Coral transplantation: Regeneration and growth of Acropora fragments in a nursery

Published source details Soong K. & Chen T.-. (2003) Coral transplantation: Regeneration and growth of Acropora fragments in a nursery. Restoration Ecology, 11, 62-71.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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

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

A replicated, paired study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, southern Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that cultivating fragments of wild grown branching stony coral Acropora pulchra cut from below the final branching point led to fragments developing new branches sooner and having increased skeletal growth compared to fragments cut from above the final branching point. Three months after being attached to the nursery frame, there were more below-final-branch cut fragments showing new branch growth (16/19) compared to above-final-branch cut fragments (6/19), however there was no difference after four months (below: 18/18, above: 17/18). Average skeletal growth was greater for below-final-branch cut fragments after two months (0.75 cm) and three months (1.03 cm) compared to above-final-branch cut fragments (two months: 0.46 cm, three months: 0.82 cm). In 1996–1998, twenty branches of healthy branching stony coral were collected from the wild. Two 4 cm length fragments were cut from each branch – one from below and one from above the final branching point. Fragments were tied to a rack and suspended vertically 30 cm above the sea floor 6 m deep. New branch growth was counted after three and four months. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days) was measured one, two and three months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not provided).

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that cultivating wild-grown stony coral Acropora pulchra fragments of 7 cm or 4 cm led to greater new branch growth and skeletal growth compared to fragments of 1 cm. Although there was no difference after three months in the number of fragments with new branch growth between 7cm (8/20), 4 cm (6/19) and 1 cm (3/17) fragments, after four months the number of 7cm (18/20) and 4cm (17/19) fragments with new branch growth was higher than for 1 cm fragments (8/17). Skeletal growth was higher for 7 cm (0.99 cm) compared to 4 cm (0.76 cm) and 1 cm fragments (0.23 cm) and greater for 4 cm compared to 1 cm fragments. In 1996–1998, sixty fragments (20 each of 7 cm, 4 cm, and 1 cm length) taken from branches of healthy stony coral were tied to a rack and suspended vertically 30 cm above the sea floor 6 m deep. New branch growth was counted after three and four months. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days and cm/30 days/cm fragment) was measured three months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given).

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that cultivating fragments of wild grown stony coral Acropora pulchra when 6cm fragments were divided into two 3 cm lengths led to greater skeletal growth compared to when they were left intact. Average skeletal growth was greater for the combined growth of each pair of 3 cm fragments after two (1.6 cm) and three months (2.2 cm) compared to single 6 cm fragments (two months: 1.3 cm, three months: 1.4 cm). There was no difference after one month (combined 3 cm fragments: 0.8 cm; 6 cm fragments: 0.9 cm). In 1996–1998, twenty-nine 6 cm long fragments were taken from branches of healthy stony coral. Fifteen were kept intact and 14 were divided into two 3 cm lengths. All fragments were tied to a rack and suspended vertically 30 cm above the sea floor 6 m deep. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days) was measured one, two and three months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given)

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, southern Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that cultivating fragments of wild grown stony coral Acropora pulchra at 5 m deep led to more new branch development and greater skeletal growth compared to fragments cultivated at 10 m. After four months, new branch growth was recorded on more fragments at 5 m (18/20) compared to fragments at 10 m (8/17), although there was no difference after three months (5 m: 9/20, 10 m: 3/17). After two and three months, average skeletal growth was higher for fragments at 5 m (two months: 0.6 cm, three months: 0.9 cm) compared to fragments at 10 m (two months: 0.3 cm, three months: 0.5 cm), although there was no difference after one month (5 m: 0.02 cm, 10 m: 0.04 cm). In 1996–1998, thirty-seven 4 cm long fragments cut from branches of healthy stony coral were tied to racks and suspended vertically 30 cm above the sea floor. One rack (20 fragments) was placed at 5 m deep and one rack (17 fragments) at 10 m. New branch growth was recorded after three and four months. Skeletal growth rate (cm/30 days) was measured one, two and three months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given).

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that the upward-pointing cut-end of fragments of wild grown stony coral Acropora pulchra cultivated in an artificial nursery developed more new branches compared to downward-pointing cut ends regardless of their original orientation on the donor colony, but there was no difference in skeletal growth. New branch growth was recorded on 16/29 upward pointing ends compared to 3/29 downward pointing ends. There was no difference in skeletal growth between upward and downward pointing ends (data not reported). In 1996–1998, twenty-nine 4 cm long fragments were cut from branches of healthy stony coral and the end tip cut off to create two cut ends on each fragment. Fragments were tied to a rack (15 with original end tip pointing up and 14 with original end tip pointing down) and suspended vertically 30 cm above the sea floor 6 m deep. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days) was measured, and new branch growth was recorded four months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given).

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that suspending fragments of wild grown stony coral Acropora pulchra horizontally resulted in skeletal growth and new branch growth. After four months, average skeletal growth from the two cut ends was 0.77 cm/30 days (range 0.48–1.03 cm/30 days) and 0.42 cm/ 30 days (range 0–1.08 cm/30 days). New branch growth was also recorded (data not provided). In 1996–1998, twenty 6 cm fragments of stony coral were cut from wild colonies. Fragments were suspended 30 cm above the seabed from iron and plastic racks 6 m deep. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days) was measured, and new branch growth was recorded four months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given).

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, southern Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that cultivating damaged fragments of wild grown stony coral Acropora pulchra led to more new branch growth from the middle of the fragment, but slower new branch growth from the ends and less skeletal growth compared to undamaged fragments. After three months, more damaged fragments showed new branch growth from the middle of the fragment (7/13) compared to undamaged fragments (1/15), although there was no difference after two months (damaged: 5/13, undamaged: 1/15). After two months, none of the 13 damaged fragments showed new branch growth from the cut end compared to 9/15 undamaged. There was no difference after three months (damaged: 4/13, undamaged: 9/15). After one, two and three months, skeletal growth was less for damaged fragments (one month: 0.3 cm, two months: 0.7 cm, three months: 0.8 cm), compared to undamaged (one month: 0.8 cm, two months: 1.3 cm, three months: 1.4 cm). In 1996–1998, twenty-eight 6 cm fragments were cut from branches of healthy stony coral. A 1 cm wide band of tissue was removed from the central section of 15 fragments and 13 fragments were left undamaged. All fragments were attached to a rack and suspended vertically 30 cm above the sea floor 6 m deep. New branch growth was recorded after two and three months. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days) was measured one, two and three months after the fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given).

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

A replicated study in 1996–1998 at an artificial coral nursery on sandy substrate near Henchun, southern Taiwan (Soong & Chen 2003) found that when cultivating fragments of wild grown stony coral Acropora pulchra, clearing problematic algae from the nursery rack led to a higher survival rate for 1 cm, but not 6 cm fragments, and no difference in skeletal growth for 1 cm or 6 cm fragments, compared to fragments on racks where algae was not cleared. After four months, all seventeen 1 cm fragments survived when algal growth was regularly cleared from the nursery rack compared to 7/17 fragments where algae was not cleared. There was no difference in survival for 6 cm fragments (algae cleared: 18/18, algae not cleared: 19/20 survived). There was no difference in skeletal growth for 1 cm or 6 cm fragments where algal growth was cleared compared to where it was not cleared (data not reported). In 1996–1998, thirty-four 1 cm and thirty-eight 6 cm fragments were taken from branches of healthy stony coral. Seventeen 1 cm and eighteen 6 cm fragments were tied to a rack and suspended vertically on fishing line 30 cm above the sea floor 6 m deep. Each month, algae was removed from the line. The number of surviving coral fragments was recorded after four months. Skeletal growth (cm/30 days) was measured four months after fragments were attached to the rack (months and years not given).

(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)