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Growth and Survival of Acropora Cervicornis

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GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF TRANSPLANTED ACROPORA CERVICORNIS IN RELATION TO CORAL REEF RESTORATION by GEOFFREY CLAYTON CHILCOAT (Under the Direction of William K. Fitt) ABSTRACT Acropora cervicornis fragments were transplanted seasonally (every 3 months) near Key Largo, Florida (patch reef-Admiral Reef and fore reef-Little Grecian Reef) and Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas (patch reef) in order to determine the relationship between the size of the fragment, seasonal growth rate, and survival for the possibility of restoration of this species through transplantation. Mass per unit length per day (g/mm/d), the total mass accretion per length extension (g/mm), and the linear extension per day and buoyant weight per day was calculated for each fragment. The number of branches generated from each fragment was recorded. These parameters will be compared between the two sites in Florida and between the Bahamas site and Florida sites. The recovery rates of scientifically produced scars or lesions were investigated in the Caribbean reef coral Montastrea faveolata. Artificial lesions on Montastrea faveolata filled with epoxy took approximately twice the recovery time as those allowed to recovery without the use of filler compounds; however differences in growth rates were only seen in the first three months. INDEX WORDS: Acropora cervicornis, Acropora prolifera, Growth rates, Survival, Transplantation, Regeneration, Calcification, Recovery, Montastrea faveoloata GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF TRANSPLANTED ACROPORA CERVICORNIS IN RELATION TO CORAL REEF RESTORATION by GEOFFREY CLAYTON CHILCOAT Bachelors of Forest Resources, The University of Georgia, 1997 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2004 © 2004 Geoffrey Clayton Chilcoat All Rights Reserved GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF TRANSPLANTED ACROPORA CERVICORNIS IN RELATION TO CORAL REEF RESTORATION by GEOFFREY CLAYTON CHILCOAT Major Professor: William K. Fitt Committee: James Porter Karen Porter Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia August 2004 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work was funded by the National Undersea Research Program (UNCW in Key Largo, Florida and the Caribbean Marine Research Center on Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas) and the National Science Foundation (9203327,9702032,9906976). We would like to thank Dr. Steve Miller, Otto Rutten, Mike Birns and others, for continued logistical support from the NURC/UNCW Day-boat Program in Key Largo. Drs. John Marr, Tom Bailey, Steve Jury, as well as Brian Kakuk, Jeremy, Ester, both Kerleens, and Craig and Tara Dahlgren of CMRC Lee Stocking Island Bahamas. Thanks to Dan Thornhill, Mark Warner, Todd LaJuenesse, Tom Shannon, Nathan Jess, and Peter Anziano for field assistance. Permitting in the United States thanks to Harold Hudson, John Hallace and others from NOAA Florida Keys. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................................ vii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................1 References .................................................................................................................5 2 SEASONAL BRANCHING PATTERNS IN TRANSPLANTED REEF-BUILDING CORALS ACROPORA CERVICORNIS AND ACROPORA PROLIFERA..............7 Abstract .....................................................................................................................8 Introduction ...............................................................................................................9 Methods...................................................................................................................10 Results .....................................................................................................................12 Discussion ...............................................................................................................15 Acknowlegdments ...................................................................................................17 References ...............................................................................................................18 3 EFFECT OF SEASON AND CORAL SIZE ON THE GROWTH RATE OF TRANSPLANTED ACROPORA CERVICORNIS..................................................43 Abstract ...................................................................................................................44 Introduction .............................................................................................................45 Methods...................................................................................................................48 Results .....................................................................................................................50 v Discussion ...............................................................................................................52 References ...............................................................................................................56 4 EFFECT OF SEASON AND CORAL SIZE ON THE SURVIVAL OF TRANSPLANTED ACROPORA CERVICORNIS..................................................71 Abstract ...................................................................................................................72 Introduction .............................................................................................................73 Methods...................................................................................................................74 Results .....................................................................................................................76 Discussion ...............................................................................................................77 References ...............................................................................................................79 5 SCIENTIFICALLY PRODUCED LESIONS IN REEF CORALS: SCARRED FOR LIFE?.......................................................................................................................86 Abstract ...................................................................................................................87 Introduction .............................................................................................................88 Methods...................................................................................................................89 Results .....................................................................................................................90 Discussion ...............................................................................................................91 References ...............................................................................................................94 vi LIST OF TABLES Page Table 3.1: Original Transplant Size v. growth Length (mm) p=.05 significance..........................69 Table 3.2: Original Transplant Size v. Weight Growth (grams) p=.05 significance.....................69 Table 5.1: Percent recovery of the epoxy-filled lesion from the initial damage (Bahamas). ........95 Table 5.2.: Percent recovery of the control lesions from the initial damage (Bahamas)...............96 vii LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 2.1a: All Sites Bahamas (LSI) and Florida (Admiral and Little Grecian Reef), A cervicornis, Average new branches added since previous sampling period..............19 Figure 2.1b: All Sites Bahamas (LSI) and Florida (Admiral and Little Grecian Reef), A. cervicornis, Total branches since initial transplantation...........................................19 Figure 2.2: All Sites Bahamas (LSI) and Florida (Admiral and Little Grecian Reefs) A. cervicornis, A. prolifera Average new branches per day since previous sampling period.............................................................................................................................20 Figure 2.3: Total Branches Since Initial Transplantation Bahamas (LSI) (A. cervicornis, A.prolifera) Little Grecian Reef (LG) and Admiral Reef (ADM), Florida (A. cervicornis)....................................................................................................................20 Figure 2.4(a-i): ADM AUG 1999, A. cervicornis Original transplant size (length) v new branches since previous sampling period .....................................................................................21 Figure 2.5(a-i): ADM AUG 1999, A. cervicornis Original transplant size v total branches.........22 Figure 2.6(a-h): ADM Nov 1999, A. cervicornis Original transplant size (length) v new branches since previous sampling period .....................................................................................23 Figure 2.7(a-h): ADM Nov 1999, A. cervicornis Original transplant size (length) v. total branches.........................................................................................................................24 Figure 2.8(a-g): ADM March 2000, A.
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