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Living on the edge: high-latitude Porites carbonate production under temperate eutrophic conditions

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Abstract

Non-framework building high-latitude coral communities have recently received increased attention as a result of their potential to act as refugia during global change, as proxies for such change and for testing the environmental tolerance limits of various species of coral. In this study, we report on high-resolution in situ measured environmental factors influencing the development of monospecific (Porites panamensis) non-framework building coral communities and the resulting coral-derived carbonate sediment production in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico (Bahía de Los Angeles, 29°N, 113°E). Half-hourly measurements of temperature and chlorophyll a (a nutrient proxy) for a 1-year period indicate temperature extremes ranging from 14°C to 30°C, and average chlorophyll a values of 2.2 mg Chl a/m3 (eutrophic). Even though P. panamensis only occur as small massive and encrusting colonies, they nonetheless show a significant carbonate sediment production potential (0.14 kg CaCO3/m2/year). A calculation of carbonate production rates vs amount of coral found in the sediment shows that this high-latitude community must have persisted for an extended period of time.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Volkswagen Stiftung, Federal Republic of Germany (grant I/77446). Permission to collect samples was granted by SEMARNAT (permit 300702-613-03). Thanks to V. Karius, I. Ottenbacher, and J. Schneider for taking coral radiographs, to J. Hinosa for analyzing chlorophyll a in water samples. We thank two anonymous reviewers and P. Swart for helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Universität Stuttgart, Herdweg 51, 70174, Stuttgart, Germany

    J. Halfar

  2. Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Playa el Conchalito, Apdo. Postal 476, 23000, La Paz, BCS, Mexico

    L. Godinez-Orta & J.M. Borges

  3. National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 N. Ocean Drive, Dania, FL, 33004, USA

    B. Riegl

  4. Rosales y Niños Héroes s/n, DICTUS, Col. Centro, 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, México

    J.E. Valdez-Holguin

Authors
  1. J. Halfar
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  2. L. Godinez-Orta
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  3. B. Riegl
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  4. J.E. Valdez-Holguin
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  5. J.M. Borges
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Correspondence to J. Halfar.

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Communicated by Geological Editor P.K. Swart

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Halfar, J., Godinez-Orta, L., Riegl, B. et al. Living on the edge: high-latitude Porites carbonate production under temperate eutrophic conditions. Coral Reefs 24, 582–592 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-005-0029-x

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