Fulltext

Use of fractal dimensions to quantify coral shape

Martin-Garin, B. ; Lathuilière, B. ; Verrecchia, E. ; Geister, J.

In: Coral Reefs, 2007, vol. 26, no. 3, p. 541-550

Ajouter à la liste personnelle
    Titre
    • Use of fractal dimensions to quantify coral shape
    Auteur
    • Martin-Garin, B.. Tethys Ocean, 15 impasse Ramel, 83320, Carqueiranne, France
    • Lathuilière, B.. G2R, Nancy-Université, CNRS, BP 239, 54506, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
    • Verrecchia, E.. Institut de Géologie de l'Université de Neuchâtel, Rue Emile Argand 11, 2007, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
    • Geister, J.. Abteilung Erdwissenschaften, Paläontologie, Naturhistorisches Museum, Bernastrasse 15, 3005, Bern, Switzerland
    Type de document
    • Postprint
    Identifiant OAI-PMH
    • oai:doc.rero.ch:314583
    Summary
    A morphometrical method to quantify and characterize coral corallites using Richardson Plots and Kaye's notion of fractal dimensions is presented. A Jurassic coral species (Aplosmilia spinosa) and five Recent coral species were compared using the Box-Counting Method. This method enables the characterization of their morphologies at calicular and septal levels by their fractal dimensions (structural and textural). Moreover, it is possible to determine differences between species of Montastraea and to tackle the high phenotypic plasticity of Montastraea annularis. The use of fractal dimensions versus conventional methods (e.g., measurements of linear dimensions with a calliper, landmarks, Fourier analyses) to explore a rugged boundary object is discussed. It appears that fractal methods have the potential to considerably simplify the morphometrical and statistical approaches, and be a valuable addition to methods based on Euclidian geometry