Nov 26, 2020
Sclerochronology is not a word the average person hears every day, let alone understands, but for RSRC alumnus and marine biologist Dr. Thomas DeCarlo, the word is at the core of his work. Literally.
Sclerochronology is the study of the hard tissues and skeletons of invertebrates, and in DeCarlo's case, long-lived, tropical corals. He drills, dates and analyzes cored samples from corals to learn how they grow and also respond to ocean warming and acidification. Sclerochronology is one tool in a suite of research techniques that DeCarlo applies to his projects. Carbonate geochemistry, Raman spectroscopy, paleoceanography and remote sensing are others.