Chronic pollution recorded in coral skeletons in Hong Kong

Scott, Peter

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(90)90038-e

Cited by 75 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Accordingly, the trace element composition of soft tissues of aquatic organisms is used routinely to monitor pollution (Cutshall et al 1978, Settle & Patterson 1980. Calcified tissues in organisms such as bivalves and corals preserve a longer, less refractory record of exposure, and are thus preferred for use where available (Scott 1990, Brown & Luoma 1995. In fish, there is a similar precedent for use of calcified structures such as scales and bones (Moreau et al 1983, Johnson 1989).…”

Section: Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemistry and composition of fish otoliths:pathways, mechanisms and applications

Campana¹

1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

1,786

1,932

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ABSTRACT:The fish otolith (earstone) has long been known as a timekeeper, but interest in its use as a metabolically inert environmental recorder has accelerated in recent years. In part due to technological advances, applications such as stock identification, determination of rnigralon pathways, reconstruction of temperature and salinity history, age validation, detection of anadromy, use as a natural tag and chemical mass marking have been developed, some of which are difficult or impossible to implement using alternative techniques. Microsamphg and the latest advances in beam-based probes allow many elemental assays to be coupled with daily or annual growth increments, thus providing a detailed chronologcal record of the environment. However, few workers have critically assessed the assumptions upon which the environmental reconstructions are based, or considered the possibility that elemental incorporation into the otolith may proceed differently than that into other calcified structures. This paper reviews current applications and their assumptions and suggests future directions. Particular attention is given to the premises that the elemental and isotopic composition of the otolith reflects that of the environment, and the effect of physiological filters on the resulting composition. The roles of temperature, elemental uptake into the fish and the process of otolith crystahzation are also assessed. Drawing upon recent advances i n geochemistry and paleoclirnate research as points of contrast, it appears that not all applications of otolith chemistry are firmly based, although others are destined to become powerful and perhaps routine tools for the mainstream fish biologst.

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Section: Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemistry and composition of fish otoliths:pathways, mechanisms and applications

Campana¹

1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

1,786

1,932

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“…The possible reason is tendency of iron to incorporate into the aragonite of coral skeleton and substitute the dissolved metals species into crystal lattice (e.g. substitution of Ca) rather than soft tissue (Scott 1990;David 2003). The highest bioconcentration factor of iron calculated in Acropora hemprichi (5.12 £ 10 3 ppb, Table 3) demonstrates the capacity of this species to accumulate higher concentrations of Fe.…”

Section: ¡1mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Regardless of the incorporation mechanisms, corals have been shown to be good tracers of pollutants in the marine environment (e.g. Dodge and Gilbert 1984;Scott 1990;Guzman and Jimenez 1992;Bastidas and Garcia 1999;Fallon et al 2002;Ramos et al 2004;Al-Rousan et al 2007;Anu et al 2007;Jayaraju et al 2009). This study was designed to assess the heavy metals levels in coral reef ecosystems in the Northern Red Sea and provide appropriate information to coral reef managers and conservators.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heavy metals distribution in the coral reef ecosystems of the Northern Red Sea

2010

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Concentrations of seven heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Co and Fe) were measured in the seawater, sediments, common scleractinian reef-building corals and soft corals (Octocorallia : Alcyonacea) at seven reef sites in the Northern Red Sea: I (Hurghada), II (Ras Za'farana), III (El-Ain Al-Sukhna), IV (El-Tur), V (Sha'b Rashdan), VI (Sharm El-Sheikh) and VII (Dahab). Levels of heavy metals were considerably elevated in seawater, sediments and corals collected from reef sites exposed to increased environmental contamination, as a result of diversiWed natural and anthropogenic inputs. Soft corals of genera Lithophyton, Sarcophyton and Sinularia showed higher concentrations of Zn, Pb, Cd and Ni than hard coral genera Acropora and Stylophora. Soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum collected from El Ain Al-Suhkna (Gulf of Suez) had greater concentration of Cu, followed by hard corals Acropora pharaonis and Acropora hemprichi. The elevated levels of Zn, Cd and Ni were reported in the dry tissue of soft coral Sinularia spp. On the other hand, the soft coral Lithophyton arboreum displayed the highest concentration of Pb at Sha'b Rashdan (Gulf of Suez) and elevated concentration of Zn at Sharm El-Sheikh. Sediments showed signiWcantly higher concentration of Fe than corals. The higher levels of Fe in hard corals than soft corals reXected the incorporation of Fe into the aragonite and the chelation with the organic matrix of the skeleton. The greater abundance of soft corals in metal-contaminated reef sites and the elevated levels of metals in their tissue suggesting that the soft corals could develop a tolerance mechanism to relatively high concentrations of metals. Although the eVects of heavy metals on reef corals were not isolated from the possible eVects of other stresses, the percentage cover of dead corals were signiWcantly higher as the concentrations of heavy metals increased.

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“…Abundances of trace metals in corals have been explored to monitor environmental change and to reconstruct temporal and spatial patterns of contaminant input to the coral reef environment (e.g., Scott, 1990;Guzman and Jimenez, 1992;Bastidas and Garcia, 1999;Fallon et al, 2002;David, 2003;Runnalls and Coleman, 2003;Al-Rousan et al, 2007;Edinger et al, 2008;Prouty et al, 2008;Chen et al, 2010;Wang et al, 2011). Metals are incorporated into coral skeletons through substitution of dissolved metal species via Ca substitution, trapping of particulate matter within the skeletal matrix, and uptake of organic matter from either the coral tissue or directly from the water (see reviews by Howard and Brown, 1984;Hanna and Muir, 1990;Brown et al, 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental assessment of metal exposure to corals living in Castle Harbour, Bermuda

et al. 2013

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Environmental contamination in Castle Harbour, Bermuda, has been linked to the dissolution and leaching of contaminants from the adjacent marine landfill. This study expands the evidence for environmental impact of leachate from the landfill by quantitatively demonstrating elevated metal uptake over the last 30 years in corals growing in Castle Harbour. Coral Pb/Ca, Zn/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios and total Hg concentrations are elevated relative to an adjacent control site in John Smith's Bay. The temporal variability in the Castle Harbour coral records suggests that while the landfill has increased in size over the last 35 years, the dominant input of metals is through periodic leaching of contaminants from the municipal landfill and surrounding sediment. Elevated contaminants in the surrounding sediment suggest that resuspension is an important transport medium for transferring heavy metals to corals. Increased winds, particularly during the 1990s, were accompanied by higher coral metal composition at Castle Harbour. Coupled with wind-induced resuspension, interannual changes in sea level within the Harbour can lead to increased bioavailability of sediment-bound metals and subsequent coral metal assimilation. At John Smith's Bay, large scale convective mixing may be driving interannual metal variability in the coral record rather than impacts from land-based activities. Results from this study provide important insights into the coupling of natural variability and anthropogenic input of contaminants to the nearshore environment.Published by Elsevier B.V.

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Chronic pollution recorded in coral skeletons in Hong Kong

Cited by 75 publications

References 17 publications

Chemistry and composition of fish otoliths:pathways, mechanisms and applications

Chemistry and composition of fish otoliths:pathways, mechanisms and applications

Heavy metals distribution in the coral reef ecosystems of the Northern Red Sea

Environmental assessment of metal exposure to corals living in Castle Harbour, Bermuda

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