Quantification of skeletal density in corals using gamma densitometry: a pilot project

该试验项目有两个目标，包括（1）技术开发先进的伽马密度测量装置，用于量化石珊瑚的密度变化，以及（2）首次分析选定分类群和各种环境的珊瑚芯板，以评估环境参数的影响（温度、盐度、降水量、浊度）和繁殖对珊瑚骨骼发育的影响（延伸、密度、钙化）。几个属的珊瑚样本材料（重点是Montastraea，Porites）可用，可用于本项目。所获得的关于密度变化以及扩展和钙化率的数据将与现有的环境代用数据和仪器气候数据进行比较。鉴于全球变化、温度上升和海洋酸化，珊瑚等海洋无脊椎动物骨骼和贝壳密度的长期数据对于纯科学和社会经济原因都具有重要意义。密度测定装置将用于未来更全面的硬化年代学项目。

This pilot project has two objectives including (1) the technical development of an advanced gamma densitometry set-up for the quantification of density variation in scleractinian corals, and (2) first analyses of coral core slabs from selected taxa and a variety of environments in order to evaluate the influence of environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, precipitation, turbidity) and reproduction on coral skeleton development (extension, density, calcification). Coral sample material from several genera (with a focus on Montastraea, Porites) are available and may be used in this project. Aquired data on density variation in combination with extension and calcification rates will be compared to existing environmental proxy data and instrumental climate data. In the light of global change, temperature rise, and ocean acidification, long-term data on density in skeletons and shells of marine invertebrates such as corals will be highly significant for both pure scientific and socio-economic reasons. The densitometry set-up shall be used in future, more comprehensive sclerochronology projects.