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

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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.