Development of new nutrient proxy in oligotrophic oceans using coral nitrogen isotope

2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24654178
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Geochemistry/Astrochemistry
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: WATANABE Tsuyoshi 北海道大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 講師 (80396283)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): HARII Saki 琉球大学, 熱帯生物圏研究センター, 准教授 (30334535)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): YAMAZAKI Atsuko 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 研究院 (40723820)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
• Keywords: サンゴ骨格 / 幼サンゴ / 窒素同位体比 / 栄養塩

Research Abstract

In this research we attempted to establish new nutrient proxy in oligotrophic oceans using stable nitrogen isotopes in organic materials of reef-building coral skeletons, which grow up to several hundreds years with annual bands.
Since the conventional approaches to use the adult skeleton have made the separation of the skeletal part where formed during experimental periods, we applied the primary coral polyp cultured in different nutrient conditions in this research.
During the observation in experimental period, we observed distinct difference of calcification rate, skeletal structure among cultured samples in different conditions and between symbiotic and asymbiotic coral larvae.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Evaluation of Mn and Fe in coral skeletons (Porites spp.) as proxies for sediment loading and reconstruction of fifty years of land use on Ishigaki Island, Japan (2014)
  • Author(s): Inoue, M., Ishikawa, D., Miyaji, T., Yamazaki, A., Suzuki, A., Yamano, H., Kawahata, H., Watanabe, T.
  • Journal Title: Coral Reefs Volume: Vol.33, Issue 2 Pages: 363-373
  • DOI: 10.1007/s00338-014-1128-3
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Influence of Land Development on Holocene Porites Coral Calcification at Nagura Bay, Ishigaki Island, Japan (2014)
  • Author(s): Sowa K, Watanabe T, Kan H, Yamano H.
  • Journal Title: PLoS ONE Volume: 9(2) Pages: e88790
  • DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088790
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A skeletal Sr/Ca record preserved in Favia speciosa and implications for coral Sr/Ca thermometry in mid-latitude regions (2013)
  • Author(s): Seo, I., Lee, Y.I., Watanabe, T., Yamano, H., Shimamura, M. Yoo, C.M. Hyeong, K.
  • Journal Title: Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems
  • DOI: 10.1002/ggge.20195
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Perplexing effects of Porites coral calcification on annual interval trace elements and boron isotope in northern habitable limits of Japan (2014)
  • Author(s): Kohki Sowa, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Kentaro Tanaka, Jens Zinke, Malcolm McCulloch
  • Organizer: International Joint workshop on coral reef environmental earth sciences
  • Place of Presentation: Sapporo, Japan
  • Year and Date: 20140525-27
• [Presentation] coral multiple proxy approach to evaluate the impact of coastal land use on reef environments and coral growth (2014)
  • Author(s): Watanabe T., Miyaji T., Yamazaki A., Inoue M., Sowa K.
  • Organizer: Ocean Sciences Meeting 2014
  • Place of Presentation: Honolulu, USA
  • Year and Date: 2014-02-25
• [Presentation] A 150-year variation of Kuroshio transport detected by the nitrate 15N records in coral skeletons (2013)
  • Author(s): Yamazaki, A., Watanabe, T., Tsunogai, U., Iwase, F., Yamano, H.
  • Organizer: Goldschmidt Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Florence, Italy
  • Year and Date: 2013-08-28
• [Presentation] High latitude coral records in Japan : Implication for climate changes and coral adaptation (2013)
  • Author(s): Watanabe, T., Yamazaki,A., Kawamura, T., Jumpei, I., Nakamura, T., Sowa, K., Iwase, F., Nomura, K., Sugihara, K., Abe, O., Sakamoto, T., Murayama, M., and Yamano, H.
  • Organizer: 3rd International Sclerochronology Conference, 19th May 2013 Caernarfon
  • Place of Presentation: North Wales, UK
  • Year and Date: 2013-05-19