Sunlight and water transparency: cornerstones in coral research

This experimental field and laboratory study demonstrates that corals of the Florida reefs are functioning close to the compensation point where respiration (of coral polyp plus zooxanthellae) consumes the products of photosynthesis of the zooxanthellae, with little if any remaining for growth. We extend this work into an optical nomograph that is useful for predicting coral loss and recovery. The nomograph is designed to elucidate compensation depth for waters of various transparencies.

This is the author’s version of a work accepted for publication by Elsevier. Changes resulting from the publishing process, including peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting and other quality control mechanisms, may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. The definitive version has been published at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jembe and may be cited as Yentsch, C.S. , C.M. Yentsch ,, J.J. Cullen, B. Lapointe, D.A. Phinney, S.W. Yentsch (2002) Sunlight and water transparency: cornerstones in coral research, Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 268(2):171–183 doi:10.1016/S0022-0981(01)00379-3

Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #1474.