C isotopic signatures of sediment collected in 2014 and 2015 in the vicinity of various coral colonies such as Callogorgia, Paramuricea, and Lophelia

As part of a larger multi-component study examining the tolerance of corals to natural seepage, we are examining the relationship between coral occurrence and C isotope signatures of sediment, as an indicator hydrocarbon exposure. Our goal is to test the hypothesis that stable and radiocarbon isotopes in sediments can be used as a proxy for time-integrated hydrocarbon exposure to corals at seep sites and that different coral types will have different degrees of tolerance. We tested this hypothesis by analyzing the C isotopic signatures of sediment collected in 2014 and 2015 in the vicinity of various coral colonies such as Callogorgia, Paramuricea, and Lophelia, among others and near bacterial mats.