Calcification in scleractinian corals: a spatio-temporal model

Calcification in scleractinian corals is a highly complex process that involves a wide variety of physical, chemical and biological sub-processes. Although many of these sub-processes have been studied individually, coral calcification as a whole is still not well understood. Variations in the relevant environmental conditions, such as increased levels of CO₂ in the oceans, affect calcification and can have severe consequences for coral health. In order to better predict the effect of such variations on calcification, the process needs to be studied from the perspective of the entire system.

We are developing a spatio-temporal model of the dynamics of the relevant molecular fluxes as a set of coupled reaction-diffusion equations combined with biological transport modeled as Michaelis-Menten and Hill equations. Simulations can be employed to clarify the influence of different individual processes and reaction rates as well as changes in the chemical composition of the surrounding seawater.