Purpose:
Provides coral color/condition scores, photosynthetic efficiency (PAM) measurements, growth rate, and mortality of the coral nubbins at each time point during exposure to dispersed oil CEWAF, as well as the concentration of oil hydrocarbons in each exposure chamber at the beginning and end of the exposure. This information is used to calculate the sublethal and lethal toxicity endpoints (EC50 and LC50).
Data Parameters and Units:
Key parameters: Coral condition score (scale of 0-3, no units), photosynthetic efficiency (Quantum yield (ΔF/Fm), growth rate (grams per day), percent mortality, Oil Loading (mg/L), Dispersant (Corexit 9500A; µL), Estimated Oil Equivalents (EOE; µg/L), Total polyaromatic hydrocarbon (TPAH) concentration (µg/L), Temperature (°C), pH, Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L), Number of organisms per chamber (N), Nutrients (mg/L).
Each organism contains the same data parameters/units listed by chamber and coral, with PAHs listed for each test individually.
Data averaged by Chamber: Chamber = the chamber number, Target = the target oil loading (mg/L), Load = The actual oil loading (mg/L), T0EOE = estimated oil equivalents at 0 h (µg/L), T48EOE = estimated oil equivalents at 48 h (µg/L), MeanEOE = geometric mean of the estimated oil equivalents at 0 and 48 h (µg/L), Dose = mean concentration of the 4 replicate chambers used for treatment effects, TPAH = total polyaromatic hydrocarbon (µg/L), Num = number of coral fragments in the chamber, CC1h – CC48h = the sublethal effect proportion at each time point based on the semi-quantitative scoring rubric for observational changes; coral condition score (scale of 0-3). Each score listed is the average effect proportion of each chamber (N=3). M24h, M36h, and M48h = the lethal effect proportion at each time point. Each score listed is the average proportion dead in each chamber (N=3). BG= growth rate during the baseline (mg/day), EG= the growth rate during the exposure (mg/day), PG= growth rate during the first week of recovery (g/day), MG= growth rate during recovery weeks 2-4 (mg/day). BY= quantum yield measured during baseline, EY= quantum yield measured immediately after the exposure, P7Y= quantum yield measured after 7 days of recovery, P28Y= quantum yield measured after 28 days of recovery. Each value listed for growth or yield is the average value for all corals in each chamber (N=3, or all surviving). Missing values indicate no surviving fragments measured. Temp.T0= Temperature at 0 h (°C), PH.T0= pH at 0h, DO.T0= Dissolved oxygen concentration (mg/L) at 0h, Temp.T48= Temperature at 48h (°C), PH.T48= pH at 48h, DO.T48= Dissolved oxygen concentration (mg/L) at 48h, ALK.T48= alkalinity (mg/L) at 48h, PO4= Phosphate concentration (mg/L) at 48h, NH3= Ammonia concentration (mg/L) at 48h, NO2= Nitrite concentration (mg/L) at 48h, NO3= Nitrate concentration (mg/L) at 48h.
Data by Coral: Chamber = the chamber number, Frag = the coral number, identifier; CC1h – CC48h = the sublethal effect proportion at each time point based on the semi-quantitative scoring rubric for observational changes. Each score listed is total score divided by the number of categories scored. M24h, M36h, and M48h = the lethal effect proportion at each time point. Each score listed is the average proportion of each coral dead. BG= growth rate during the baseline (mg/day), EG= the growth rate during the exposure (mg/day), PG= growth rate during the first week of recovery (g/day), MG= growth rate during recovery weeks 2-4 (mg/day). BY= quantum yield measured during baseline, EY= quantum yield measured immediately after the exposure, P7Y= quantum yield measured after 7 days of recovery, P28Y= quantum yield measured after 28 days of recovery. Each value listed for yield is the average of 4 measurements on each coral fragment. Missing values indicate no surviving fragments measured.
PAH by Chamber: Chamber= the chamber number, Reporting units (ng/g), Total PAHs, Total NS&T PAHs, Individual PAH compounds measured are listed for each chamber.
Methods:
Size and Volume of tanks: 500 mL exposure chamber connected to 2 L dosing reservoir, operating experimental water volume 2500 mL.
Source of Corals: Acropora cervicornis, NSU Coral Nursery, Broward County, Florida.
Source of water: laboratory coral system (artificial seawater).
Coral condition scale: Four-level system; 0=within normal limits, 1 = moderate, 2 = advanced, 3 = severe, assessment metrics of coral color, polyp extension/retraction, tissue swelling, mucus production
EOE concentrations were measured using an Aqualog Horiba Fluorometer (Model: Aqualog-UV-800).
PAH concentrations were measured using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (Agilent 6890N GC/5975C inert MSD) in the selected ion mode (SIM) using a DB-5 fused silica capillary column.