Dataset: Average yearly extension rate, calcification rate, and density for each core sample from Porites cf. lobata coral at Palau's Rock Islands

ValidatedFinal no updates expectedDOI: 10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.894930.1Version 1 (2023-04-27)Dataset Type:Other Field Results

Principal Investigator: Anne L. Cohen (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Scientist: Hanny Rivera (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

BCO-DMO Data Manager: Shannon Rauch (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)


Project: The Biophysics of Coral Reef Resilience: hydrodynamic and ecological drivers of coral survival under extreme heat (Biophysics of Coral Reef Resilience)


Abstract

Ocean warming is killing corals, but heat-tolerant populations exist; if protected, they could replenish affected reefs naturally or through restoration. Palau's Rock Islands experience consistently higher temperatures and extreme heatwaves, yet their diverse coral communities bleach less than those on Palau's cooler outer reefs. Here, we combined genetic analyses, bleaching histories, and growth rates of Porites cf. lobata colonies to identify thermally tolerant genotypes, map their distributio...

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Samples were collected from coral reefs of Palau's Rock Islands. Coral cores (N = 121) were taken using an underwater pneumatic drill equipped with a diamond-tipped drill bit powered by compressed air from a SCUBA tank. Cores ranged from 10 to 204 centimeters (cm) long, covering years from 1970 to 2014. Cores were dried in an oven and imaged using a Volume Zoom Helical Computerized Tomography (CT) Scanner at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Scans were analyzed using an automated computer program. Cores that displayed high levels of bioerosion, inconsistent banding patterns, partial mortality, or other deformities preventing accurate identification of annual growth bands, and as a result, correct identification of years corresponding to bleaching events, were excluded from analysis (N = 42). Of the remaining 80 cores, 11 had unsuccessful DNA extractions or failed other downstream genetic data filters, leaving 69 corals for final analyses. Coral samples were imported to the U.S. under CITES permit numbers: PW14-163, PW15-022, PW18-121. RAD-sequencing data are available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Sequence Read Archive (SRA) under accession number PRJNA801929. Additional input data are available in the GitHub repository of H.E.R. at https://github.com/hrivera28/Palau_porites (DOI: 10.5281/ZENODO.7953614).


Related Datasets

IsRelatedTo

Dataset: Palau Coral Stress Band Data
Cohen, A. L., Rivera, H. (2023) Sampling information and presence/absence of stress bands (in 1998 and 2010) in Porites cf. lobata coral at Palau's Rock Islands. Biological and Chemical Oceanography Data Management Office (BCO-DMO). (Version 1) Version Date 2023-04-27 doi:10.26008/1912/bco-dmo.894894.1
IsRelatedTo

Dataset: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA801929
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Single digest RAD-sequencing of Porites lobata from Palau. 2022/01. In: BioProject [Internet]. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information; 2011-. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA801929. NCBI:BioProject: PRJNA801929.

Related Publications

Results

Rivera, H. E., Cohen, A. L., Thompson, J. R., Baums, I. B., Fox, M. D., & Meyer-Kaiser, K. S. (2022). Palau’s warmest reefs harbor thermally tolerant corals that thrive across different habitats. Communications Biology, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-04315-7
Software

Rivera, H. (2023). hrivera28/Palau_porites: Creating permanent DOI for repo (DOI_repo) [Computer software]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.7953614