Study

Developing best practices for the restoration of massive corals and the mitigation of predation impacts: Influences of physical protection, colony size, and genotype on outplant mortality

  • Published source details Rivas N., Hesley D., Kaufman M., Unsworth J., D'Alessandro M. & Lirman D. (2021) Developing best practices for the restoration of massive corals and the mitigation of predation impacts: Influences of physical protection, colony size, and genotype on outplant mortality. Coral Reefs, 40, 1227-1241.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Transplant wild-grown coral onto artificial substrate

Action Link
Coral Conservation

Transplant wild-grown coral onto artificial substrate

Action Link
Coral Conservation

Transplant wild-grown coral onto artificial substrate

Action Link
Coral Conservation
  1. Transplant wild-grown coral onto artificial substrate

    A replicated, controlled study in 2020 on a reef off Florida, USA (Rivas et al. 2021) found that after transplanting wild-grown coral Orbicella faveolata, fragments placed adjacent to staghorn coral colonies Acropora cervicornis had lower predation mortality than those placed 25–50 cm away. Fragments placed adjacent to staghorn colonies had lower predation mortality (64% after four weeks) than corals located 25–50 cm away (86–92% after four weeks). Authors reported that corals placed 25–50 cm away had lower mortality than average predation rates in plots without staghorn colonies (100%), although this result was not tested for statistical significance. Predation mortality increased throughout the course of the experiment (1 week: 3–10%, 2 weeks: 27–61%, 4 weeks: 68–90%). Coral fragments were transplanted to three sites (10 m diameter, 36 fragments/plot) with staghorn coral (4 corals/m2). Fragments were implanted in a cement mixture and placed 2–3 cm, 25 cm or 50 cm from the base of a staghorn coral colony. Every coral fragment was surveyed visually one week, two weeks, and four weeks after transplanting. Mortality was also compared to fragments transplanted into additional plots that were >10 m from staghorn colonies.

    (Summarised by: William Morgan)

  2. Transplant wild-grown coral onto artificial substrate

    A replicated, controlled study in 2020 on a reef off Florida, USA (Rivas et al. 2021) found that after transplanting wild-grown coral Orbicella faveolata, fragments protected with cages or spikes had lower predation mortality than those with no protection. Fragments protected by full cages had lower predation mortality after four weeks (0%) compared to those protected with open-top cages (75%), spikes (19%) or fragments with no protection (100%). One week after removing cages and spikes, 72–97% of the corals suffered complete mortality, and 96% of additional fragments that were transplanted at that time with no protection also suffered complete mortality. Predation mortality increased throughout the first month (1 week: 0–25%, 2 weeks: 0–87%, 4 weeks: 0–100%). Seventy-two coral fragments (5 cm3) were transplanted to three reef plots (10 m diameter, 24 fragments/plot). At each plot, 12 fragments were protected by full cages and 12 by open-top cages. In addition, 24 cement “pucks” (10 cm diameter) were placed in each plot, 12 of which were fitted with steel spikes. A coral fragment was glued to the centre of each puck. Cages and spikes were removed after 1 month, and nine additional fragments with no protection were also transplanted at this time. Every coral fragment was surveyed visually one week, two weeks, and four weeks after transplant, and corals in the cage and spike treatments were also monitored one week after cage and spike removal.

    (Summarised by: William Morgan)

  3. Transplant wild-grown coral onto artificial substrate

    A replicated, controlled study in 2020 on a reef off Florida, USA (Rivas et al. 2021) found that after transplanting wild-grown coral Orbicella faveolata onto artificial substrate, coral fragments transplanted as individuals suffered higher predation mortality than those transplanted in clusters. Individual coral fragments had higher predation mortality after four weeks (100%) compared to clusters of coral fragments (80%). Individual coral fragments also lost more tissue than clusters of coral fragments (data reported as statistical model results). Predation mortality increased throughout the course of the experiment (1 week: 0%, 2 weeks: 15–45%, 4 weeks: 80–100%). Coral fragments were transplanted onto a cement mixture as either an individual fragment (5 cm2) or as a cluster of five fragments (25 cm2). Three plots were established, with 12 individual fragments and five fragment clusters transplanted to each plot. Fragments were placed haphazardly within plots, no closer than 50 cm from each other. Every coral fragment was surveyed visually one week, two weeks, and four weeks after transplant.

    (Summarised by: William Morgan)

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