Inter-Research > MEPS > v397 > p173-185  
MEPS
Marine Ecology Progress Series

via Mailchimp

MEPS 397:173-185 (2009)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08193

Growth rate and age determination of bamboo corals from the northeastern Pacific Ocean using refined 210Pb dating

Allen H. Andrews1,*, Robert P. Stone2, Craig C. Lundstrom3, Andrew P. DeVogelaere4

1Age and Longevity Research, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, California State University, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA
2Auke Bay Laboratories, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, 17109 Point Lena Loop Road, Juneau, Alaska 99801, USA
3Department of Geology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 245 Natural History Building, 1301 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
4Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, California 93940, USA

ABSTRACT: Bamboo corals from Davidson Seamount and from the Gulf of Alaska were aged using a refined 210Pb dating technique. The goal was to determine growth rates and age for several bamboo corals with higher precision. Radiometric results for 2 Davidson Seamount corals (Keratoisis sp.) converged on a radial growth rate of ~0.055 mm yr–1. One colony was aged at 98 ± 9 yr, with an average axial growth rate of ~0.7 cm yr–1. The age of a large colony was >145 yr with an estimated axial growth rate of 0.14 to 0.28 cm yr–1. Inconsistent rates may indicate nonlinear axial growth. A Keratoisis sp. specimen from the Gulf of Alaska was aged at 116 ± 29 yr from a radial growth rate of ~0.056 mm yr–1, which led to an average axial growth rate of ~1.0 cm yr–1. An Isidella tentaculum colony was aged at 53 ± 10 yr and grew most rapidly with a radial growth rate of ~0.10 mm yr–1 and an average axial growth rate of ~1.4 cm yr–1; however, the 210Pb decay pattern may have provided evidence for either a hiatus in radial growth or environmental changes in 210Pb. Our findings of slow growth and long life compared favorably with other bamboo coral studies and provided age estimates with greater precision. The high longevity of bamboo coral is an indication that recovery from disturbance or removal may take decades to a century. These age data provide a basis for a defensible position on the protection of bamboo coral and essential information for describing other life history characteristics.


KEY WORDS: Lead-210 · Radiometry · Deep sea · Longevity · Isididae


Full text in pdf format
Cite this article as: Andrews AH, Stone RP, Lundstrom CC, DeVogelaere AP (2009) Growth rate and age determination of bamboo corals from the northeastern Pacific Ocean using refined 210Pb dating. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 397:173-185. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08193

Export citation
Share:    Facebook - - linkedIn

 Previous article Next article