Faculty Exploratory Research Grants

Spatial Patterns of Sedimentation on East African Reefs

Julia Cole, Associate Professor, Department of Geosciences

Grant: $9,985

Coral reefs are among the world’s most beautiful and biologically diverse ecosystems. The ecosystem services they provide, such as nurseries for juvenile fish, bulwarks against coastal erosion, and magnets for tourism, rank them among the most economically valuable. They are also among the most threatened ecosystems, facing an unprecedented gamut of local, regional, and global stresses that already have pushed 10 percent of the world’s reefs beyond recovery and place an additional 58 percent at moderate to high risk. Numerous studies have detailed the growing threats to reefs that stem mainly from human activity and the response of reefs on local to global scales. Although recent observations of coral reef stressors and responses clearly document the ongoing crisis, the need for a historical perspective in this area is acute. Understanding the natural baseline levels of specific stresses can improve knowledge of the tolerance of reef systems and ultimately lead to better management and conservation decisions.

The goal of the project is to develop a preliminary spatial network of reconstructions of sedimentation on Tanzanian coral reefs. Sedimentation is a critical stress on reefs in this region and can be qualitatively reconstructed from the barium/calcium (Ba/Ca) concentrations in coral skeletons. The project will test the idea that we can move to more quantitative and spatially detailed reconstructions, using a series of short records that will allow us to assess reproducibility and geographic patterns among reef sites. The results will provide initial data for further research.

Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, Arizona Research Laboratories

The University of Arizona

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