Life Sciences Commons^™

Fallout Pu In Annual Bands From The Coral Montastrea Annularis, St. Croix, Usvi, Larry K. Benninger, Richard E. Dodge

Richard Dodge

Coralline aragonite is known to incorporate certain minor or trace constituents from seawater (U, Sr, Ra, 210Pb) with essentially constant discrimination relative to Ca. Noshkin and others [Limnol. Oceanogr. 20(1975)729] reported that Pu was also incorporated with constant discrimination and suggested the use of annual bands in corals as a recording indicator of ambient seawater Pu. We report preliminary results of a study of fallout Pu in annual bands of Montastrea annularis from St. Croix, U.S.V.I. Along with fallout Pu we have determined: U, 232Th, 228Ra (as 228Th) and 210Pb (as 210Po). These determinations are used to test for constancy …

Coral Fluorescence Records Everglades Hydrology: 1918-1983, T. J. Goreau, Richard E. Dodge, P. D. Goreau, J. Dunham

Richard Dodge

An ultraviolet laser was used to study the fluorescence spectrum of coral skeletons. Montastrea annularis heads growing near the mouth of the New River Canal, Florida, had unusual three-part growth and fluorescence records:

1. 1918-1944. High growth, annual fluorescence peak.
2. 1945-1969. Low growth, high fluorescence, except during drought years
3. 1970-1983. High growth, annual fluorescence peak.

The first change followed opening of the New River Canal to drain the Everglades-Lake Okeechobee Agricultural Area for sugar cane cultivation. In 1969 canal flows were sharply reduced, and urban and agricultural waste waters pumped into diked conservation areas in order to increase infiltration into a …