Study

Effective size of refugia for coral spat survival

  • Published source details Nozawa Y. (2012) Effective size of refugia for coral spat survival. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 413, 145-149.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

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

Action Link
Coral Conservation
  1. Cultivate coral larvae in an artificial nursery located in a natural habitat

    A replicated study in 2007–2009 at an artificial nursery in a bay in Otsuki, Japan (Nozawa 2012) found that transplanting stony coral Echinophyllia aspera and Favites abdita spat (settled larvae) on plates with smaller refuge structures led to greater survival compared to those on plates with larger structures. Two years after transplantation, 16% of Echinophyllia aspera spat survived on plates with 5-mm refuge structures, whereas all spat on plates with 15- and 25-mm structures died within 3 and 12 months respectively. For Favites abdita, 12% of spat survived on plates with 5-mm refuge structures, 2.5% survived on plates with 15-mm structures, and all spat on plates with 25-mm structures died within two years. In July–August 2007, eggs and sperm were collected from wild-growing Echinophyllia aspera and Favites abdita colonies and cross-fertilized. Larvae were placed in tanks containing cement slate plates (10 × 9 × 0.5 cm) with each of three sizes of refuge structure (5, 15 and 25 mm wide) created from 4-mm projections of underwater epoxy. After three weeks, plates with spat of each species (175–325 plates/refuge size) were randomly selected and bolted vertically to rocky substrate (10-30 cm apart, 5 m deep) with refuge structures facing outwards. Plates were retrieved at one, two, three, six, 12 and 24 months after transplantation and spat survival assessed using a dissecting microscope.

    (Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)

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