Based on: Jacek Raddatz, Matthias López Correa, Andres Rüggeberg, Thor Hansteen, Wolf-Christian Dullo, 2011. Bioluminescence in deep-sea isidid gorgonians from the Cape Verde archipelago. Coral Reefs, 30:579.
DOI:10.1007/s00338-011-0743-5
Cold-water corals, and in particular numerous gorgonian species, occur abundantly on the deep slopes of the Cape Verde archipelago (Fig. 1a). Among them, the isidid gorgonian genus Keratoisis occurred frequently. A living Keratoisis sp. was ROV collected (KIEL 6000) from 3,052 m (16°42.3’N, 25°34.9’W) in the Charles Darwin Volcanic Field (1b) durin METEOR cruise M80/3. A strong luminescence was accidentally observed when this bamboo coralarrived on deck in the early evening hours just before sunset. The entire stem and branch tissue showed a dull blue luminescence. Additionally, when touched, it emitted a very strong blue light (Fig.
1c) that persisted for a few seconds. Coral tissue lit up strongest and flash like at the point of stimulation, and the illumination spread in a wave across the coenenchyme of the distal branches. The most intense light emission originated from the non-retractile sclerite-rich feeding polyps and remained visible for several minutes before it slowly faded. This phenomenon could be reproduced several times within hours.
Luminescence in octocorals has been observed in the alcyonarian Anthomastus sp., as well as in isidid gorgonians (Isidella, Keratoisis, and Lepidisis), primnoid gorgonians (Primnoisis and Thouarella), and in Iridigorgia and Acanthogorgia (Herring 1987). Muzik (1978) documented bioluminescence in the isidid gorgonian Lepidisis olapa off Hawaii, and Etnoyer (2008) mentioned luminescent capabilities for Isidella tentaculum from the northeast Pacific. Just recently, bioluminescence was reported for Keratoisis flexibilis and for the zoanthid Gerardia sp. from the Gulf of Mexico (http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/09bioluminescence/). Likely due to the scarce availability of direct deep-sea sampling and observation, there are no further Atlantic records for bioluminescence in the Keratoisidinae outside the
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Gulf of Mexico. Our additional observations support that bioluminescence in Keratoisis and in other deep-sea gorgonians is rather common and deserves detailed in situ observations.
Figure 1: a) ROV sampling of Keratoisis sp. ~3,052 m depth in the Cape Verde archipelago. b) Distal branch of Keratoisis sp. in plain light. c) Distal branch of the same colony emitting a strong blue bioluminescence after physical stimulation.
References
Etnoyer, P., 2008. A new species of Isidella bamboo coral (Octocorallia:
Alcyonacea: Isididae) from northeast Pacific seamounts. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 121:541–553.
Herring, P.J., 1987. Systematic distribution of bioluminescence in living organisms.
Journal of Bioluminnescence and Chemiluminescence 1:147–163.
Muzik, K., 1978. A bioluminescent gorgonian, Lepidisis olapa, new species (Coelenterata: Octocorallia) from Hawaii. Bulletin of Marine Science 28:735–741.
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Chapter II
Table 1: Sortable silt, stable oxygen and carbon isotopes of different benthic and planktonic foraminifera of IODP SITE 1317 C
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Chapter III
Table 1:U and Th isotopes and calculated ages of cold-water coral fragments from core GeoB 6730-1 (MIS = Marine Isotope Stage).
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Table 1: NOTE: All uncertainties are based on 2 SEM level of the isotope measurements. U-Th measurements of the sample set were performed on a Finnigan MAT 262 RPQ+ (Mat262, U) and a Thermo-Finnigan Triton-RPQ (Triton, U) thermal ionisation mass spectrometer (TIMS) and a VG Axiom multi collector - inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS, including multi ion counting (MIC) set-up). The δ234U(0) value represents the originally today measured (234U/238U) activity ratio, given in delta notation (δ234U(0) = ((234Uact/238Uact)-1) * 1000). Displayed δ234U(T) values reflect age corrected (234U/238U) activity ratios by recalculating the decay of 234U for the time interval T (δ234U(T) = δ234U(0)exp(λ234T)), determined from 230Th/234U age of each individual sample. Note, due to the generally high ages in this sample set, the impact of age correction on the interpretation of δ234U values is significant and criteria for isotopic reliability of 230Th age data may applied. Recent reef forming cold-water corals showed within their uncertainties similar δ234U(0)
values of 145.5 ± 2.3 ‰ and 146.3 ± 3.9 ‰, supporting the application of the δ234U(T) reliability criterion presented for tropical corals. δ234U(T) criterion and related U-Th age quality code: n = not reliable (potential diagentic overprint), R = reliable (passing the 149 ± 8 ‰ δ234U(T) criterion); SR = strictly reliable (within 146.6 - 149.6 ‰ δ234U(T), representing values for modern corals and modern seawater, respectively). First order classification is disregarding the individual analytical uncertainty, avoiding preference to less precise measurements. Maximum quality level reached within range of analytical uncertainty is indicated in brackets.
* Mean values reflect reproducibility and robustness of applied methods. Uncertainties of mean values are given as 2 SEM. ** Nevertheless, despite precise isotope measurements, for sample 318 enlarged age uncertainty and less age reliability must be deduced due to high Th concentrations (> 100 ng/g) and the related uncertainty of correction for potential detrital impact. *** No reasonable classification possible.
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Table 2: CTD-salinity data and δ18Owater measurements of samples from the upper water column (0–1155 m) collected during cruises M61/1, M61/3, P316 in summer 2004.
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Table 3: δ18O ratios of Cibicidoides kullenbergi (δ18Okull) and Fontbotia wuellerstorfi (δ18Owuell) of fraction 250 to 500 µm from gravity cores of Propeller Mound. Analytical standard deviation for δ18O is ± 0.07 ‰ PDB.
Core GeoB Depth (cm) δ18Owuell (‰ PDB) δ18Okull (‰ PDB)
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Table 4: δ18O and paleo-density data of core GeoB 6730-1. Equation numbers 1, 6 and 7 correspond to main text. MIS = Marine Isotope Stages. Analytical standard
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288 2.25 27.34 6 9
293 2.60 27.49 6 9
298 2.45 27.43 6 9
303 2.59 27.48 HIATUS HIATUS
308 2.53 27.46 6 9
313 2.59 27.49 6 9
318 2.89 27.59 6 9
323 2.98 27.62 6 9
328 2.89 27.59 6 9
333 2.96 27.61 6 9
338 2.74 27.54 6 9
343 2.66 27.51 6 9
353 3.08 27.64 6 9
358 2.65 27.51 6 9
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Table 5: δ18O and paleo-density data of IODP core U1317C. Equation 6 is used for paleo-density reconstruction (see manuscript). Analytical standard deviation for δ18O is ±0.045 ‰ PDB, for paleo-density reconstruction ±0.05 kg m-3. Mbsf = meters
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Chapter IV
Table 1: Meta data, environmental data, stable strontium isotopes and element ratios of Lophelia pertusa coral samples.
Note* S = Source; 1 = Rüggeberg et al. (2008), Source 2 = this study, NNR = Northern Norwegian Reefs, PSB = Porcupine Seabight. CoC = Centers of calcification
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Chapter V
Table 1: Elemental ratios of Lophelia pertusa samples from IODP Site 1317
LabNr
Depth E (mbsf)
Li/Ca
[µmol/mol] Mg/Ca [mmol/mol]
Ba/Ca
[µmol|mol] Mg/Li [mol|mmol]
900-10 0,08 10,62 3,23 9,78 0,30
901-10 4,01 10,77 3,09 7,85 0,29
908-10 3,94 9,43 2,91 8,12 0,31
909-10 7,87 10,02 2,85 8,91 0,28
907-10 12,51 11,70 2,84 9,53 0,24
903-10 19,01 16,05 4,84 16,44 0,30
899-10 20,75 13,24 3,64 11,71 0,28
897-10 21,09 11,66 3,23 11,21 0,28
896-10 25,95 12,66 3,21 12,77 0,25
346-09 110,13 13,90 3,75 15,57 0,27
350-09 125,51 15,11 3,45 22,78 0,23
353-09 151,25 15,75 3,89 41,79 0,25
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Table 2: Stable carbon isotopes and Mg/Ca ratios of benthic and planktonic foraminifera from IODP Site 1317
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