Nova Southeastern University NSUWorks HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations HCNSO Student Work 3-30-2017 Exploring the Potential for Artificial Reefs in Coral Reef Restoration: Responses and Interactions of Associated Biota to Varying Experimental Treatments in the Mexican Caribbean Audie Kirk Kilfoyle Nova Southeastern University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd Part of the Biology Commons, Marine Biology Commons, and the Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons Share Feedback About This Item NSUWorks Citation Audie Kirk Kilfoyle. 2017. Exploring the Potential for Artificial Reefs in Coral Reef Restoration: Responses and Interactions of Associated Biota to Varying Experimental Treatments in the Mexican Caribbean. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (440) https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/440. This Dissertation is brought to you by the HCNSO Student Work at NSUWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of NSUWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HALMOS COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES AND OCEANOGRAPHY EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL FOR ARTIFICIAL REEFS IN CORAL REEF RESTORATION: RESPONSES AND INTERACTIONS OF ASSOCIATED BIOTA TO VARYING EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENTS IN THE MEXICAN CARIBBEAN By Audie Kirk Kilfoyle Submitted to the Faculty of Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy Nova Southeastern University March 30, 2017 Dissertation of Audie Kirk Kilfoyle Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate of Philosophy: Marine Biology Nova Southeastern University Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography March 2017 Approved: Dissertation Committee Major Professor :______________________________ Richard E. Spieler, Ph.D. Committee Member :___________________________ David S. Gilliam, Ph.D. Committee Member :___________________________ Alasdair J. Edwards, Ph.D. Committee Member :___________________________ Richard E. Dodge, Ph.D. Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................1 Abstract ...............................................................................................................................4 Chapter 1 – Introduction: Coral Reef Restoration 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................6 1.2 Significance and Purpose .............................................................................................15 1.3 Hypotheses ...................................................................................................................17 Chapter 2 – Methodology 2.1 Artificial Reefs and Survey Design .............................................................................19 2.1.1 Experimental Design .....................................................................................19 2.1.2 Restoration Interventions ..............................................................................21 2.1.3 Artificial Reef Design and Treatment Applications .....................................23 2.1.4 Recovery Assessment ...................................................................................25 2.2 Study Location .............................................................................................................27 2.2.1 Regional Setting, Local Partners, and Site Selection ....................................25 2.2.2 Substrate Module Deployment Sites and Natural Reference Reefs ..............33 a) Puerto Morelos ..........................................................................................33 b) Akumal .....................................................................................................36 2.3 Project Implementation: Artificial Reef Construction and Deployment .....................38 2.3.1 Laying the Groundwork ................................................................................38 2.3.2 Artificial Reef Construction ..........................................................................40 2.3.3 Artificial Reef Deployment...........................................................................41 2.4 Coral Transplanting and Settlement Plate Deployment ...............................................45 2.4.1 Coral Collection and Transplanting ..............................................................45 2.4.2 Settlement Plate Deployment ........................................................................47 2.5 Monitoring and Data Collection Methods ...................................................................48 2.5.1 Monitoring Schedule and Logistical Planning ..............................................48 2.5.2 Fish Counts ...................................................................................................49 2.5.3 Coral Recruit Surveys ...................................................................................50 2.5.4 Quadrat and Coral Transplant Framer Photos – Substrate Modules.............52 2.5.5 Quadrat and Reference Coral Framer Photos – Natural Reef .......................54 2.5.6 In Situ Quadrat Surveys ................................................................................57 2.5.7 Processing and Analysis of Quadrat Photos .................................................57 2.5.8 Artificial Substrate Pad Collection ...............................................................58 2.5.9 Settlement Plate Collection ...........................................................................60 2.5.10 Other Surveys and Tasks ............................................................................61 i 2.5.11 Bonus Site: La Bonanza ..............................................................................63 2.5.12 Best Laid Plans – Hurricanes Dennis and Wilma .......................................63 Chapter 3 – Study 1: Development and Interaction of Macroalgal and Benthic Invertebrate Assemblages 3.1 Benthic Community Population Dynamics .................................................................70 3.2 Macroalgal and Sedentary Invertebrate Community Composition .............................74 3.2.1 Methodology and Data Analysis ...................................................................74 3.2.2 Results and Discussion .................................................................................75 a) Macroalgal Assemblage ............................................................................75 b) Benthic Invertebrate Assemblage .............................................................82 c) Coral Assemblage .....................................................................................87 3.3 Infaunal and Epifaunal Invertebrate Assemblages on Artificial Substrate Pads .........89 3.3.1 Methodology and Data Analysis ...................................................................89 3.3.2 Results and Discussion .................................................................................90 3.4 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................94 Chapter 4 – Study 2: Coral Assemblage – Recruitment, Growth, Survival, and Transplants 4.0 Coral Population Dynamics .........................................................................................97 4.1 Coral Recruitment ......................................................................................................100 4.1.1 Methodology ...............................................................................................100 4.1.2 Data Analysis ..............................................................................................101 4.1.3 Results and Discussion ...............................................................................101 a) Coral Recruitment ...................................................................................101 i) Abundance and Density ......................................................................101 ii) Percent survival ..................................................................................110 iii) Growth and Sizes of Coral Recruits .................................................113 b) Settlement Plates.....................................................................................121 4.2 Coral Transplants .......................................................................................................124 4.2.1 Methodology ...............................................................................................124 4.2.2 Data Analysis ..............................................................................................125 4.2.3 Results and Discussion ...............................................................................125 4.3 Conclusions ................................................................................................................131 Chapter 5 – Study 3: Factors Influencing Development of Coral Reef Fish Assemblages on Artificial Reefs ii 5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................138 5.2 Data Collection and Analysis.....................................................................................140