Abstract
Isotopic exchange occurs between coral skeleton and 45Ca++ and H14CO -3 in seawater. Exchange of 14C onto skeletons is more rapid than exchange of 45Ca++. Exchange of 14C from skeletons to seawater takes place more slowly than exchange of 45Ca++ to seawater. When living coral is incubated in the dark with radioisotopes for 1 h, the tissues contain considerably more radioactivity than is associated with the skeleton. The tissue radioactivity reflects permeation of tissues and coelenteron by radioactive compounds from the incubation seawater. Addition of alkalis to cardioactive seawater results in a radioactive precipitate, part of which becomes associated with any coral skeleton present, and part of which forms on the wall of the containing vessel. Strong alkali removes biologically-deposited radioisotope from coral skeletons. Deposition, of 14C from H14CO -3 in skeletons of living coral incubated in the dark is greater than in dead coral. The reverse situation occurs with 45Ca++.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Barnes, D.J.: The structure and formation of growth-ridges in scleractinian coral skeletons. Proc. R. Soc. (Ser. B) 182, 331–350 (1972)
— and D.L. Taylor: In situ studies of calcification and photosynthetic carbon fixation in the coral Montastrea annularis. Helgoländer wiss. Meeresunters. 24, 284–291 (1973)
Chalker, B.E.: Calcium transport during skeletogenesis in hermatypic corals. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 54A, 455–459 (1976)
Clausen, C.D. and A.A. Roth: Estimation of coral growth-rates from laboratory 45Ca-incorporation rates. Mar. Biol. 33, 85–91 (1975)
Crossland, C.J. and D.J. Barnes: The role of metabolic nitrogen in coral calcification. Mar. Biol. 28, 325–332 (1974)
Goreau, T.F.: The physiology of skeletal formation in corals. I. A method for measuring the rate of calcium deposition by corals under different conditions. Biol. Bull. mar. Biol. Lab., Woods Hole 116, 59–75 (1959)
— On the relation of calcification to primary productivity in reef building organisms. In: The biology of hydra, pp 269–285. Ed. by H.M. Lenhoff and W.F. Loomis. Miami: University Press 1961
— and N.I. Goreau: The physiology of skeleton formation in corals. IV. On isotopic equilibrium exchanges of calcium between corallum and environment in living and dead reef-building corals. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 119, 416–427 (1960)
Lamberts, A.E.: Measurement of alizarin deposited by coral. Proc. int. Symp. coral Reefs 2, 241–244 (1974). (Brisbane: Great Barrier Reef Committee)
Muscatine, L. and E. Cernichiari: Assimilation of photosynthetic products of zooxanthellae by a reef coral. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 137, 506–523 (1969)
Pearse, V.B.: Sources of carbon in the skeleton of the coral Fungia scutaria. In: Experimental coelenterate biology, pp 239–245. Ed. by H.M. Lenhoff, L. Muscatine and L.V. Davis. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press 1971
Revelle, R. and R. Fairbridge: Carbonates and carbon dioxide. Mem. geol. Soc. Am. 67, 239–285 (1957)
Weyl, P.K.: The solution behavior of carbonate materials in seawater. Stud. trop. Oceanogr., Miami 5, 178–228 (1967)
Young, S.D., J.D. O'Connor and L. Muscatine: Organic material from scleractinian coral skeletons. II. Incorporation of 14C into protein, chitin and lipid. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 40B 945–958 (1971)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by G.F. Humphrey, Sydney
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Barnes, D.J., Crossland, C.J. Coral calcification: Sources of error in radioisotope techniques. Mar. Biol. 42, 119–129 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391562
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391562