Progress Report Expanded Production of Hard for Field Stock Enhancement Trials Year 2

“Protect Our Reef” Grant – Progress Report

(May 1, 2010 to November 1, 2010)

Principle Investigators: Kevan L. Main, Ph.D. and Gretchen Goodbody, Ph.D. Culture Program Center for Aquaculture Research and Development

David E. Vaughan, Ph.D., Reef Restoration Program Center for Fisheries Enhancement

Submitted to Dena Smith & Bruce Frerer Mote Marine Laboratory

November 2010

Mote Technical Report # 1500 Protect Our Reef #2009-21 PROJECf GOALS

The overall goal of this project is to determine if hatchery reared scleractinian corals can be used to replenish or expand coral populations in the Keys. This project is the second year of a three- year project to define some of the critical parameters required for successful restoration of corals produced in land-based culture systems, to continue refining culture techniques, and to expand production of coral fragments for restoration trials.

PROJECf ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Objective 1: Expand field trials to evaluate the effect of season and habitat on survival oftwo scleractinian coral species planted into the field from land-based culture systems In May, Drs. Main and Goodbody-Gringley submitted a permit application to initiate a field trial in late Mayor early June (Summer trial). The permit was delayed, however, due to the Deep Water Horizon blow-out in order to avoid potential losses of transplanted corals from oil-related conditions that could have occurred. The permit was granted in early October and transplanting trials were initiated immediately. Four coral species were transplanted (Montastraea annufaris, M cavernosa, Siderastrea siderea, and Stephanocoenia intersepta) at two field nursery sites near the Mote Marine Laboratory Tropical Research Lab at Summerland Key. The field sites include (l) a nearshore hard bottom and sand habitat site near the Newfound Harbor SPA (referred to as the Nearshore Site) and (2) an offshore sandy bottom habitat site adjacent to the TNC Staghom Field Nursery and the Looe Key SPA (referred to as the Offshore Site). A support structure composed of concrete blocks was anchored on the sand bottom (Offshore Site) or on natural base rock (Nearshore Site) to support transplanted corals. Individual corals that are mounted on pre­ molded concrete disks were transported from TRL to the field sites and further mounted on the concrete block nursery units (Figures 1 - 3).

A total of 138 corals were transplanted, 10 - 20 replicates per species (Table 1). Coral fragments were photographed (top views) to obtain baseline size measurements. These measurements are based on digital images of coral fragments and will be taken quarterly to document changes in survival and growth. Our research team plans to submit a proposal to POR to conduct a second field trial in Marchi April, so that we can evaluate survival and growth during two seasons (Fall vs Spring).

Objective 2: Expand production ofkey scleractinian coral species in land-based systems This objective is being addressed in three ways: fragmenting coral colonies, placing newly fragmented corals in Control Lab and in Outside Raceway systems, and collecting new corals from coral nursery and reef sites. Drs. Main and Goodbody-Gringley have applied for permits from FKNMS to collect additional cervicornis and A. pa/mata from several reef sites in the Lower as well as to collect non-acroporid corals from the NOAA rescue nursery. The current coral inventory for the indoor lab and raceway systems is presented in Table 2. Inventory decreased due to the outplanting trials, however, we anticipate increasing the inventory upon approval of permit applications.

2 Objective 3: Maintain and monitor survival of broodstock colonies in the coral seed bank The Coral Aq uaculture Laboratory at TRL ha s coloni es from 15 species of scleractinian corals in th e aquaculture tank systems in our environmentally contro ll ed laboratory (Control Lab), whi ch are being monitored for growth and survival (Table 2).

Objective 4: Provide outreach by disseminating project results lnfonnation learned on coral aquaculture techniques was presented as a poster at a recent scientific conferencc, Linking Science to Management: A workshop on the Florida Keys Ecosystem . This infol111ati on will also be presentcdin D ecember at the International Society fo r Reef Studies European meeting (Appendix ]).

T a bl e I T ransp ante d cora In ventory Species I nshore Reef Offshore N ursery Total A1ol1!aslraea annularis 20 20 40 Monlalraea cavernosa ]0 ]0 20 Sideraslrea siderea 20 20 40 Slephanocoenia inlersepla ]9 ]9 38

Total 69 69 138

Table 2 Land based culture system in ventory Species Outdoor Raceway Indoor Tanks TOTAL Acropora palmala 0 ] 1 Co lpophr/ia nalans 9 0 9 Dichocoenia slokesi 4 2 6 Diploria slrigosa 19 3 22 Eusmilia (asligiala 0 9 9 Manicina sp. 6 ] 7 Monlaslraea caverl10sa 13 36 49 Monlaslraea anl1ularis ]2 7 27 154 Ocufina robusla 95 0 95 Porites aslreoides 6 0 6 Poriles porites 16 19 35 Scol)'mia cubens;s 0 3 3 Sideraslrea side rea 52 1 53 So lenas frea sp. 0 1 I Stephanocoenia infersepta 29 1 30

TOTAL 376 103 480

3 Figure 1. Tagged coral fragments in transport from TRL to outplanting sites.

Figure 2. Dr. Goodbody-Gringley attaching coral fragments at the nearshore nursery site.

4 Figure 3. Outplanted Siderastrea siderea coral fragments secured on concrete blocks at the nearshore nursery site.

5 Appendix 1. Scientific conference information and abstract.

Presented at Linking Science to Management: A Conference & Workshop on the Florida Keys Marine Ecosystem, October 19-22,2010, Duck Key, Florida

Also to be presented at the European International Society for Reef Studies Symposium 2010: Reefs in a changing environment. December 13 - 17, Wageningen, Netherlands.

Effect of Light on the Growth of Four Corals Species in Land-Based Nursery Systems

Kevan L Mainl & Gretchen Goodbody-Gringle/

I Center for Aquaculture Research & Development, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL USA 2Center for Aquaculture Research & Development, Mote Tropical Research Lab, Summerland Key, FL USA

Corals reefs are becoming increasing threatened by biological and physical factors world wide, making the need to raise corals in the land-based nursery systems for restoration purposes a critical tool for conservation of these valuable ecosystems. In this study, we examined the effect of various light levels on the growth rates offour important reef-building corals in the Florida Keys. Acropora cervicornis, A. pa/amata, Montastraea annu/aris, and M. cavernosa were raised in our environmentally-controlled, recirculating aquaculture systems to deternline the optimal light levels for growth of each species. Corals of each species were secured at 6 different light levels in three 378-L tanks (I coral species per light level per tank) and relative change in surface area were measured using digital images that were analyzed using the imaging analysis program SigmaScan ®. The 12-week experiment was 2 conducted in the fall of 2008 and in the spring of 2009 (n=6). We found low level light between 38 - 44 ~mol m· 2 S· I resulted in the highest growth of A. cervicornis colonies, whereas mid to high level light (2: 49 ~mol m· S·I) resulted in reduced gro:-;'t~lrates. Alternativ~ly , A. pa/mata ex:,?er.ilenced the highest growth}a~~s under.mid level lIght (49 - 60 ~mol m - s ), compared to hIgh (2: 76 ~mol m - s ) and low (:S 44 ~mol m - s ) level lIght. M. annu/aris and M. cavernosa showed no clear pattern of growth in response to the light levels examined in this study. These data indicate that A. cervicornis colonies grown in laboratory or aquaria settings should be kept under 2 light levels below 49 ~mol m· S·I , while A. pa/amara colonies should be exposed to light between 49 - 60 ~mol 2 m· S·I . Understanding the parameters that promote the highest growth and survival of corals in captivity will benefit future coral aquaculture, restoration, and conservation efforts .

Contact Information : Kevan L. Main, Center for Aquaculture Research and Development, Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parbvay, Sarasota, 34236 FL, USA Phone: 941-388-4541 Fax: 941-371-5946 Email: [email protected]

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