A validation of coral geochemical records to reconstruct suspended sediment loads to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon

Research Grant

[Cite as http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nesp/twq/1.3]

Researchers: Stephen Lewis (Principal investigator)

Researchers Janice Lough

Brief description

While coral geochemistry records are widely cited as evidence for increased suspended sediment loads delivered to the Great Barrier Reef since the 1850s, there has been little replication or quantification of the records. Indeed, most records are based on cores collected prior to the year 2000 when limited catchment monitoring data existed to ‘validate’ the interpretations that certain trace element ratios provided proxies of annual sediment loadings. This project will analyse the geochemistry of coral cores collected in 2012 from sites in the central GBR and compare the ratios to measured sediment and particulate nutrient loads from the Burdekin River.

Notes In addition to the NESP funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.