CoralCache: a virtual coral core repository for transparent and reproducible annual growth rate analyses

Abstract. As science fields enter the Big Data revolution, open-access repositories are essential for addressing larger-scale questions than are possible for single researchers by making data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). Furthermore, transparent data and code are increasingly important for reproducible research, especially for data types that inherently require subjective human interpretations. These ideas are applicable to coral sclerochronology, as the field has long been characterized by individual researchers collecting and analyzing coral skeletal cores from their study sites without substantial data sharing or archiving of the core images to meet FAIR principles. Here, we present CoralCache, a virtual coral core repository that not only archives image datasets (i.e., digitized X-rays and computed tomography scans), but also observer interpretations of the density banding patterns. CoralCache is linked to a graphical user interface, CoralCT, which together offer a way forward for coral growth rate analysis that is reproducible and collaborative. The data organization systems presented here could also be readily applied to related archives such as tree rings or bivalve shells. The data are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17208911 (DeCarlo et al., 2025a) and https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19410281 (DeCarlo, 2026).

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Publication Details

Journal
Earth system science data
Published
2026-05-19
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3341-2026
Primary Topic
Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

CoralCache: a virtual coral core repository for transparent and reproducible annual growth rate analyses

Earth system science data
Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
article

CoralCache: a virtual coral core repository for transparent and reproducible annual growth rate analyses

article en

Abstract

Abstract. As science fields enter the Big Data revolution, open-access repositories are essential for addressing larger-scale questions than are possible for single researchers by making data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). Furthermore, transparent data and code are increasingly important for reproducible research, especially for data types that inherently require subjective human interpretations. These ideas are applicable to coral sclerochronology, as the field has long been characterized by individual researchers collecting and analyzing coral skeletal cores from their study sites without substantial data sharing or archiving of the core images to meet FAIR principles. Here, we present CoralCache, a virtual coral core repository that not only archives image datasets (i.e., digitized X-rays and computed tomography scans), but also observer interpretations of the density banding patterns. CoralCache is linked to a graphical user interface, CoralCT, which together offer a way forward for coral growth rate analysis that is reproducible and collaborative. The data organization systems presented here could also be readily applied to related archives such as tree rings or bivalve shells. The data are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17208911 (DeCarlo et al., 2025a) and https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19410281 (DeCarlo, 2026).

Earth system science dataVol. 18(5)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US), Tulane University (US), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (BR), United States Geological Survey (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), The University of Sydney (AU), Georgia Institute of Technology (US), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US), Universidade do Estado da Bahia (BR), Wildlife Conservation Society (US), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (AU), Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (US), University of Arizona (US), University of Miami (US), Scripps Institution of Oceanography (US), Université de Bordeaux (FR), University of Leicester (GB), University of Auckland (NZ), Hohai University (CN), National Taiwan University (TW), Nanyang Technological University (SG), The University of Western Australia (AU), Universidade de São Paulo (BR), University of Bremen (DE), Pacific Science Center (US), NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories (US), Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (CN), University of California San Diego (US), Instituto de Acuicultura Torre de la Sal (ES), Environnements et Paléoenvironnements Océaniques et Continentaux (FR), Earth Observatory of Singapore (SG), Fundação de Estudo e Pesquisa em Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (BR), Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada del Ecuador (EC), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (US), Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica (TW), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, University of Waikato (NZ), University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (PR), Freie Universität Berlin (DE), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX), Leipzig University (DE), Stanford University (US)
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Directorate for Geosciences
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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