Phosphorus in Cold-Water Corals as a Proxy for Seawater Nutrient Chemistry

P. Montagna; Malcolm Mcculloch; M. Taviani; C. Mazzoli; B. Vendrell

doi:10.1126/science.1125781

Phosphorus in Cold-Water Corals as a Proxy for Seawater Nutrient Chemistry

P. Montagna, Malcolm Mcculloch, M. Taviani, C. Mazzoli, B. Vendrell

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Abstract

Phosphorus is a key macronutrient being strongly enriched in the deep ocean as a result of continuous export and remineralization of biomass from primary production. We show that phosphorus incorporated within the skeletons of the cosmopolitan cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus is directly proportional to the ambient seawater phosphorus concentration and thus may serve as a paleo-oceanographic proxy for variations in ocean productivity as well as changes in the residence times and sources of deep-water masses. The application of this tool to fossil specimens from the Mediterranean reveals phosphorus-enriched bottom waters at the end of the Younger Dryas period.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1788-1791
Journal	Science
Volume	312
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1125781
Publication status	Published - 2006

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abstract = "Phosphorus is a key macronutrient being strongly enriched in the deep ocean as a result of continuous export and remineralization of biomass from primary production. We show that phosphorus incorporated within the skeletons of the cosmopolitan cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus is directly proportional to the ambient seawater phosphorus concentration and thus may serve as a paleo-oceanographic proxy for variations in ocean productivity as well as changes in the residence times and sources of deep-water masses. The application of this tool to fossil specimens from the Mediterranean reveals phosphorus-enriched bottom waters at the end of the Younger Dryas period.",

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AU - Vendrell, B.

PY - 2006

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AB - Phosphorus is a key macronutrient being strongly enriched in the deep ocean as a result of continuous export and remineralization of biomass from primary production. We show that phosphorus incorporated within the skeletons of the cosmopolitan cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus is directly proportional to the ambient seawater phosphorus concentration and thus may serve as a paleo-oceanographic proxy for variations in ocean productivity as well as changes in the residence times and sources of deep-water masses. The application of this tool to fossil specimens from the Mediterranean reveals phosphorus-enriched bottom waters at the end of the Younger Dryas period.

U2 - 10.1126/science.1125781

DO - 10.1126/science.1125781

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SP - 1788

EP - 1791

JO - Science

JF - Science

ER -

Phosphorus in Cold-Water Corals as a Proxy for Seawater Nutrient Chemistry

Abstract

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