Calibration of stable oxygen isotopes in Siderastrea radians (Cnidaria:Scleractinia): Implications for slow-growing corals

摘要: Geochemical proxies in the skeletons of corals used for purpose reconstructing environmental records have typically been obtained from relatively fast-growing (usually >8 mm yr−1) and only a few key genera (most commonly Porites Montastraea). In many areas, however, there are no suitable available such reconstructions. Here, we investigate potential Siderastrea radians, slow-growing Atlantic Caribbean zooxanthellate coral, as an archive sea surface temperature (SST) salinity over period 1891 to 2002. Sampling skeleton three Cape Verde Islands, were able reproduce clear seasonal signal, but with limited correlation monthly SST, arising inadequate chronologic constraint individual samples. The SST-δ18O calibration slopes different sampling scales on several cores can range about −9°C ‰−1 +2°C (compared other published values around −5 −4°C ‰−1). Careful treatment produced δ18O–SST equation where SST(°C) = 12.56(±1.20) − 3.86(±0.39)*(δc–δw). recognition limitations at small growth rates due skeletal complexity suspicion interferences suggests need careful consideration interpretation climate proxy results S. radians corals.