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Biological forcing controls the chemistry of reef-building coral skeleton
Laboratoire d'Etude de la Matiere Extraterrestre USM 0205, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
Laboratoire d'Etude de la Matiere Extraterrestre USM 0205, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
UMR 8148, Interactions et Dynamique des Environnement de Surface, Université Paris XI, Orsay, France
UMR 8148, Interactions et Dynamique des Environnement de Surface, Université Paris XI, Orsay, France
Laboratoire d'Etude de la Matiere Extraterrestre USM 0205, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
We present analyses of major elements C and Ca and trace elements N, S, Mg and Sr in a Porites sp. exoskeleton with a spatial resolution better than ∼150 nm. Trace element variations are evaluated directly against the ultra-structure of the skeleton and are ascribed to dynamic biological forcing. Individual growth layers in the bulk fibrous aragonite skeleton form on sub-daily timescales. Magnesium concentration variations are dramatically correlated with the growth layers, but are uncorrelated with Sr concentration variations. Observed (sub)seasonal relationships between water temperature and skeletal trace-element chemistry are secondary, mediated by sensitive biological processes to which classical thermodynamic formalism does not apply.
Received 1 November 2006; accepted 8 December 2006; published 16 January 2007.
Citation: (2007), Biological forcing controls the chemistry of reef-building coral skeleton, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L02601, doi:10.1029/2006GL028657.
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