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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Iain et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Coral photobiology is not my area of study,
although I did examine the topic some years ago. I believe it is
fairly common for many corals to exhibit brightly coloured fluorescence pigments
(especially those in shallowest water conditions where light intensity is
greatest).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From some of the literature I have read I seem to
remember a plausible case for these pigments operating as some sort of
protection against the destructive energy of short (UV) wavelengths, by
liberating some of this energy as harmless (less energetic) visible
fluorescence. Perhaps this is one of the discredited theories now. If so, I
would be interested to hear the evidence against it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards to all</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Robert Murray.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(What's up Iain?)</DIV>
<DIV></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>=======================<BR><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>ROBERT
MURRAY BSc, FGA,<BR>Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory,<BR>Discovery Bay,
Jamaica, W.I.<BR> <BR>Tel. (876) 973 2946<BR>Fax. (876) 973 3091<BR><A
href="mailto:rmurray@infochan.com">rmurray@infochan.com</A><BR><A
href="http://www.DBML.ORG">WWW.DBML.ORG</A></FONT></FONT><BR>=======================</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:matz@ibch.ibch.ru" title=matz@ibch.ibch.ru>Mikhail Matz</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:I.Macdonald@mmu.ac.uk" title=I.Macdonald@mmu.ac.uk>Iain
Macdonald</A> ; <A href="mailto:coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov"
title=coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov>coral list</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, July 25, 2000 11:33</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Orange Montastrea cavernosa
recruits?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Hi Iain,<BR>we know a little bit what is the substance causing
the fluorescence in<BR>corals,<BR>and observations, measurements and photos
were made about this<BR>(see <A
href="http://www.nightsea.com/references.htm">http://www.nightsea.com/references.htm</A>
for the list of related<BR>papers and websites)<BR>Moreover, in particular
M.cavernosa fluorescence was measured (in situ)<BR>by Charles Mazel<BR>and is
studied by me (in vitro) right now.<BR><BR>However, so far we have absolutely
no clue as to the function of this<BR>fluorescence in<BR>nature (if we forget
for a moment about older hypotheses all of which<BR>seem wrong by now),<BR>and
the subject is my primary interest. Your observation is, as far as I<BR>know,
the first<BR>information which might help to link fluorescence to some aspect
of coral<BR>ecology. I would be<BR>extremely grateful if you could provide
some more details on your<BR>observations.<BR>I would like to ask all coral
listers as well - perhaps you saw<BR>something like Iain? Anything<BR>which
could give a hint about the function of fluorescence? Or perhaps I<BR>simply
missed something<BR>in literature?<BR>best wishes,<BR><BR>Mike
Matz<BR><BR><BR>Iain Macdonald wrote:<BR><BR>> During a recent field trip i
noted the following along my transects.<BR>><BR>> M. cavernosa recruits
(i use the plural as this was seen three<BR>> different times), of only one
polyp was noted at approx. 15-20m depth<BR>> to appear to the unaided eye
as fluorescent orange. Close by (ie<BR>> 10cm away) 5 polyps were the
typical olive green colour with this<BR>> "day glow" orange colour around
its edges. Again a few cms away<BR>> larger colonies 20-25 polyps were only
olive green. Is this typical<BR>> for recruits (i think not) or maybe as a
result of some stress<BR>> (sediment) stimulus? I was startled to see such
colour from this type<BR>> of coral and would like to konw of any other
observations.<BR>><BR>> Cheers<BR>><BR>> Iain
Macd.<BR>><BR>> Room E402 John Dalton Extension Building,<BR>>
Department of Environmental and Geographical Science,<BR>> Manchester
Metropolitian University,<BR>> Chester Street,<BR>> Manchester,<BR>>
M1 5GD<BR>> Tel: 0161 247 6234<BR>> Fax: 0161 247
6318<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>