[Coral-List] bioerosion and carbonate budgets

[jennie mallela]

Dear listers,

I’ve been following this bioerosion/carbonate budget
discussion with interest. We recently completed a
biological carbonate budget  for two contrasting reefs
subjected to differing degrees of terrestrial runoff
in Jamaica (currently in press, Coral Reefs). The
results were very interesting. What became clear was
that on these particular reefs macroboring and
microboring BOTH played dominant roles with regards to
bioerosion (when compared to external grazers). This
is perhaps not surprising given the current status of
external grazers (e.g. fish and urchins) on Jamaican
reefs. Both macro- and microboring processes proved to
be key taphonomic processes with regards to net
carbonate framework accretion (constructive –
destructive processes).  We also found that our two
sites subjected to different levels of river runoff
had very different internal boring communities. At our
turbid water site microboring proved to be the
dominant destructive process. At our clear water (less
impacted) site macroboring proved to be the dominant
destructive process.  

As pointed out by both Christine Schoenberg and Mike
Risk, it is essential to monitor internal bioerosion
in order to assess (net) reefal accretion and reef
health, unfortunately, this is largely disregarded in
most reef monitoring/volunteer/student programmes. As
pointed out by Aline Tribollet it is also essential to
understand how all these processes interact, this
includes assessing microboring  - a process all too
often overlooked. 

My thoughts for the day,
All the best,
Jennie

Dr Jennie Mallela
Coral ecologist

University of the West Indies
Trinidad and Tobago


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com