南中国海的珊瑚礁流失

该团队利用尖端地球化学技术，从珊瑚骨骼中提取了微量的氮，这些骨骼以类似于树木年轮的可观察的生长层生长。尽管超过99％的骨骼是碳酸钙，但珊瑚分泌的蛋白质支架上附着了矿物质。 通过这种方式，珊瑚可以控制其钙化，钙化在夏季多产的月份中增加，而在冬季凉爽的月份中减少，从而导致高密度带和低密度带交替出现。通过该该研究了解海洋资源。

Coral reef loss in the South China Sea

Using cutting-edge geochemical techniques pioneered by their Princeton collaborators, the team extracted minute quantities of nitrogen from coral skeletons, which grow in observable layers of growth similar to tree rings. Although more than 99% of the skeleton is calcium carbonate, the coral secretes a protein scaffolding upon which the minerals are attached. In this way, corals can control their calcification which increases in productive summer months and decreases in cool winter months leading to a tell-tale alternation of high and low density bands. Those bands were observed and measured using x-ray equipment at the Ocean Park veterinary hospital.

https://www.swims.hku.hk/hku-marine-ecologists-and-international-team-unveils-the-historical-impacts-of-development-on-coral-reef-loss-in-the-south-china-sea-suggesting-possible-coral-restoration-in-hong-kong/