Micro-crevice structure enhances coral spat survivorship

Published source details Nozawa Y. (2008) Micro-crevice structure enhances coral spat survivorship. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 367, 127-130.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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	Cultivate coral larvae in an artificial nursery located in a natural habitat Action Link
	Cultivate coral larvae in an artificial nursery located in a natural habitat Action Link

Cultivate coral larvae in an artificial nursery located in a natural habitat

A replicated, randomized study in 2006–2007 at an artificial nursery in a natural habitat at Nichidomari, southwestern Japan (Nozawa 2008) found that when cultivating wild-grown stony coral Echinophyllia aspera, Favites pentagona and Platygyra contorta spat (settled larvae), survival was higher for spat growing in artificial crevices on slate tiles compared to spat growing on the tile surface. After four months, all larvae that settled on the surface of the tile between crevices had died, whereas after one year, survival rate for coral spat in the crevices ranged from 1.5% (Favites pentagona) to 12% (Platygyra contorta) (data presented as a figure). In August 2006, larvae collected from wild-growing colonies of Echinophyllia aspera, Favites pentagona and Platygyra contorta corals were taken to a laboratory and placed into settlement containers (five/species) each containing four 10 × 9 × 0.5 cm slate tiles with 70 artificial crevices drilled into the surface. Larvae settled on the tiles for two to three weeks before tiles were moved to a nearby bay and randomly fixed horizontally (8 or 10/species) or vertically (10/species) to rocky substrate 2 m above the sea floor, 5 m deep. Tiles were retrieved every month for 12 or 13 months and survival and position of each spat was recorded using a dissecting microscope before tiles were returned to the site. Growth was measured using photographs.

(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)
Cultivate coral larvae in an artificial nursery located in a natural habitat

A replicated study in 2006–2007 at an artificial nursery in a natural habitat at Nichidomari, southwestern Japan (Nozawa 2008) found cultivating stony coral Echinophyllia aspera, Favites pentagona and Platygyra contorta spat (settled larvae) led to mixed results for survival and growth on slate tiles fixed vertically compared to horizontally. After approximately one year, coral spat survival rate was higher on tiles fixed vertically compared to horizontally for Echinophyllia aspera (10% vs 1.5%) and Favites pentagona (7.3% vs 1.5%) but lower for Platygyra contorta (5% vs 12%). Growth of Echinophyllia aspera spat on vertical tiles was higher (3.3 mm²) compared to horizontal (1.1 mm²) but there was no difference for Favites pentagona (vertical: 3.7 mm², horizontal: 2.9 mm²) or Platygyra contorta (vertical: 4.4 mm², horizontal: 3.3 mm²). In August 2006, larvae collected from wild-growing colonies of Echinophyllia aspera, Favites pentagona and Platygyra contorta corals were taken to a laboratory and placed into settlement containers (five / species) each containing four 10 × 9 × 0.5 cm slate tiles each with 70 artificial crevices drilled into the surface. Larvae settled on the tiles for two to three weeks before tiles were removed to a nearby bay and randomly fixed horizontally (8 or 10/species) or vertically (10/species) to rocky substrate 2 m above the sea floor, 5 m deep. Tiles were retrieved every month for 12 or 13 months and survival and position of each spat was recorded using a dissecting microscope before tiles were returned to the site. Growth was measured using photographs.

(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)