Stable isotopic composition of deep-sea gorgonian corals Primnoa spp.: a new archive of surface processes

Sherwood, Owen A.; Heikoop, Jeffrey M.; Scott, David B.; Risk, Michael J.; Guilderson, Thomas P.; McKinney, Richard A.

doi:10.3354/meps301135

Cited by 91 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…These values are in agreement with previously reported data in octocorallian corals [18,[63][64][65][66]. The Sr/Ca ratios show a varition between 2.88 and 3.18 mmol/mol for SIMS measurements and between 3.10 and 3.26 mmol/mol for bulk analyses.…”

Section: Trace Element Compositionssupporting

confidence: 82%

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Optical Observations and Geochemical Data in Deep-Sea Hexa- and Octo-Coralla Specimens

2017

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Coral skeletons are built by Ca-carbonate (calcite or aragonite) crystals that exhibit distinct morphological patterns and specific spatial arrangements that constitute skeletal microstructures. Additionally, the long-standing recognition that distinct coral species growing in similar conditions are able to record environmental changes with species-specific responses provides convincing evidence that, beyond the thermodynamic rules for chemical precipitation, a biological influence is at work during the crystallization process. Through several series of comparative structural and geochemical (elemental and isotopic) data, this paper aims to firmly establish the specific properties of the distinct major taxonomic units that are commonly gathered as deep-water "corals" in current literature. Moreover, taking advantage of recent micrometric and infra-micrometric observations, attention is drawn to the remarkable similarity of the calcareous material observed at the nanoscale. These observations suggest a common biomineralization model in which mineralogical criteria are not the leading factors for the interpretation of the geochemical measurements.

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Section: Trace Element Compositionssupporting

confidence: 82%

“…• TE/Ca as temperature proxy It was suggested that Mg/Ca ratios in DSOC could be used as temperature proxy [63,64,68,89], and the following equation was proposed for Isidids [63]:…”

Section: Geochemical Signatures As Temperature Proxiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical Observations and Geochemical Data in Deep-Sea Hexa- and Octo-Coralla Specimens

2017

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“…2). Based on an approximate 3‰ increase in bulk δ 15 N with each step in trophic level (29,30), P. resedaeformis (tissue δ 15 N ¼ 10.31 AE 0.19) likely feeds opportunistically on a mixture of sinking POM and small zooplankton, as previously noted (13). By this mechanism, δ 15 N NO 3 signatures in the euphotic zone are trans- mitted to and incorporated into the skeletal protein of deep-sea gorgonians.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Whereas the calcite is synthesized from dissolved inorganic carbon at depth, the gorgonin derives from particulate organic matter (POM), which the corals feed on, having been recently biosynthesized and exported from surface waters. In this regard, gorgonian corals act like "living sediment traps," which can be used for δ 15 N-based reconstructions of changes in euphotic zone nutrients and export production back through time in open and/or remote regions of the ocean (12)(13)(14).…”

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confidence: 99%

Nutrient regime shift in the western North Atlantic indicated by compound-specific δ ¹⁵ N of deep-sea gorgonian corals

Sherwood

Lehmann

Schubert

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

159

172

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Despite the importance of the nitrogen (N) cycle on marine productivity, little is known about variability in N sources and cycling in the ocean in relation to natural and anthropogenic climate change. Beyond the last few decades of scientific observation, knowledge depends largely on proxy records derived from nitrogen stable isotopes ( δ 15 N) preserved in sediments and other bioarchives. Traditional bulk δ 15 N measurements, however, represent the combined influence of N source and subsequent trophic transfers, often confounding environmental interpretation. Recently, compound-specific analysis of individual amino acids ( δ 15 N-AA) has been shown as a means to deconvolve trophic level versus N source effects on the δ 15 N variability of bulk organic matter. Here, we demonstrate the first use of δ 15 N-AA in a paleoceanographic study, through analysis of annually secreted growth rings preserved in the organic endoskeletons of deep-sea gorgonian corals. In the Northwest Atlantic off Nova Scotia, coral δ 15 N is correlated with increasing presence of subtropical versus subpolar slope waters over the twentieth century. By using the new δ 15 N-AA approach to control for variable trophic processing, we are able to interpret coral bulk δ 15 N values as a proxy for nitrate source and, hence, slope water source partitioning. We conclude that the persistence of the warm, nutrient-rich regime since the early 1970s is largely unique in the context of the last approximately 1,800 yr. This evidence suggests that nutrient variability in this region is coordinated with recent changes in global climate and underscores the broad potential of δ 15 N-AA for paleoceanographic studies of the marine N cycle.

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“…The gorgonin skeleton is approximately 11% N and 36% C, whereas sea fan tissue is about 2.5% N and 19% C (data not shown). Given these observations, as well as the known durability of gorgonin and the stability of its amino acid composition over time (Goldberg 1978;Sherwood et al 2005), we hypothesized that if A. sydowii can catabolize sea fans, it will be more likely to use sea fan tissue as a nitrogen source. (3) The aforementioned experiments were conducted with five isolates of A. sydowii collected from a variety of substrates to test the hypothesis that fungi cultured from diseased sea fans are better at assimilating sea fan-derived nitrogen.…”

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confidence: 99%

Nitrogen source preference of Aspergillus sydowii, an infective agent associated with aspergillosis of sea fan corals

Rivest

Baker

Rypien

et al. 2009

Limnology & Oceanography

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We attempt to identify the mechanism by which nitrogen enrichment increases the prevalence of aspergillosis, a disease caused by the terrestrial fungus Aspergillus sydowii, which infects sea fan corals (Gorgonia ventalina) throughout the Caribbean, by looking at the metabolic capabilities of the pathogen to (1) determine whether A. sydowii can catabolize sea fan-derived nitrogen, (2) ascertain fungal preference for different nitrogen sources, and (3) determine whether fungi isolated from diseased sea fans preferentially assimilate sea fan-derived nitrogen. Stable nitrogen isotope experiments demonstrated that A. sydowii is capable of assimilating and prefers sea fanderived nitrogen (72% of available nitrogen) to nitrate and more readily assimilates nitrogen from coral tissue than gorgonin skeleton. Variation in the proportion of sea fan-derived nitrogen assimilated by different fungal isolates was significant, with those from diseased sea fans showing greater nitrogen assimilation of sea fan tissue.

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Stable isotopic composition of deep-sea gorgonian corals Primnoa spp.: a new archive of surface processes

Cited by 91 publications

References 59 publications

Optical Observations and Geochemical Data in Deep-Sea Hexa- and Octo-Coralla Specimens

Optical Observations and Geochemical Data in Deep-Sea Hexa- and Octo-Coralla Specimens

Nutrient regime shift in the western North Atlantic indicated by compound-specific δ ¹⁵ N of deep-sea gorgonian corals

Nitrogen source preference of Aspergillus sydowii, an infective agent associated with aspergillosis of sea fan corals

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Stable isotopic composition of deep-sea gorgonian corals Primnoa spp.: a new archive of surface processes

Cited by 91 publications

References 59 publications

Optical Observations and Geochemical Data in Deep-Sea Hexa- and Octo-Coralla Specimens

Optical Observations and Geochemical Data in Deep-Sea Hexa- and Octo-Coralla Specimens

Nutrient regime shift in the western North Atlantic indicated by compound-specific δ 15 N of deep-sea gorgonian corals

Nitrogen source preference of Aspergillus sydowii, an infective agent associated with aspergillosis of sea fan corals

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Nutrient regime shift in the western North Atlantic indicated by compound-specific δ ¹⁵ N of deep-sea gorgonian corals