Computerized tomography and skeletal density of coral skeletons |
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Authors: | Hemmo Bosscher |
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Institution: | (1) Sedimentary Geology, Faculty of Earth Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | In this paper I describe and discuss the use of medical X-ray computerized tomography (CT) in the study of coral skeletons. CT generates X-ray images along freely chosen sections through the skeleton and offers, as well, the possibility of density measurements based on X-ray attenuation. This method has been applied to measure the skeletal density of the Caribbean reef-building coral Montastrea annularis, from Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. The observed, non-linear increase of skeletal density with depth can be attributed to decreasing photo-synthetic rates with increasing water depth. A comparison with extension rate measurements shows the inverse relationship between extension rate and skeletal density. CT proves to be aquick and non-destructive method to reveal growth structures (density banding) since it measures skeletal density. |
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