Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Pronounced differences exist in the biodiversity and structure of coral reef assemblages with increasing distance from shore, which may be expected given marked cross-shelf gradients in environmental conditions. Cross-shelf variation in the abundance of coral reef organisms is likely to be caused, a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/4/122 |
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| author | Deborah Burn Morgan S. Pratchett Scott F. Heron Cassandra A. Thompson Deborah J. Pratchett Andrew S. Hoey |
| author_facet | Deborah Burn Morgan S. Pratchett Scott F. Heron Cassandra A. Thompson Deborah J. Pratchett Andrew S. Hoey |
| author_sort | Deborah Burn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pronounced differences exist in the biodiversity and structure of coral reef assemblages with increasing distance from shore, which may be expected given marked cross-shelf gradients in environmental conditions. Cross-shelf variation in the abundance of coral reef organisms is likely to be caused, at least in part, by differences in demography (e.g., growth and survival), though this has rarely been tested. This study quantified growth of three distinct branching coral taxa (<i>Acropora nasuta</i>, <i>Pocillopora</i> spp. and <i>Stylophora pistillata</i>) at six locations on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR), encompassing inshore, mid-shelf and outer-shelf reefs. Replicate colonies (0⁻15 colonies per species, per reef) were stained using Alizarin Red in December 2015 and retrieved one year later to quantify linear extension on replicate branches for each colony. Annual linear extension varied within and among coral taxa, with pronounced differences among reefs. For <i>A. nasuta.</i> and <i>S. pistillata</i>, growth rates were highest at one of the inshore reefs, Orpheus Island. However, inter-reef differences in linear extension were not explained by shelf position. Based on differences in skeletal density, which did vary according to shelf position, branching corals at the inshore sites may actually have higher rates of calcification compared to conspecifics on mid-and outer-shelf reefs. This study shows that growth of branching corals is not lower at inshore sites (and perhaps even higher) compared to sites at mid-shelf and outer reefs, despite generally higher levels of sedimentation and turbidity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:44:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-938519959cdc403b82d94857261b7daf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:44:54Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-938519959cdc403b82d94857261b7daf2022-12-22T02:55:43ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182018-11-0110412210.3390/d10040122d10040122Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier ReefDeborah Burn0Morgan S. Pratchett1Scott F. Heron2Cassandra A. Thompson3Deborah J. Pratchett4Andrew S. Hoey5ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaCoral Reef Watch, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD 20740, USAARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, AustraliaPronounced differences exist in the biodiversity and structure of coral reef assemblages with increasing distance from shore, which may be expected given marked cross-shelf gradients in environmental conditions. Cross-shelf variation in the abundance of coral reef organisms is likely to be caused, at least in part, by differences in demography (e.g., growth and survival), though this has rarely been tested. This study quantified growth of three distinct branching coral taxa (<i>Acropora nasuta</i>, <i>Pocillopora</i> spp. and <i>Stylophora pistillata</i>) at six locations on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR), encompassing inshore, mid-shelf and outer-shelf reefs. Replicate colonies (0⁻15 colonies per species, per reef) were stained using Alizarin Red in December 2015 and retrieved one year later to quantify linear extension on replicate branches for each colony. Annual linear extension varied within and among coral taxa, with pronounced differences among reefs. For <i>A. nasuta.</i> and <i>S. pistillata</i>, growth rates were highest at one of the inshore reefs, Orpheus Island. However, inter-reef differences in linear extension were not explained by shelf position. Based on differences in skeletal density, which did vary according to shelf position, branching corals at the inshore sites may actually have higher rates of calcification compared to conspecifics on mid-and outer-shelf reefs. This study shows that growth of branching corals is not lower at inshore sites (and perhaps even higher) compared to sites at mid-shelf and outer reefs, despite generally higher levels of sedimentation and turbidity.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/4/122annual linear extensioncalcificationcoral reefsenvironmental gradientsgrowthturbidity |
| spellingShingle | Deborah Burn Morgan S. Pratchett Scott F. Heron Cassandra A. Thompson Deborah J. Pratchett Andrew S. Hoey Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef Diversity annual linear extension calcification coral reefs environmental gradients growth turbidity |
| title | Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef |
| title_full | Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef |
| title_fullStr | Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef |
| title_full_unstemmed | Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef |
| title_short | Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef |
| title_sort | limited cross shelf variation in the growth of three branching corals on australia s great barrier reef |
| topic | annual linear extension calcification coral reefs environmental gradients growth turbidity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/4/122 |
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