Budget of coral-derived organic carbon in a fringing coral reef of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
Malik S. Naumann
Claudio Richter
Claudius Mott
Mohammad el-Zibdah
Riyad Manasrah
Christian Wild
Abstract
The continuous release of organic C-rich material by reef-building corals can contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes and concomitant rapid nutrient recycling in coral reef ecosystems. However, our current understanding of these processes is limited to platform reefs exhibiting a high degree of ecosystem closure compared to the globally most common fringing reef type. This study carried out in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) presents the first quantitative budget for coral-derived organic carbon (COC) in a fringing reef and highlights the importance of local hydrodynamics. Diel reef-wide COC release amounted to 1.1 ± 0.2 kmol total organic carbon (TOC) representing 1–3% of gross benthic primary production. Most COC (73%) was released as particulate organic C (POC), the bulk of which (34–63%) rapidly settled as mucus string aggregates accounting for approximately 28% of total POC sedimentation. Sedimentation of mucus strings, but also dilution of suspended and dissolved COC in reef waters retained 82% of diel COC release in the fringing reef, providing a potentially important organic source for a COC-based food web. Pelagic COC degradation represented 0.1–1.6% of pelagic microbial respiration recycling 32% of diel retained COC. Benthic COC degradation contributed substantially (29–47%) to reef-wide microbial respiration in reef sands, including 20–38% by mucus string POC, and consumed approximately 52% of all retained COC. These findings point out the importance of COC as a C carrier for different reef types. COC may further represent a source of organic carbon for faunal communities colonising reef framework cavities complementing the efficient retention and recycling of COC within fringing reef environments.
Naumann M.S., Richter C., Mott C., el-Zibdah M., Manasrah R. and Wild C. (2012) Budget of coral-derived organic carbon in a fringing coral reef of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. 105-108: 20-29. 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2012.05.007
@article{Naumann2012,
Title = {Budget of coral-derived organic carbon in a fringing coral reef of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea},
Author = {Naumann, Malik S. and Richter, Claudio and Mott, Claudius and el-Zibdah, Mohammad and Manasrah, Riyad and Wild, Christian},
Editor = {},
Year = {2012},
Pages = {20-29},
Volume = {105-108},
Doi = {10.1016/j.jmarsys.2012.05.007},
Abstract = {The continuous release of organic C-rich material by reef-building corals can contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes and concomitant rapid nutrient recycling in coral reef ecosystems. However, our current understanding of these processes is limited to platform reefs exhibiting a high degree of ecosystem closure compared to the globally most common fringing reef type. This study carried out in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) presents the first quantitative budget for coral-derived organic carbon (COC) in a fringing reef and highlights the importance of local hydrodynamics. Diel reef-wide COC release amounted to 1.1 ± 0.2 kmol total organic carbon (TOC) representing 1–3% of gross benthic primary production. Most COC (73%) was released as particulate organic C (POC), the bulk of which (34–63%) rapidly settled as mucus string aggregates accounting for approximately 28% of total POC sedimentation. Sedimentation of mucus strings, but also dilution of suspended and dissolved COC in reef waters retained 82% of diel COC release in the fringing reef, providing a potentially important organic source for a COC-based food web. Pelagic COC degradation represented 0.1–1.6% of pelagic microbial respiration recycling 32% of diel retained COC. Benthic COC degradation contributed substantially (29–47%) to reef-wide microbial respiration in reef sands, including 20–38% by mucus string POC, and consumed approximately 52% of all retained COC. These findings point out the importance of COC as a C carrier for different reef types. COC may further represent a source of organic carbon for faunal communities colonising reef framework cavities complementing the efficient retention and recycling of COC within fringing reef environments.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Naumann, Malik S.
AU - Richter, Claudio
AU - Mott, Claudius
AU - el-Zibdah, Mohammad
AU - Manasrah, Riyad
AU - Wild, Christian
TI - Budget of coral-derived organic carbon in a fringing coral reef of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
PY - 2012
SP - 20-29
VL - 105-108
DO - 10.1016/j.jmarsys.2012.05.007
AB - The continuous release of organic C-rich material by reef-building corals can contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes and concomitant rapid nutrient recycling in coral reef ecosystems. However, our current understanding of these processes is limited to platform reefs exhibiting a high degree of ecosystem closure compared to the globally most common fringing reef type. This study carried out in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) presents the first quantitative budget for coral-derived organic carbon (COC) in a fringing reef and highlights the importance of local hydrodynamics. Diel reef-wide COC release amounted to 1.1 ± 0.2 kmol total organic carbon (TOC) representing 1–3% of gross benthic primary production. Most COC (73%) was released as particulate organic C (POC), the bulk of which (34–63%) rapidly settled as mucus string aggregates accounting for approximately 28% of total POC sedimentation. Sedimentation of mucus strings, but also dilution of suspended and dissolved COC in reef waters retained 82% of diel COC release in the fringing reef, providing a potentially important organic source for a COC-based food web. Pelagic COC degradation represented 0.1–1.6% of pelagic microbial respiration recycling 32% of diel retained COC. Benthic COC degradation contributed substantially (29–47%) to reef-wide microbial respiration in reef sands, including 20–38% by mucus string POC, and consumed approximately 52% of all retained COC. These findings point out the importance of COC as a C carrier for different reef types. COC may further represent a source of organic carbon for faunal communities colonising reef framework cavities complementing the efficient retention and recycling of COC within fringing reef environments.
ER -
