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Coral microatoll partial mortality after multi-hour subaerial exposure: Implications for relative sea-level studies
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Abstract
Some intertidal corals, known as microatolls, have a distinct morphology that reflects changes in local relative sea level. While past observations have shown that the top surface of these corals may be killed by subaerial exposure, little is known about the exact oceanographic or environmental
conditions that cause a coral to die down to a particular level. Here, we combine field surveys, tide-gauge data and analysis of microatoll morphology to investigate the survival limits of Porites spp.
microatolls on Singapore’s intertidal reefs. Unponded Porites spp. microatolls on the Pulau Biola reef reach a ‘highest level of growth’ between mean low water springs and mean low water neaps.
Diedowns on the highest microatolls during 2023 and 2024 suggest the survival of these corals
depends on the duration of subaerial exposure. By comparing the estimated diedown magnitude to
water levels recorded at local tide gauges, we show that intertidal corals on the Biola reef and nearby Siloso Point reef can survive more than two hours of continuous exposure per day. However, Porites spp. corals need not have survived more than 3.5 hours of daily exposure without dying down.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.31223/X5J72J
Subjects
Geomorphology, Marine Biology, Other Earth Sciences, Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
Keywords
Dates
Published: 2025-05-31 03:06
Last Updated: 2025-05-31 03:06
License
CC-BY Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
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Before publication in a journal, data not included in the manuscript or supplement will be available on request from the authors. At the time of publication, relevant data will be made public in a data repository.
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