Habitat characteristics and environmental factors related to boring sponge assemblages on coral reefs near populated coastal areas on the Mexican Eastern Pacific coast
“…Although major restoration initiatives have been made under adequate environment conditions for coral reef development, the present study evaluated the potential of this technique in a comparatively suboptimal environment, common in Eastern Pacific coral reefs (Cortés, ; Glynn & Ault, ; Nava & Carballo, ; Nava et al., ). Sedimentation rate, for example, was higher than records collected for well‐conserved reefs in other tropical regions.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…According to Nava et al. (), five photo transects of 18 m were laid parallel to the shoreline, at depths between 3 and 5 m. Along each photo transect, six 1 m 2 quadrants were photographed every 3 m with a digital submersible camera. In the laboratory each image was enhanced using PICASA software (Google Inc ™ ).…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The present study evaluates a low‐cost technique to transplant coral segments of pocilloporid corals detached from coral colonies. Development of techniques to rehabilitate coverage of these corals is relevant as these corals are the chief builders of reef structures in the Eastern Pacific region (Glynn & Ault, ; Nava, Ramírez‐Herrera, Figueroa‐Camacho, & Villegas‐Sánchez, ). Unlike other rehabilitation techniques that have been applied to damaged coral reef frameworks, this study was conducted on rocky boulders.…”
The use of two types of coral transplants on rock boulders was evaluated as a low‐cost alternative for rehabilitation of live coral coverage in localities whose reef structure has been reduced considerably. Transplant success between recently broken coral fragments (BCF) and healed coral fragments (HCF) was compared assuming that initial fragmentation accelerates the attachment of corals by regeneration stimulation. Two sets of both types of transplants were started during the dry and rainy seasons to contrast the effect of environmental stability on transplant survival, vertical growth and horizontal growth over 12 months. The technique provided adequate conditions for coral development, as transplants responded satisfactorily. BCF showed higher success than HCF in attaching to the substrate (up to 98 ± 4% versus 86.4 ± 18.9% after 9 months) during both seasons and also showed a greater increase in height (209.63 ± 43.65% versus 124 ± 15.83%) and diameter (107.26 ± 25.75% versus 99.98 ± 19.74%) during the rainy season. Boat anchorage caused mortality in transplants started during the dry season (less than 10% for BCF versus 37.2% for HCF) while the impact of Hurricane Polo in October 2014 caused higher mortality in transplants started during the rainy season (up to 55%). We conclude that (i) coral transplantation on rock boulders is a good choice to restore damaged coral communities, (ii) BCF seems to be the best source of transplants for pocilloporid corals, and (iii) although high light availability during the rainy season enhances transplant growth, the stable, low energy conditions in the dry season facilitate initial transplant attachment and high survival.
“…Although major restoration initiatives have been made under adequate environment conditions for coral reef development, the present study evaluated the potential of this technique in a comparatively suboptimal environment, common in Eastern Pacific coral reefs (Cortés, ; Glynn & Ault, ; Nava & Carballo, ; Nava et al., ). Sedimentation rate, for example, was higher than records collected for well‐conserved reefs in other tropical regions.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…According to Nava et al. (), five photo transects of 18 m were laid parallel to the shoreline, at depths between 3 and 5 m. Along each photo transect, six 1 m 2 quadrants were photographed every 3 m with a digital submersible camera. In the laboratory each image was enhanced using PICASA software (Google Inc ™ ).…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…The present study evaluates a low‐cost technique to transplant coral segments of pocilloporid corals detached from coral colonies. Development of techniques to rehabilitate coverage of these corals is relevant as these corals are the chief builders of reef structures in the Eastern Pacific region (Glynn & Ault, ; Nava, Ramírez‐Herrera, Figueroa‐Camacho, & Villegas‐Sánchez, ). Unlike other rehabilitation techniques that have been applied to damaged coral reef frameworks, this study was conducted on rocky boulders.…”
The use of two types of coral transplants on rock boulders was evaluated as a low‐cost alternative for rehabilitation of live coral coverage in localities whose reef structure has been reduced considerably. Transplant success between recently broken coral fragments (BCF) and healed coral fragments (HCF) was compared assuming that initial fragmentation accelerates the attachment of corals by regeneration stimulation. Two sets of both types of transplants were started during the dry and rainy seasons to contrast the effect of environmental stability on transplant survival, vertical growth and horizontal growth over 12 months. The technique provided adequate conditions for coral development, as transplants responded satisfactorily. BCF showed higher success than HCF in attaching to the substrate (up to 98 ± 4% versus 86.4 ± 18.9% after 9 months) during both seasons and also showed a greater increase in height (209.63 ± 43.65% versus 124 ± 15.83%) and diameter (107.26 ± 25.75% versus 99.98 ± 19.74%) during the rainy season. Boat anchorage caused mortality in transplants started during the dry season (less than 10% for BCF versus 37.2% for HCF) while the impact of Hurricane Polo in October 2014 caused higher mortality in transplants started during the rainy season (up to 55%). We conclude that (i) coral transplantation on rock boulders is a good choice to restore damaged coral communities, (ii) BCF seems to be the best source of transplants for pocilloporid corals, and (iii) although high light availability during the rainy season enhances transplant growth, the stable, low energy conditions in the dry season facilitate initial transplant attachment and high survival.
“…delitrix cover in Colombia (~2%) 47 . Additional studies have assessed the abundance of bioeroding sponges by counting individual sponges 27, 38, 48, 49 , although it is challenging to reliably compare these measures of abundance with percent cover.Figure 1( A ) Average percent cover of Cliona orientalis at the 16 sites used to measure changes over time. ( B ) Changes in Cliona orientalis cover per year.…”
Decreasing coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) may provide opportunities for rapid growth and expansion of other taxa. The bioeroding sponges Cliona spp. are strong competitors for space and may take advantage of coral bleaching, damage, and mortality. Benthic surveys of the inshore GBR (2005–2014) revealed that the percent cover of the most abundant bioeroding sponge species, Cliona orientalis, has not increased. However, considerable variation in C. orientalis cover, and change in cover over time, was evident between survey locations. We assessed whether biotic or environmental characteristics were associated with variation in C. orientalis distribution and abundance. The proportion of fine particles in the sediments was negatively associated with the presence-absence and the percent cover of C. orientalis, indicating that the sponge requires exposed habitat. The cover of corals and other sponges explained little variation in C. orientalis cover or distribution. The fastest increases in C. orientalis cover coincided with the lowest macroalgal cover and chlorophyll a concentration, highlighting the importance of macroalgal competition and local environmental conditions for this bioeroding sponge. Given the observed distribution and habitat preferences of C. orientalis, bioeroding sponges likely represent site-specific – rather than regional – threats to corals and reef accretion.
“…The discrepancy may be due to three reasons: (i) compared to our laboratory study, the generally more eutrophic conditions at the field sites of Schönberg and Wilkinson () may imply a competitive advantage for Cl. orientalis over massive Porites (De'ath & Fabricius, ; see also Holmes, ; Ward‐Paige et al., ; Nava et al., ), (ii) the experimental conditions in Schönberg and Wilkinson () may have been more stressful for massive Porites compared to Cl. orientalis .…”
Excavating sponges often compete with reef‐building corals. To study sponge–coral interactions, we devised a design of hybrid cores that allows sponges and corals to be arranged side by side with similar size and shape, mimicking the situation of neighbouring organisms. Compared to earlier methods that attached sponge cores onto coral surfaces, hybrid cores provide an opportunity to study organism interactions under conditions more equal to the interacting partners. The use of hybrid cores was demonstrated for the excavating sponge Cliona orientalis and the massive coral Porites, which commonly interact on the Great Barrier Reef. Cliona orientalis and massive Porites were cut into half‐moon shaped explants and combined as hybrid cores under replicate conditions. After 90 days in an aquarium setting, positive growth of Cl. orientalis along with net bioerosion were observed in sponge control cores that combined Cl. orientalis with blank substrate. However, when Cl. orientalis and massive Porites were in contact in interaction cores, the sponge displayed negative growth and undetectable bioerosion, and was slightly overgrown by the coral. Cliona orientalis may have developed tissue extension beneath the living coral tissue, but growth and net calcification rates of massive Porites were apparently not affected by Cl. orientalis when comparing the interaction cores to coral control cores that combined massive Porites with blank substrate. Overall, the present work demonstrated that hybrid cores can be used to generate conditions suitable for studying sponge–coral interactions in the laboratory, which can also be applied in the field.
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