The Impact of Bleaching on Coral Strength

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Coral bleaching results in degradation of the organism’s health. As such, this study set out to identify and determine the extent to which coralline health correlates to coralline strength. Healthy and bleached coral samples were collected at sites in Kiribati and Palmyra. Samples were stressed uniaxially with controlled weight increase until fracture, obtaining the critical fracture mass and thereby the tensile stress (strength) of the samples. The measurement data does not demonstrate a definitive trend regarding the impact of bleaching on the mechanical properties of coral due to a variability that can be attributed to the lack of a solid baseline with which to compare coral strength. Significant variations occurred on the intra-colony and intercolony levels as well as between different sites and different species. These variations occur given coralline construction in response to environmental requirements. In order to identify the impact of bleaching on strength, if any, a baseline mechanism of comparison must be developed to take into account variation within colonies. Though this study does not provide that baseline, it serves as evidence and impetus for the necessity of creating a baseline from which to assess the impact of coralline health on its strength and thereby the viability/survivability of the entire reef ecosystem.

Type of resource	text
Date created	June 9, 2005

Author	Gudai, David

Subject	Stanford@SEA
Subject	S-199
Subject	Hopkins Marine Station
Subject	Department of Biology
Subject	Department of Earth System Science
Subject	BIOHOPK 182H
Subject	BIOHOPK 323H
Subject	EARTHSYS 323
Subject	ESS 323
Subject	bleaching
Subject	coral
Subject	coralline strength
Subject	Kiribati
Subject	Palmyra
Subject	tensile stress
Subject	reef
Genre	Student project report

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/xn661rs3028

Use and reproduction: User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).

Preferred Citation: Gudai, David. 2005. The Impact of Bleaching on Coral Strength. Unpublished Student Work, S-199, Stanford@SEA, Stanford Digital Repository. https://purl.stanford.edu/xn661rs3028.

Stanford@SEA -- Student papers

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