Gutiérrez-Estrada Gabriela, Tortolero-Langarica J J Adolfo, Carricart-Ganivet Juan P
Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico; Laboratorio de Esclerocronología de Corales Arrecifales, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cancun, Quintana Roo, 77580, Mexico.
Laboratorio de Esclerocronología de Corales Arrecifales, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cancun, Quintana Roo, 77580, Mexico; Tecnológico Nacional de México/ IT Bahía de Banderas, Crucero a Punta de Mita S/N, El Crucero, Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, 63734, Mexico.
Mar Environ Res. 2025 May;207:107074. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107074. Epub 2025 Mar 12.
Coral calcification represents a vital process within coral reef ecosystems, wherein reef-building corals contribute significantly to the physical construction and maintenance of the reef framework. The calcification process is related to the photosynthesis of endosymbiotic algae, where light plays a crucial role in coral energetic tradeoffs. However, local stressors have led to increased turbidity, subsequently affecting light availability, especially in nearshore reefs. This study proposes a light-driven model designed to predict coral calcification in Orbicella faveolata under different light conditions, using the diffuse attenuation coefficient in water (K) as a predictive parameter. To determine annual calcification across different light conditions, we collected coral skeleton samples across depth gradients (∼5-38 m) at five reef sites in the Mexican Caribbean. Sclerochronological characteristics were analyzed through X-ray imaging and K values were obtained using in-situ light measurements. The results indicate that as light PAR is attenuated with depth, coral skeletal density increases and extension rate decreases. Likewise, annual calcification also responds to the underwater light field. However, calcification shows a pattern that can be explained by a nonlinear Gaussian function and shows that 60 % of surface PAR is needed for optimal calcification. This function was used to predict annual calcification in different suboptimal K conditions. This report presents the first model of annual calcification of O. faveolata using K. The results provide significant ecological insights into coral calcification and underscore the importance of conserving optimal optical properties of the water column to sustain coral growth and provides a better understanding of coral distribution and their contribution to reef framework development across vertical gradients in the Caribbean region.
珊瑚钙化是珊瑚礁生态系统中的一个重要过程，在此过程中，造礁珊瑚对珊瑚礁框架的物理构建和维护做出了重大贡献。钙化过程与共生藻类的光合作用有关，其中光在珊瑚的能量权衡中起着关键作用。然而，局部压力源导致浊度增加，进而影响了光的可用性，尤其是在近岸珊瑚礁中。本研究提出了一个光驱动模型，旨在利用水中的漫射衰减系数（K）作为预测参数，预测不同光照条件下蜂巢珊瑚（Orbicella faveolata）的珊瑚钙化情况。为了确定不同光照条件下的年度钙化情况，我们在墨西哥加勒比海的五个珊瑚礁地点，采集了不同深度梯度（约5 - 38米）的珊瑚骨骼样本。通过X射线成像分析了年代学特征，并利用现场光测量获得了K值。结果表明，随着光合有效辐射（PAR）随深度衰减，珊瑚骨骼密度增加，延伸率降低。同样，年度钙化也对水下光场做出响应。然而，钙化呈现出一种可以用非线性高斯函数解释的模式，表明最佳钙化需要60%的表面PAR。该函数被用于预测不同次优K条件下的年度钙化情况。本报告首次提出了利用K值对蜂巢珊瑚年度钙化情况进行建模。这些结果为珊瑚钙化提供了重要的生态学见解，并强调了保护水柱最佳光学特性以维持珊瑚生长的重要性，同时有助于更好地理解加勒比地区垂直梯度上珊瑚的分布及其对珊瑚礁框架发育的贡献。
