Survival, growth, and branch production of unattached fragments of the threatened hermatypic coral Acropora cervicornis

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Volumn 457, Issue , 2014, Pages 215-219

  Mercado Molina, Alex E ^a,b   Ruiz Diaz, Claudia Patricia ^a   Sabat, Alberto M ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO   (Puerto Rico)

^b Sociedad Ambiente Marino   (Puerto Rico)

Author keywords

Acropora cervicornis; Asexual reproduction; Coral fragments; Coral reefs; Fragment reattachment

Indexed keywords

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION; COLONY; CORAL; CORAL REEF; DEMOGRAPHY; ENDANGERED SPECIES; FRAGMENTATION; GROWTH RATE; LIFE HISTORY TRAIT; POPULATION GROWTH; REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGY; SURVIVORSHIP;

PUERTO RICO;

EID: 84900000283     PISSN: 00220981     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2014.04.017     Document Type: Article

References (34)

1. Aronson R.B., Precht W.F. White-band disease and the changing face of Caribbean coral reefs. Hydrobiologia 2001, 460:25-38.
2. Bak R.P., Criens S.R. Survival after fragmentation of colonies of Madracis mirabilis, Acropora palmata and A. cervicornis (Scleractinia) and the subsequent impact of a coral disease. In Proc. 4th Int. Coral. Reef. Symp. 1981, Vol. 2:221-227.
3. Bowden-Kerby A. Low-tech coral reef restoration methods modeled after fragmentation process. Bull. Mar. Sci. 2001, 68:1-18.
4. Bruckner A., Bruckner R. Condition of restored Acropora palmata fragments off Mona Island, Puerto Rico, 2years after the Fortuna Reefer ship grounding. Coral Reefs 2001, 20:235-243.
5. Bruno J.F. Fragmentation in Madracis mirabilis (Duchassaing and Michelotti): how common is size-specific fragment survivorship in corals?. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 1998, 230:169-181.
6. Carpenter K.E., Abrar M., Aeby G., Aronson R.B., Banks S., Bruckner A., Chiriboga A., Cortés J., Delbeek J.C., DeVantier L., Edgar G.J., Edwards A.J., Fenner D., Guzmán H.M., Hoeksema B.W., Hodgson G., Johan O., Licuanan W.Y., Livingstone S.R., Lovell E.R., Moore J.A., Obura D.O., Ochavillo D., Polidoro B.A., Precht W.F., Quibilan M.C., Reboton C., Richards Z.T., Rogers A.D., Sanciangco J., Sheppard A., Sheppard C., Smith J., Stuart S., Turak E., Veron John E.N.J.E.N., Wallace C., Weil E., Wood E. One-third of reef-building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts. Science 2008, 321:560-563.
7. Forrester G.E., O'Connell-Rodwell C., Baily P., Forrester L.M., Giovannini S., Harmon L., Krumholz J., Rodwell T., Jarecki L. Evaluating methods for transplanting endangered Elkhorn Corals in the Virgin Islands. Restor. Ecol. 2011, 19:299-306.
8. Griffin S.P., Spathias H., Moore T.D., Baums I., Griffin B.A. Scaling up Acropora nurseries in the Caribbean and improving techniques. Proc 12th Int Coral Reef Symp 20A_2 2012.
9. Highsmith R.C. Reproduction by fragmentation in corals. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 1982, 7:207-226.
10. Hughes T.P., Jackson J.B.C. Population dynamics and life histories of foliaceous corals. Ecol. Monogr. 1985, 55:142-166.
11. Knowlton N. Thresholds and multiple stable states in coral reef community dynamics. Am. Zool. 1992, 32:674-682.
12. Knowlton N., Lang J.C., Rooney M.C., Clifford P. Evidence for delayed mortality in hurricane-damaged Jamaican staghorn corals. Nature 1981, 294:251-252.
13. Knowlton N., Lang J.C., Keller B.D. Case study of natural population collapse: post-hurricane predation on Jamaican staghorn corals. Smithson. Contrib. Mar. Sci. 1990, 3:1-36.
14. Kohler K.E., Gill S.M. Coral point count with Excel extensions (CPCe): a visual basic program for the determination of coral and substrate coverage using random point count methodology. Comput. Geosci. 2006, 32:1259-1269.
15. Lewis J.B. Testing the coral fragment size-dependent survivorship hypothesis for the calcareous hydrozoan Millepora complanata. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 1991, 70:101-104.
16. Lirman D. Fragmentation in the branching coral Acropora palmata (Lamarck): growth, survivorship, and reproduction of colonies and fragments. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 2000, 251:41-57.
17. Lirman D., Thyberg T., Herlan J., Hill C., Young-Lahiff C., Schopmeyer S., Huntington B., Santos R., Drury C. Propagation of the threatened staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis: methods to minimize the impacts of fragment collection and maximize production. Coral Reefs 2010, 29:729-735.
18. Miller M., Bourque A., Bohnsack J. An analysis of the loss of Acroporid corals at Looe Key, Florida, USA: 1983-2000. Coral Reefs 2002, 21:179-182.
19. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Endangered and threatened wildlife plants: Proposed listing determinations for 82 reef-building coral species; proposed reclassification of Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis from threatened to endangered. Federal Register 77:773220-73262 2012, (Available from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012--12--07/pdf/2012--29350.pdf).
20. Okubo N., Motokawa T., Omori M. When fragmented coral spawn? Effect of size and timing on survivorship and fecundity of fragmentation in Acropora formosa. Mar. Biol. 2007, 151:353-363.
21. Precht W., Bruckner A., Aronson R., Bruckner R. Endangered Acroporid corals of the Caribbean. Coral Reefs 2002, 21:41-42.
22. Quinn N.J., Kojis B.L. Patterns of sexual recruitment of Acroporid coral populations on the West Fore Reef at Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 2005, 53:83-90.
23. Quinn N.J., Kojis B.L. Evaluating the potential of natural reproduction and artificial techniques to increase the Acropora cervicornis populations at Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Rev. Biol. Trop. 2006, 54:105-116.
24. Ritson-Williams R., Arnold S., Fogarty N., Steneck R.S., Vermeij M.J.A., Paul V.J. New perspectives on ecological mechanisms affecting coral recruitment on reefs. Smithson. Contrib. Mar. Sci. 2009, 38:437-457.
25. Sebens K. The ecology of indeterminate growth in animals. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 1987, 18:371-407.
26. Shinn E.A. Coral growth rate, an environmental indicator. J. Paleontol. 1966, 40:233-240.
27. Smith L.D., Hughes T.P. An experimental assessment of survival, re-attachment and fecundity of coral fragments. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 1999, 235:147-164.
28. Tunnicliffle V. Caribbean staghorn coral populations: pre-Hurricane Allen conditions in Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Bull. Mar. Sci. 1983, 33:132-151.
29. Tunnicliffe V. Breakage and propagation of the stony coral Acropora cervicornis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1981, 78:2427-2431.
30. Vargas-Ángel B., Thomas J.D., Hoke S.M. High-latitude Acropora cervicornis thickets off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Coral Reefs 2003, 22:465-473.
31. Vargas-Ángel B., Colley S.B., Hoke S.M., Thomas J.D. The reproductive seasonality and gametogenic cycle of Acropora cervicornis off Broward County, Florida, USA. Coral Reefs 2006, 25:110-122.
32. Vollmer S.V., Palumbi S.R. Restricted gene flow in the Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis: implications for the recovery of endangered reefs. J. Hered. 2007, 98:40-50.
33. Williams D.E., Miller M.W. Coral disease outbreak: pattern, prevalence and transmission in Acropora cervicornis. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 2005, 301:119-128.
34. Williams D.E., Miller M.W. Stabilization of fragments to enhance asexual recruitment in Acropora palmata, a threatened Caribbean coral. Restor. Ecol. 2010, 18:446-451.