Global warming and coral reefs: Modelling the effect of temperature on Acropora palmata colony growth
نویسنده
چکیده
Data on colony growth of the branching coral Acropora palmata from fringing reefs off Discovery Bay on the north coast of Jamaica have been obtained over the period 2002-2007 using underwater photography and image analysis by both SCUBA and remotely using an ROV incorporating twin lasers. Growth modelling shows that while logarithmic growth is an approximate model for growth, a 3:3 rational polynomial function provides a significantly better fit to growth data for this coral species. Over the period 2002-2007, involving several cycles of sea surface temperature (SST) change, the rate of growth of A. palmata was largely proportional to rate of change of SST, with R(2)=0.935. These results have implications for the influence of global warming and climate change on coral reef ecosystems.
منابع مشابه
Short Term Growth Rate of Acropora downingi in the Coral Reef of Hengam Island, the Persian Gulf
In the Persian Gulf, Acropora- dominated coral reefs have been damaged by global and local disturbances. Inversion of coral colonies mostly occur due to anchoring and fishing in many coral reefs, particularly those established nearby human societies, like the coral reef of Hengam Island, in the Persian Gulf. The short term growth rates (weight increment) of inversely and normally transplanted c...
متن کاملEffect of sea surface temperature (SST) changes on coral ecosystems in Kish Island
Background and Theoretical Foundations: Coral reefs are one of the world's most attractive ecosystems. They have been covering large parts of the world in the tropic areas. Coral reefs in the Iranian waters of the Persian Gulf are largely limited to the Islands. Many factors, including natural and anthropogenic activities cause stress to the reef communities affecting reef development. Coral bl...
متن کاملOcean acidification and warming will lower coral reef resilience
Ocean warming and acidification from increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 represent major global threats to coral reefs, and are in many regions exacerbated by local-scale disturbances such as overfishing and nutrient enrichment. Our understanding of global threats and local-scale disturbances on reefs is growing, but their relative contribution to reef resilience and vulnerability in the futur...
متن کاملThe role of skeletal micro-architecture in diagenesis and dating of Acropora palmata
Past variations in global sea-level reflect continental ice volume, a crucial factor for understanding the Earth’s climate system. The Caribbean coral Acropora palmata typically forms dense stands in very shallow water and therefore fossil samples mark past sea-level. Uranium-series methods are commonly used to establish a chronology for fossil coral reefs, but are compromised by post mortem di...
متن کاملNearshore Turbid-Zone Corals Exhibit High Bleaching Tolerance on the Great Barrier Reef Following the 2016 Ocean Warming Event
High sea surface temperatures (SSTs) on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) during summer 2015/2016 caused extensive coral bleaching, with aerial and in-water surveys confirming high (but variable) bleaching-related coral mortality. In contrast, bleaching impacts on nearshore turbid-zone reefs, traditionally considered more “marginal” coral habitats, remain poorly documented. This is because rapid eco...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
- Computational biology and chemistry
دوره 31 4 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2007