Accurate reconstruction of SSTs from coral skeletal Sr/Ca: understanding Sr and Ca transport across coral tissues

珊瑚骨骼的化学成分记录了珊瑚生存时的气候信息，即骨骼Sr/Ca受海水温度的影响。对珊瑚骨骼化石的分析为重建过去的海洋温度提供了一个极好的机会，从而预测过去的气候。然而，骨骼Sr/Ca也受到生物过程的影响，不同生长速率的珊瑚存款不同的骨骼Sr/Ca，相当于重建海水温度的误差高达~3摄氏度。在这项研究中，我们将确定快速和缓慢生长的珊瑚之间的Sr/Ca变化的原因。我们设计了一个研究计划，研究锶和钙如何通过珊瑚组织运输到钙化部位。我们将培养珊瑚，并使用生化抑制剂来关闭各种离子运输机制，以确定骨骼化学是如何受到影响的。我们将确定快速和缓慢生长的珊瑚之间的每种机制如何变化，并将开发一种方法来纠正珊瑚之间的离子传输过程的变化，允许从骨骼Sr/Ca的SST的准确重建。

The chemistry of coral skeletons records climatic information at the time the coral lived i.e. skeletal Sr/Ca is affected by seawater temperature. The analysis of fossil coral skeletons offers an excellent opportunity to reconstruct past ocean temperatures and therefore to predict past climates. However skeletal Sr/Ca is also affected by biological processes and corals of different growth rates deposit different skeletal Sr/Ca equating to errors in reconstructed seawater temperature of up to ~3 degrees C. In this research we will identify the cause of the Sr/Ca variations between fast and slow growing corals. We have devised a research programme to study how Sr and Ca are transported across the coral tissue to the calcification site. We will culture corals and use biochemical inhibitors to switch off various ion transport mechanisms to determine how skeletal chemistry is affected. We will identify how each mechanism varies between fast and slow growing corals and will develop a methodology to correct for variations in ion transport processes between corals, allowing the accurate reconstruction of SSTs from skeletal Sr/Ca.