Comparative Analysis of Reef Resilience
Under Stress (CARRUS)
Project Title
2.1. Comparison of Paleoclimate Records Obtained
from Coral Cores from
Belize, the Florida Reef Tract, and The
Bahamas
Key
Investigator
Peter K. Swart
Project Duration
December 15, 1999 – December 14, 2003
OBJECTIVE(S)
The objectives of this work are to compare proxy
records of climate contained in coral cores of the species
Montastraea faveolata collected from Belize, Florida and the
Bahamas. In particular we proposed to utilize stable isotopic ratios of
carbon and oxygen as well as concentrations of Sr and Mg. The ratio of
the isotopes of oxygen (18O and 16O) responds to
changes in temperature and salinity while variations in the
concentrations of Sr and Mg reflect temperature only. Using these
so-called proxy indicators of climate one is able to ascertain changes
in salinity and temperature and the timing of these changes between the
three study areas over 100 year time periods.
SUMMARY
Coral cores have been collected from Belize,
Florida, and the Bahamas which are being analyzed for their stable
oxygen and carbon isotopic composition as well as their minor element
geochemistry (see http://mgg.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/sil/index.htm for
more on this activity).
Copyright 1999-2006,
NCORE University of Miami - RSMAS. All Rights Reserved.
