Hidden Archives of Environmental Change: Application of Mass
Spectrometry Methods in Coral Reef Science
Abstract
In coral reef studies, mass spectrometry methods are widely applied to
determine geochemical proxies in corals as a tool to evaluate seawater
changes. As the coral grows, its skeleton forms annual bands similar to
the growth rings found in trees. The density of the calcium carbonate
skeletons changes as the water temperature, light, and nutrient
conditions change. The elements stored within these bands can provide
insight into the changing conditions of seawater over the entire
lifetime of the coral, and serve as useful environmental records. Corals
incorporate trace elements that can be precisely measured using
high-resolution techniques, such as Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled
Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). This analytical tool offers high
levels of precision to determine the distribution of trace elements
along the annual bands of coral skeletons. This approach can serve for
both fixed-point time-series and large-scale in ocean science, as well
as for water quality research. Ultimately, this procedure can be applied
to reconstruct past climate oscillation episodes and/or to quantify
the impacts of marine pollution on coral reefs. The benefits of
techno-scientific aspects of new and established mass spectrometry
applications in coral reef research hold great promise that may continue
to be improved in future studies. Given the current climate crisis, this
issue requires accurate measurements to increase our understanding on
the impacts that have become more frequent and intense.