
Marginal scleractinian corals growing at their latitudinal limits should be quite sensitive to variations in winter sea surface temperatures(SSTs). An extreme cold event occurring in early 2008 offered a unique opport...Marginal scleractinian corals growing at their latitudinal limits should be quite sensitive to variations in winter sea surface temperatures(SSTs). An extreme cold event occurring in early 2008 offered a unique opportunity to examine the effect of cold-water anomalies on Porites lutea corals and their physiological tolerance and acclimation in the subtropical northern South China Sea(NSCS). Besides in-situ observation, a subsequent aquarium-based experiment was designed for reproducing the chilling process and a 50-year-long Sr/Ca ratio profile from two P. lutea skeletal slabs was analyzed for reconstructed the historical annual minimum SSTs which ceased Porites calcification. The 2008 low-temperature anomaly caused the minimum daily mean SSTs dropped below 13°C in the Daya Bay. The stress symptoms displayed by local P. lutea colonies included polyp retraction, reduced coloration and pale, but none showed tissue sloughing. The ability of P. lutea to survive implied its tolerance of extreme low temperatures. Here we suggest a model on the tolerance of high-latitude Porites under low-temperature stresses, which is when SSTs drop below 18°C, Porites corals contract their tentacles(losing heterotrophic capability), then cease calcification(reducing energy consumption), and meanwhile maintain relatively high levels of zooxanthellae density(sustaining host’s life via photosynthetic capacity of symbiotic zooxanthellae). This study revealed remarkable acclimatization of P. lutea corals to low temperature extremes. This acclimatization is beneficial for Porites corals in the NSCS to expand their living ranges towards the higher-latitude areas and have the potential to be the incipient reef former.展开更多
A Porites lutea core from Yongshu Reef of Nansha Islands covering 50 years growth history was ana-ly/ed for oxygen isotopic composition with monthly and seasonally resolution. The calibration of the δ18O with the ins...A Porites lutea core from Yongshu Reef of Nansha Islands covering 50 years growth history was ana-ly/ed for oxygen isotopic composition with monthly and seasonally resolution. The calibration of the δ18O with the instrumental temperature indicated that the coral δ18O is a good indicator for sea surface temperature (SST) and air temperature (t). It can be used to reconstruct the SST and air temperature of the Yongshu Reef sea area. In addition, the coral δ18O provides signatures for the intensity of the East Asia monsoon and it is a record for the activities of El Nino events. With the calibrated SST and air temperature formulas, the most recent fifty years SST and air temperature were reconstructed based on the coral δ18O, thus back up the understanding of the climate of Nansha Islands to 1950. far beyond the limit of the instrumental recording since September 1988. It was found that, in general, increasing 1℃ air temperature results in 0.24‰decrease in skeletal δ18O.展开更多
Rising atmospheric CO2 and warming of the global climate that have occurred since the industrial revolution are regarded as fatal threats to coral reefs. We analyzed the skeletal calcification rate of 14 massive Porit...Rising atmospheric CO2 and warming of the global climate that have occurred since the industrial revolution are regarded as fatal threats to coral reefs. We analyzed the skeletal calcification rate of 14 massive Porites corals from the Meiji Reef in the southern South China Sea through X-ray photography of coral skeletons. A general pattern of change in coral skeletal calcifi- cation was determined. The change pattern of coral calcification on the Meiji Reef over the past two centuries can be divided into five periods： calcification increase in 1770-1830, 1870-1920, and 1980-2000 and calcification decline in 1830-1870 and 1920-1980. Over the past two centuries, the largest increase in calcification was 4.5%, occurring in 1770-1830, whereas the largest decline in calcification was 6.2%, occurring in 1920-1980. Coral calcification slightly increased in the recent 20 years （1980-2000）. The response relationship of coral calcification to atmospheric CO2 and sea surface temperature （SST） shows that calcification was not correlated with atmospheric CO2 but responded nonlinearly to SST with maxima at ~27.2~C in 1900-2000. On the Meiji Reef, increasing atmospheric CO2 had a negligible effect on coral growth in the past century. How- ever, rising SST improved coral growth in the early and middle 20th century, and restricted coral growth in the recent 20 years.展开更多
High resolution Mg/Ca ratios in the skeleton of a Porites lutea from the coastal area in the North of the South China Sea were precisely analyzed by ICP-MS. Compared with the instrument measured SST records, the Mg/Ca...High resolution Mg/Ca ratios in the skeleton of a Porites lutea from the coastal area in the North of the South China Sea were precisely analyzed by ICP-MS. Compared with the instrument measured SST records, the Mg/Ca ratios strongly correlate with the SSTs, even in time of 1982/83 EI N(?)io. Therefore, a coral Mg/Ca thermometer for the North of the South China Sea was established.Based on ICP-MS technique it can report sea surface temperatures to an accuracy of±0.5℃.展开更多
High-resolution sea-level data and high-precision dating of corals in the northern South China Sea(SCS)during the Holocene provide a reference and historical background for current and future sea-level changes and a b...High-resolution sea-level data and high-precision dating of corals in the northern South China Sea(SCS)during the Holocene provide a reference and historical background for current and future sea-level changes and a basis for scientific assessment of the evolutionary trend of coral reefs in the SCS.Although sporadic studies have been performed around Hainan Island in the northern SCS,the reconstructed sea level presents different values or is controversial because the indicative meaning of the sea-level indicators were neither quantified nor uniform criteria.Here,we determined the quantitative relationship between modern living coral and sea level by measuring the top surfaces of 27 live Porites corals from the inner reef flat along the east coast of Hainan Island and assessed the accuracy of results obtained using coral as sea-level indicators.Additionally,three in situ fossil Porites corals were analyzed based on elevation measurements,digital X-ray radiography,and U-Th dating.The survey results showed that the indicative meanings for the modern live Porites corals is(146.09±8.35)cm below the mean tide level(MTL).It suggested that their upward growth limit is constrained by the sea level,and the lowest low water is the highest level of survival for the modern live Porites corals.Based on the newly defined indicative meanings,6 new sea-level index points(SLIPs)were obtained and 19 published SLIPs were recalculated.Those SLIPs indicated a relative sea level fluctuation between(227.7±9.8)cm to(154.88±9.8)cm MTL between(5393±25)cal a BP and(3390±12)cal a BP,providing evidences of the Mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the northern SCS.Besides that,our analysis demonstrated that different sea-level histories may be produced based on different indicative meanings or criteria.The dataset of 276 coral U-Th ages indicates that coral reef development in the northern SCS comprised the initial development,boom growth,decline,and flourishing development again.A comparison with regional records indicated that synergistic effects of climatic and environmental factors were involved in the development of coral reefs in the northern SCS.Thus,the cessation of coral reef development during the Holocene in the northern SCS was probably associated with the dry and cold climate in South China,as reflected in the synchronous weakening of the ENSO and East Asian summer monsoon induced by the reduction of the 65°N summer insolation,which forced the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone.展开更多
Sea surface temperature （SST） proxies including B/Ca, Mg/Ca, St/Ca, U/Ca and δ180 were analyzed in the skeleton of a Porites coral collected from the Zhujiang River （Pearl River） Estuary （ZRE）. These geochemica...Sea surface temperature （SST） proxies including B/Ca, Mg/Ca, St/Ca, U/Ca and δ180 were analyzed in the skeleton of a Porites coral collected from the Zhujiang River （Pearl River） Estuary （ZRE）. These geochemical proxies are influenced by river runoff and this area of the northern South China Sea is strongly affected by seasonal freshwater floods. We assessed the robustness of each SST proxy through comparison with the local instrumental SST. Coral St/Ca shows the highest correlation with SST variations （r2=0.59）, suggesting St/Ca is the most robust SST proxy. In contrast, coral δ180 （r2=0.46）, B/Ca （r2=0.43） and U/Ca （r2=0.41） ratios were only moderately correlated with SST variations, suggesting that they are disturbed by some other factors in addition to SST. The poor correlation （r2=0.27） between SST and Mg/Ca indicates that Mg/Ca in coral skeletons is not a simple function of SST variations. This may ultimately limit the use of Mg/Ca as a coral paleothermometer.展开更多
Geochemical ratios in coral reef skeletons could be used as proxies to reconstruct past climatological and environmental records in data-poor regions. Using a 103-year data set(1902 to 2005), the annual variations in ...Geochemical ratios in coral reef skeletons could be used as proxies to reconstruct past climatological and environmental records in data-poor regions. Using a 103-year data set(1902 to 2005), the annual variations in Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios of Porites lutea skeletons at an eastern offshore area of Hainan Island(19?12'28.4''N, 110?37'38.8''E) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectrometry(ICP-OES). The analysis results showed that Ba/Ca ratios varied from a minimum of 3.120 μmol mol^(-1) in 1903 to a maximum of 10.064 μmol mol^(-1) in 1944, with an average of 5.256 μmol mol^(-1). Mn/Ca ratios varied from 0.206 to 5.708 μmol mol^(-1) with an annual average of 1.234 μmol mol^(-1), with peak values in 2001, 1964 and 1932, that correlated with strong rainfall events caused by typhoons. Variation in Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios were compared with available river discharge and precipitation records, providing insight into past climatological events. Human activities and their indirect effects could impact the strength of the relationship between Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios and observed precipitation and terrestrial input in the future.展开更多
基金supported by the "Strategic Priority Research Program" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.XDA05080300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40830852,41025007,41106054)+1 种基金the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No.2007CB815905,2010CB950101)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.SQ201009)
文摘Barium to calcium （Ba/Ca） ratio in corals has been considered as a useful geochemical proxy for upwelling,river flood and other oceanic processes.However,recent studies indicated that additional environmental or biological factors can influence the incorporation of Ba into coral skeletons.In this study,Ba/Ca ratios of two Porites corals collected from Daya Bay,northern South China Sea were analyzed.Ba/Ca signals in the two corals were ‘anomalous’ in comparison with Ba behaviors seen in other near-shore corals influenced by upwelling or riverine runoff.Our Ba/Ca profiles displayed similar and remarkable patterns characterized by low and randomly fluctuating background signals periodically interrupted by sharp and large synchronous peaks,clearly indicating an environmental forcing.Further analysis indicated that the Ba/Ca profiles were not correlated with previously claimed environmental factors such as precipitation,coastal upwelling,anthropogenic activities or phytoplankton blooms in other areas.The maxima of Ba/Ca appeared to occur in the period of Sr/Ca maxima,coinciding with the winter minimum temperatures,which suggests that the anomalous high Ba/Ca signals were related to winter-time low sea surface temperature.We speculated that the Ba/Ca peaks in corals of the Daya Bay were most likely the results of enrichment of Ba-rich particles in their skeletons when coral polyps retracted under the stresses of anomalous winter low temperatures.In this case,Ba/Ca ratio in relatively high-latitude corals can be a potential proxy for tracing the low temperature stress.
基金funded by NSFC grant(No.49976015)grant of State Key Laboratory ot Loess and Quaternary Geology,Institute of Earth Environment,CAS(No.SKLLQG0203).
文摘The time series of annual and seasonal growth rate of two coral Porites, collected at different sites of fringe reef in the Sanya Bay, Hainan Island have been obtained by analyzing X-radiograph of skeletal band. There are obvious seasonal variations of the growth rate in two corals, the average low rate in winter and the average high rate from spring to autumn. Compared with the time series of environmental variables, the coral growth rate is only correlated statistically with seawater temperature and not related to rainfall and sunshine. Furthermore, the growth rate in spring and summer is correlated directly with seawater temperature of the winter-early spring ( between December and March ) and the other seasonal growth rate has no relationship with seasonal variations of seawater temperature. We propose that seawater temperature is one of the factors affecting the coral growth rate in the area and the low seawater temperature is a primary control of the seasonal growth rate.
文摘Annual skeletal extension rates of the sclera-actinian corals Porites species were investigated in 32 colonies from the northern Gulf of Aqaba fringing reef at various depths (1 - 42 m). All corals reveal clear and regular skeletal density banding patterns. Results showed that the high-density annual growth bands were formed during winter and the low-density annual growth bands during summer. The mean annual extension rates of the studied corals reveal a large inter-colony variability with values ranged between 2.36 to 20.0 mm/year. While a general trend of decreasing coral extension rate with depth was observed and best explained by a simple exponential model, the rates clustered into two groups: 10.86 ± 2.54 mm/year in water depths less than 10 m, and 5.23 ± 1.99 mm/year below 12 m. Light intensity seems to be the primary environmental factor responsible for decreasing coral extension rate with depth since the effect of other environmental parameters could be neglected from the Gulf of Aqaba. Time series record of the mean annual coral extension rate showed a slight increasing linear trend which could be linked to increase seawater temperature over the period of time represented.
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program)(No.2013CB956103)the National Science Foundation of China(Nos.41306109,41476038)
文摘Coral bleaching has generally been recognized as the main reason for tropical coral reef degradation, but there are few long-term records of coral bleaching events. In this study, trace metals including chromium(Cr), copper(Cu), molybdenum(Mo), manganese(Mn), lead(Pb), tin(Sn), titanium(Ti), vanadium(V), and yttrium(Y), were analyzed in two Porites corals collected from Meiji Reef in the tropical South China Sea(SCS) to assess differences in trace metal concentrations in bleached compared with unbleached coral growth bands. Ti, V, Cr, and Mo generally showed irregular fluctuations in both corals. Bleached layers contained high concentrations of Mn, Cu, Sn, and Pb. Unbleached layers showed moderately high concentrations of Mn and Cu only. The different distribution of trace metals in Porites may be attributable to different selectivity on the basis of vital utility or toxicity. Ti, V, Cr, and Mo are discriminated against by both coral polyps and zooxanthellae, but Mn, Cu, Sn, and Pb are accumulated by zooxanthellae and only Mn and Cu are accumulated by polyps as essential elements. The marked increase in Cu, Mn, Pb, and Sn are associated with bleaching processes, including mucus secretion, tissue retraction, and zooxanthellae expulsion and occlusion. Variation in these trace elements within the coral skeleton can be used as potential tracers of short-lived bleaching events.
基金The budget for research promotion from the Government of Thailand to Ramkhamhaeng University
文摘In this study, we assess coral health by detecting the severity of coral diseases and compromised health states on massive Porites. Field surveys are conducted at twenty-two sites covering the eastern, inner and western Gulf of Thailand as well as the Andaman Sea during 2010–2015. A total of nine coral diseases and signs of compromised health are observed in the waters of Thailand, consisting of pigmentation responses(pink lines, pink patches,pink spots and pink borers), white syndromes(white patches, white bands and ulcerative white spots), growth anomalies, and unusual bleaching patterns. The highest severity of all observed coral diseases and signs of compromised health are found at Ko Khang Khao in the inner Gulf of Thailand, while that observed in the Andaman Sea is relatively low. Composition of the diseases vary across the study sites. Four groups of study sites,in which there is an 80% similarity of diseases or signs of compromised health composition, are clustered and detected based on the Bray-Curtis similarity. The canonical analysis of principal coordinates reveal that most study sites in the Gulf of Thailand, especially the inner Gulf of Thailand, tend to show a high severity of the diseases. The association of disease severity and composition and the level of human impact are also detected.The study sites located near the shores and/or the areas with intensive tourism tend to have higher human impact, especially on poor water quality, which may be linked to the higher severity and composition of coral diseases and signs of compromised health in the Gulf of Thailand. Fish bites are also observed in many study sites.The severity of fish bites in the Gulf of Thailand is much lower compared to the Andaman Sea. Ko Rawi exhibits the highest severity, following by Ko Surin Nua and Ko Butang. The study sites within marine national park boundaries have a significantly higher severity of fish bites than those outside of the marine national park boundaries. This study suggests that higher coral diseases and signs of compromised health severity might be linked to anthropogenic disturbances on coral communities in the waters of Thailand.
基金The China-Indonesia Maritime Cooperation Fund Project "China-Indonesia Bitung Ecological Station Establishment"the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41506180the Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Ocean under contract No.201505009
文摘Bacterial diseases affecting corals pose an enormous threat to the health of coral reefs. The relationship between certain bacterial species and coral diseases remain largely unknown. Pigment abnormalities are common in Porites lutea. Here we used Illumina 16S rRNA gene sequencing to analyze the bacterial communities associated with healthy P. lutea and P. lutea with pigment abnormalities. We observed an increase of alpha diversity of the bacterial community of P. lutea with pigment abnormalities, relative to healthy corals. We then identified changes in the abundance of individual operational taxonomic units(OTUs) between pigmented and healthy corals. We were able to identify eight OTUs associated with pigment abnormalities, which are possibly the causative agents of pigment abnormalities.
基金The National Basic Research Program(973 Program)of China under contract Nos 2013CB956103 and 2013CB956104the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41306109,41476038 and 41676049the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS under contract No.2015284
文摘Marginal scleractinian corals growing at their latitudinal limits should be quite sensitive to variations in winter sea surface temperatures(SSTs). An extreme cold event occurring in early 2008 offered a unique opportunity to examine the effect of cold-water anomalies on Porites lutea corals and their physiological tolerance and acclimation in the subtropical northern South China Sea(NSCS). Besides in-situ observation, a subsequent aquarium-based experiment was designed for reproducing the chilling process and a 50-year-long Sr/Ca ratio profile from two P. lutea skeletal slabs was analyzed for reconstructed the historical annual minimum SSTs which ceased Porites calcification. The 2008 low-temperature anomaly caused the minimum daily mean SSTs dropped below 13°C in the Daya Bay. The stress symptoms displayed by local P. lutea colonies included polyp retraction, reduced coloration and pale, but none showed tissue sloughing. The ability of P. lutea to survive implied its tolerance of extreme low temperatures. Here we suggest a model on the tolerance of high-latitude Porites under low-temperature stresses, which is when SSTs drop below 18°C, Porites corals contract their tentacles(losing heterotrophic capability), then cease calcification(reducing energy consumption), and meanwhile maintain relatively high levels of zooxanthellae density(sustaining host’s life via photosynthetic capacity of symbiotic zooxanthellae). This study revealed remarkable acclimatization of P. lutea corals to low temperature extremes. This acclimatization is beneficial for Porites corals in the NSCS to expand their living ranges towards the higher-latitude areas and have the potential to be the incipient reef former.
基金This work was supported partially by the State Key Project of the Nineth Five-Year Plan (Grant No. 95-926-03-01) the National Natu- ral Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49902014) and the Open Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology and Paleoenvironm
文摘A Porites lutea core from Yongshu Reef of Nansha Islands covering 50 years growth history was ana-ly/ed for oxygen isotopic composition with monthly and seasonally resolution. The calibration of the δ18O with the instrumental temperature indicated that the coral δ18O is a good indicator for sea surface temperature (SST) and air temperature (t). It can be used to reconstruct the SST and air temperature of the Yongshu Reef sea area. In addition, the coral δ18O provides signatures for the intensity of the East Asia monsoon and it is a record for the activities of El Nino events. With the calibrated SST and air temperature formulas, the most recent fifty years SST and air temperature were reconstructed based on the coral δ18O, thus back up the understanding of the climate of Nansha Islands to 1950. far beyond the limit of the instrumental recording since September 1988. It was found that, in general, increasing 1℃ air temperature results in 0.24‰decrease in skeletal δ18O.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA05080300)Important Direction Project of Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-138)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40830852 and 41025007)Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology Projects (Grant Nos. 2007CB8015905 and 2006BAB19B03)
文摘Rising atmospheric CO2 and warming of the global climate that have occurred since the industrial revolution are regarded as fatal threats to coral reefs. We analyzed the skeletal calcification rate of 14 massive Porites corals from the Meiji Reef in the southern South China Sea through X-ray photography of coral skeletons. A general pattern of change in coral skeletal calcifi- cation was determined. The change pattern of coral calcification on the Meiji Reef over the past two centuries can be divided into five periods： calcification increase in 1770-1830, 1870-1920, and 1980-2000 and calcification decline in 1830-1870 and 1920-1980. Over the past two centuries, the largest increase in calcification was 4.5%, occurring in 1770-1830, whereas the largest decline in calcification was 6.2%, occurring in 1920-1980. Coral calcification slightly increased in the recent 20 years （1980-2000）. The response relationship of coral calcification to atmospheric CO2 and sea surface temperature （SST） shows that calcification was not correlated with atmospheric CO2 but responded nonlinearly to SST with maxima at ~27.2~C in 1900-2000. On the Meiji Reef, increasing atmospheric CO2 had a negligible effect on coral growth in the past century. How- ever, rising SST improved coral growth in the early and middle 20th century, and restricted coral growth in the recent 20 years.
文摘High resolution Mg/Ca ratios in the skeleton of a Porites lutea from the coastal area in the North of the South China Sea were precisely analyzed by ICP-MS. Compared with the instrument measured SST records, the Mg/Ca ratios strongly correlate with the SSTs, even in time of 1982/83 EI N(?)io. Therefore, a coral Mg/Ca thermometer for the North of the South China Sea was established.Based on ICP-MS technique it can report sea surface temperatures to an accuracy of±0.5℃.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 42366002 and 41702182the National Key R&D Program of China under contract No.2017YFA0603300the Guangxi Scientific Projects under contract No.2018GXNSFAA281293。
文摘High-resolution sea-level data and high-precision dating of corals in the northern South China Sea(SCS)during the Holocene provide a reference and historical background for current and future sea-level changes and a basis for scientific assessment of the evolutionary trend of coral reefs in the SCS.Although sporadic studies have been performed around Hainan Island in the northern SCS,the reconstructed sea level presents different values or is controversial because the indicative meaning of the sea-level indicators were neither quantified nor uniform criteria.Here,we determined the quantitative relationship between modern living coral and sea level by measuring the top surfaces of 27 live Porites corals from the inner reef flat along the east coast of Hainan Island and assessed the accuracy of results obtained using coral as sea-level indicators.Additionally,three in situ fossil Porites corals were analyzed based on elevation measurements,digital X-ray radiography,and U-Th dating.The survey results showed that the indicative meanings for the modern live Porites corals is(146.09±8.35)cm below the mean tide level(MTL).It suggested that their upward growth limit is constrained by the sea level,and the lowest low water is the highest level of survival for the modern live Porites corals.Based on the newly defined indicative meanings,6 new sea-level index points(SLIPs)were obtained and 19 published SLIPs were recalculated.Those SLIPs indicated a relative sea level fluctuation between(227.7±9.8)cm to(154.88±9.8)cm MTL between(5393±25)cal a BP and(3390±12)cal a BP,providing evidences of the Mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the northern SCS.Besides that,our analysis demonstrated that different sea-level histories may be produced based on different indicative meanings or criteria.The dataset of 276 coral U-Th ages indicates that coral reef development in the northern SCS comprised the initial development,boom growth,decline,and flourishing development again.A comparison with regional records indicated that synergistic effects of climatic and environmental factors were involved in the development of coral reefs in the northern SCS.Thus,the cessation of coral reef development during the Holocene in the northern SCS was probably associated with the dry and cold climate in South China,as reflected in the synchronous weakening of the ENSO and East Asian summer monsoon induced by the reduction of the 65°N summer insolation,which forced the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone.
基金The National Basic Research Program(973 program) of China under contract No.2013CB956104the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41106054,41306109 and 41476038
文摘Sea surface temperature （SST） proxies including B/Ca, Mg/Ca, St/Ca, U/Ca and δ180 were analyzed in the skeleton of a Porites coral collected from the Zhujiang River （Pearl River） Estuary （ZRE）. These geochemical proxies are influenced by river runoff and this area of the northern South China Sea is strongly affected by seasonal freshwater floods. We assessed the robustness of each SST proxy through comparison with the local instrumental SST. Coral St/Ca shows the highest correlation with SST variations （r2=0.59）, suggesting St/Ca is the most robust SST proxy. In contrast, coral δ180 （r2=0.46）, B/Ca （r2=0.43） and U/Ca （r2=0.41） ratios were only moderately correlated with SST variations, suggesting that they are disturbed by some other factors in addition to SST. The poor correlation （r2=0.27） between SST and Mg/Ca indicates that Mg/Ca in coral skeletons is not a simple function of SST variations. This may ultimately limit the use of Mg/Ca as a coral paleothermometer.
基金supported by the National Ocean Welfare Research Funds of State Ocean Administration (No.201105012)
文摘Geochemical ratios in coral reef skeletons could be used as proxies to reconstruct past climatological and environmental records in data-poor regions. Using a 103-year data set(1902 to 2005), the annual variations in Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios of Porites lutea skeletons at an eastern offshore area of Hainan Island(19?12'28.4''N, 110?37'38.8''E) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectrometry(ICP-OES). The analysis results showed that Ba/Ca ratios varied from a minimum of 3.120 μmol mol^(-1) in 1903 to a maximum of 10.064 μmol mol^(-1) in 1944, with an average of 5.256 μmol mol^(-1). Mn/Ca ratios varied from 0.206 to 5.708 μmol mol^(-1) with an annual average of 1.234 μmol mol^(-1), with peak values in 2001, 1964 and 1932, that correlated with strong rainfall events caused by typhoons. Variation in Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios were compared with available river discharge and precipitation records, providing insight into past climatological events. Human activities and their indirect effects could impact the strength of the relationship between Ba/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios and observed precipitation and terrestrial input in the future.
