Abstract
Intertidal corals living in seawater with high concentrations of iron incorporate the metal into their skeletons. Cross-sections of the coral skeleton reveal orange-stained banding patterns reflecting periods of high availability of iron. The mechanism of metal incorporation involves deposition of iron compounds on to skeletal spines that are exposed as a result of temporary tissue retraction during periods of extreme stress. Subsequent tissue recovery and calcification trap the iron compounds which provide a visible environmental signature in the coral skeleton. This previously unrecognised mechanism has significant implications for the reconstruction of past environments from chemical analysis of annually-banded massive coral skeletons.
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Brown, B.E., Tudhope, A.W., Le Tissier, M.D.A. et al. A novel mechanism for iron incorporation into coral skeletons. Coral Reefs 10, 211–215 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336776
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00336776