Coral Banding as an Environmental Indicator in Bocas del Toro

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Beulig, Alfred

Keywords

Coral Reefs, Coral Banding, Panama, Bocas del Toro

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

This thesis project explored coral luminescent banding as a potential environmental indicator in the region of Bocas del Toro, Panama. The luminescent banding pattern in two specimens of Porites astreoides taken from Almirante Bay in Bocas del Toro, Panama, was examined to determine: 1) if there was a general banding pattern observable within a single cross section of coral, 2) if the banding patterns on cross sections from different corals taken from the same reef system exhibit a similar pattern, 3) if coral banding patterns can be effectively related to rainfall and river run off data. Coral luminescent banding is presented as an attractive methodology to derive information about environmental conditions over time.

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