Catchment to Reef Research Group, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2012;65(4-9):306-19. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.09.030. Epub 2011 Oct 24.
Coral cores were collected along an environmental and water quality gradient through the Whitsunday Island group, Great Barrier Reef (Australia), for trace element and stable isotope analysis. The primary aim of the study was to examine if this gradient could be detected in coral records and, if so, whether the gradient has changed over time with changing land use in the adjacent river catchments. Y/Ca was the trace element ratio which varied spatially across the gradient, with concentrations progressively decreasing away from the river mouths. The Ba/Ca and Y/Ca ratios were the only indicators of change in the gradient through time, increasing shortly after European settlement. The Mn/Ca ratio responded to local disturbance related to the construction of tourism infrastructure. Nitrogen isotope ratios showed no apparent trend over time. This study highlights the importance of site selection when using coral records to record regional environmental signals.
采集了大堡礁（澳大利亚）惠特桑迪群岛群中沿环境和水质梯度分布的珊瑚芯，用于微量元素和稳定同位素分析。本研究的主要目的是检验这一梯度是否能在珊瑚记录中被检测到，如果是这样，那么随着相邻河流集水区土地利用的变化，这一梯度是否随时间发生了变化。Y/Ca 是空间上在梯度上变化的微量元素比值，其浓度从河口逐渐降低。只有 Ba/Ca 和 Y/Ca 比值是随时间变化的梯度变化的指标，在欧洲殖民定居后不久就增加了。Mn/Ca 比值对与旅游基础设施建设相关的局部干扰有响应。氮同位素比值在时间上没有明显的趋势。本研究强调了在使用珊瑚记录来记录区域环境信号时，选择地点的重要性。
