Study

Adding coral rubble to substrata enhances settlement of Pocillopora damicornis larvae

  • Published source details Lee C.S., Walford J. & Goh B.P.L. (2009) Adding coral rubble to substrata enhances settlement of Pocillopora damicornis larvae. Coral Reefs, 28, 529-533.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery

Action Link
Coral Conservation

Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery

Action Link
Coral Conservation
  1. Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery

    A replicated study in 2006–2007 at an ex-situ nursery in Singapore (Lee et al. 2009) found that a cultivated stony coral Pocillopora damicornis larvae settled in higher numbers on tiles made from cement mixed with coral rubble than on any of five other artificial substrate materials. After ten days, the average number of coral spat (settled larvae)/tile was highest on cement tiles mixed with 10% coral rubble (13 spat/tile) than any of the other materials (acrylic plates: one spat; cement tiles: three spat; ceramic tiles: four spat; glass plates: five spat, and PVC plates: seven spat/tile). Significantly more larvae settled on PVC plates than acrylic or cement tiles. Five wild-growing colonies (10–25 cm diameter) of Pocillopora damicornis were collected from reefs at Kusu Island and Raffles Lighthouse and maintained in tanks. From May 2006–March 2007, larvae were collected from the Pocillopora damicornis colonies and maintained for 1–2 days. Fifty larvae were randomly selected and placed into one of 24 two-litre polythene tanks containing one of the settlement materials (200 larvae/material and four tanks/material). Larvae settlement was counted daily for 10 days. 

    (Summarised by: Ann Thornton)

  2. Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery

    A replicated study in 2006–2007 at an ex-situ nursery in Singapore (Lee et al. 2009) found that a higher number of stony coral Pocillopora damicornis spat (settled larvae) on cement tiles mixed with 10% coral rubble than tiles with other cement and rubble mixes.  After ten days, the average number of spat was higher on tiles comprising cement with 10% coral rubble (13/tile) than on tiles comprising cement with 0% rubble (6/tile), 1% rubble (7/tile), 5% rubble (6/tile), and 20% rubble (8/tile). Five colonies (1,0­25 cm diameter) of Pocillopora damicornis were collected from reefs at Kusu Island and Raffles Lighthouse and maintained in tanks. From May 2006–March 2007, larvae were collected from the Pocillopora damicornis colonies and maintained in darkened plastic containers for 1­2 days. Fifty larvae were randomly selected and placed into a two-litre polythene tank containing one cement tile mixed with 0%, 1%, 5%, 10%, or 20% coral rubble. There were four tanks for each tile type. Larvae settlement was counted daily for 10 days. 

    (Summarised by: Ann Thornton)

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