Marine Biogeochemistry

Individual Project #4

Investigators

Anton Eisenhauer, GEOMAR, Germany
Jonathan Erez, HUJI, Israel
Isabelle Taubner, GEOMAR, Germany

Goal

Determining the degree of temperature dependent Sr isotope fractionation during organic precipitation of marine carbonates

Summary

The temperature dependency of δ^88/86Sr in aragonitic corals (δ^88/86Sr ~ 0.033±0.005.T(°C)-0.94) has been shown to be more sensitive than that for inorganic aragonite (Fietzke & Eisenhauer, 2006). This difference clearly shows that results from inorganic precipitation experiments cannot unambiguously be transferred to organically precipitated carbonates due to the “vital effect” inherent to the calcifiers´ physiology. In particular, latter difference between inorganic and organic precipitation and the more sensitive reaction of Sr in organically precipitated CaCO₃ will be examined and tested in great detail. For these experiments we will select tropical corals (aragonite) from the Red Sea. These experiments will be performed in collaboration and leadership of Prof. Dr. J. Erez, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. Under his leadership corals and foraminifera will be collected at the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba and then cultured under controlled laboratory conditions at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. The results of the planned experiments will be important for the paleo-sciences because corals are important carrier of paleo-proxy information in the marine realm. Note, that the corals will be cultured as a function of the same parameters as in the inorganic experiments (water temperature, pH, precipitation rate and ionic strength) that will be performed at Graz University of Technology, Austria.

: Culturing Pocillopora sp. in the culturing facilities in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (image by Isabelle Taubner, GEOMAR).

Contact

Prof. Dr. Anton Eisenhauer
(Project Coordinator)
Phone: +49-431-600 2282
Fax: +49-431-600 2928
aeisenhauer@geomar.de

Isabelle Taubner (PhD)
(Coordination Assistant)
Phone: +49-431-600 2109
itaubner@geomar.de

Links

TRION home
Individual Project #1
Individual Project #2
Individual Project #3
Individual Project #4
Publications
List of participants

News

Since April 2013
PhD student Stephanie Schurigt from GEOMAR visiting Israel for coral culturing experiments in Jerusalem and Eilat.

March 12^th - 21^st, 2013
Engineer Ana Kolevica from GEOMAR visits AlQuds University to give an advanced training course on the Agilent Quadrupol mass spectrometer.

Since March 2013
Soil processing training for Master student from AlQuds University at the GSI. This training includes identification of the soils, grinding and opening of the samples for chemical analyses.

Feb 11^th, 2013
Joint soil sampling field trip between AQU, HUJ, and GSI.

Dec 14^th, 2012
Evaluation of TRION II proposal at GEOMAR.

June 2012
First element analyses with the Quadrupol were successfully carried out on rock samples, brine wastes, water plants and groceries at AQU.

May 2012
First student projects based on element analyses with the Quadrupol MS have been launched at AQU.

April 5^th, 2012
Installation of Quadrupol at AQU finished. Quadrupol is ready for measurements.

January 11^th, 2012
Delivery to Abu Dies The distributor Agitech delivered the Quadrupol at AlQuds University.

January 8^th - 11^th, 2012
2^nd TRION Workshop was held in Jerusalem, Israel. Students presented their first results. Analytical procedures and correct statistical treatment of stable Sr isotope data were discussed. Clean lab construction is close to completion as seen during a visit to AlQuds University (AQU).

January 6^th, 2012
Customs clearance Payments were executed (from Germany) to clear all goods from customs ensuring delivery of the Quadrupol without any further undue delays.

November 25^th, 2011
Arrival in Israel The Quadrupol MS Agilent 7500 arrives at Tel Aviv airport, Israel.

September 4^th - 10^th, 2011
Students training on the ICP-MS Students from AQU received basic training on the ICP-MS and at the Quadrupol-MS at the HUJ in Jerusalem.

September 9^th, 2011
Export license finally granted! BAFA finally grants the export license for the Quadrupol MS Agilent 7500.

August 18^th, 2011
Extraordinary meeting at Goldschmidt conference in Prague, Czech Republic was initiated to discuss acceleration of Quadrupol delivery to Palestine, scheduling sample exchange among TRION partners for Sr isotope analysis and validation procedures between different analytical methods.

June 20^th - 23^rd, 2011
Prof. Lazar visit in Kiel, Germany. Prof. Lazar (HUJI) presented a talk titled “The effect of ocean acidification on growth of coral reefs”. Carbonate and water samples, standards for Sr isotope analysis and Sr spikes were exchanged and preparation procedures discussed.

February 6^th - 9^th, 2011
1^st TRION Workshop entitled “Alkaline earth trace metal partitioning and isotope fractionation in the Geosciences” was held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Besides networking between Palestinian, Israeli and German students, post-docs and scientists involved in the TRION project were invited for seminars.

July 4^th - 6^th, 2010
Kick-off meeting for the TRION project took place in Jerusalem. The participants included Boaz Lazar, Mutaz AlQutob, Moti Stein, Jonathan Erez, Ludwik Halicz and Anton Eisenhauer.