A potential method for improving coral self-attachment
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Published source details
Tagliafico A., Rangel S., Christidis L. & Kelaher B.P. (2018) A potential method for improving coral self-attachment. Restoration Ecology, 26, 1082-1090.
Published source details Tagliafico A., Rangel S., Christidis L. & Kelaher B.P. (2018) A potential method for improving coral self-attachment. Restoration Ecology, 26, 1082-1090.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery Action Link |
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Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery Action Link |
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Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery
A replicated study (year not stated) at an ex-situ coral nursery in New South Wales, Australia (Tagliafico et al. 2018) found that cultivating wild-grown stony coral Hydnophora rigida fragments upside-down rather than the right-way-up led to higher rate of self-attachment, shorter time to self-attachment and greater attachment-surface growth but similar height gain and weight. After 100 days, self-attachment to the glass substrate was greater for upside-down (20 of 23, 87%) than right-way-up fragments (14 of 24, 58%). Average time to self-attachment was shorter for upside-down (71 days) than right-way-up fragments (81 days). Average monthly attachment-surface growth was greater for upside-down (75 mm2) than right-way-up fragments (31 mm2). However, there was no significant difference in average height gain after 100 days (upside-down: 0.6 mm; right-way-up: 0.9 mm) or average weight (upside-down: 400 mg; right-way-up: 400 mg). Forty-seven 3-cm-long fragments were collected from six stony coral Hydnophora rigida colonies at the Great Barrier Reef. Fragments were fixed to individual glass plates using cyanoacrylate glue (superglue), 23 upside-down and 24 the right-way-up. Self-attachment (growth of fragment over the attachment plate) was recorded every 20 days for 100 days. Average monthly attachment surface growth (mm2), height increment (mm) and weight (mg) were calculated from measurements taken after 100 days.
(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)
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Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery
A replicated, controlled study (year not stated) at an ex-situ coral nursery in New South Wales, Australia (Tagliafico et al. 2018) found that providing supplementary food (Artemia sp. or lipid-enriched Artemia sp.) to cultivated fragments of wild grown stony coral Hydnophora rigida led to increased attachment growth and height, but not weight, compared to unfed fragments. After 100 days, attachment growth was greater for fragments fed with normal Artemia sp. (68 mm2/month) or enriched Artemia sp. (68 mm2/month) compared to unfed (19 mm2/month); there was no significant difference between normal and enriched Artemia sp. Average height growth was greater for normal (1.0 mm/month) and enriched Artemia sp. (0.8 mm/month) compared to unfed (0.4 mm/month); there was no significant difference between normal and enriched Artemia sp. There was no significant difference in average monthly weight (normal: 500 mg, enriched: 400 mg, unfed: 300 mg).). Forty-seven 3cm-long fragments were collected from six colonies of stony coral Hydnophora rigida at the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns. Fragments were super-glued to individual glass plates. They were fed with normal Artemia sp. (16 fragments) or lipid-enriched Artemia sp. (16), every two days, or were unfed (15). Self-attachment (fragment growth over the attachment plate) was recorded every 20 days for 100 days. Average monthly attachment-surface growth (mm2), height increment (mm) and weight (mg) were calculated from measurements taken after 100 days.
(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)
