Scott,-P.J.B.; Risk,-M.J.; Carriquiry,-J.D.  El Nino, 
	bioerosion and the survival of East Pacific reefs.  
	PROCEEDINGS-OF-THE-SIXTH-INTERNATIONAL-CORAL-REEF-
	SYMPOSIUM,-TOWNSVILLE,-AUSTRALIA,-8th-12th-AUGUST-1988.-
	VOLUME-2:-CONTRIBUTED-PAPERS-MINI-SYMPOSIUM-1-TO-10-14. 
	Choat,-J.H.;Barnes,-D.;Borowitzka,-M.A.;Coll,-
	J.C.;Davies,-P.J.;Flood,-P.;et-al.-eds.. 1988. pp. 517-
	520.

An integrated study of the biology, ecology, geochemistry and 
sedimentology of the 1982-83 El Nino warming event in the 
East Pacific revealed that the magnitude and impact of this 
major hydrodynamic forcing function can be measured 
retroactively. El Nino is accurately recorded in the  
super(18)O/ super(16)O ratios of corals from Isla del Cano, 
Costa Rica, as well as in the reefal and offshore sediments. 
Analysis of its effect allows us to evaluate previous such 
events in other reef sequences, recent and fossil. The study 
also demonstrates that survival and recovery of the remnant 
reefs depend primarily on infaunal bioeroders.