This record describes the coral luminescence as a recorder of freshwater impacts from inshore corals of the Fitzroy River Basin.
Eight cores from AIMS’ Coral Core Archive were used in this study:
Two cores from the same colony were collected from Humpy Island (23.2oS, 151.0oE) collected in1997 - HMP01A, HMP01B,
Four cores from four separate colonies were collected from Hummocky Island (23.4oS, 151.1oE), collected in in 2017 - HUM02A, HUM03A, HUM04B, HUM05B
Two cores from two separate colonies were collected from Masthead Island (23.5o S, 151.7oE), collected in 2017 - MAS01E, MAS02A
The Hummocky and Masthead Island cores were collected as part of a co-funded project with the Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership (Cantin et al 2018)
The coral cores slices were photographed under UV light to reveal luminescent lines and analysed for gamma densitometry, measurements of skeletal density and luminescence. Measurements were analysed for relationships between coral records and the river flow data using cross correlation and linear regression analyses.
Environmental data for daily river flows were obtained from The Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy (DNRME) Water Monitoring Portal.
Geochemical tracers were measured in four coral cores that cover the period from 1677 to 2016. The study focused on 15 trace elements which can provide evidence of changes in the marine environment related to historical and ongoing changes influenced by river systems.
