Weil, Sandra M.2010-10-072010-10-071979-05Weil, Sandra M. The Effect of Temperature and Light on the Stable Isotopic Compostition of Reef Coral Skeletons. Honolulu: University of Hawaii, 1979.http://hdl.handle.net/10125/18142Typescript. Thesis (M. S.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1979. Bibliography: leaves 94-102.The reef corals Pocillopora damicornis and Montipora verrucosa were cultured under various controlled temperatures and light conditions at Ulupau Head Microcosm facility. The skeletal carbonate deposited under different experimental regimes was analyzed for 13C and 18O. Coral skeletal 013C values varied with light dose and correlated with changes in zooxanthellar pigment. The o13C value of skeletal aragonite seems to be controlled by oxidation of photosynthetically produced organic matter. Functionally significant relationships between coral skeletal o18O values and temperature have been determined. The temperature coefficients of the o18O values (-4.20) are the same as the first order coefficient in the equilibrium paleotemperature equation, but the o18O values have species-specific offsets from equilibrium. These offsets may be attributed to the activity of the coral's zooxanthellae. Based upon the results of this study a model of coral skeletal isotopic incorporation is presented.109 pagesen-USAll UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner.Coral reef ecology.Corals--Composition.Carbon--Isotopes.Oxygen--Isotopes.Thesis