SMALL SCALE EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEMS FOR CORAL RESEARCH: CONSIDERATIONS, PLANNING, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Seawater Reservoir Waste ATMOSPH ND ER A IC IC A N D A M E I C N I O S L T R A A N T March 2013 I O O I T N A N U E .S C NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 165 . R D E E M PA M RT O MENT OF C NOAA Technical Memorandum CRCP 18 This report has been reviewed by the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for their use by the United States government. Acknowledgements The author would like to thank the following people for their guidance and review of this manuscript: Sylvia Galloway, Lisa May, Athena Avadanei, and Carl Miller. Cover illustration courtesy of Athena Avadanei. This project was funded in part by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program and NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCEHBR. About the CDHC The Coral Disease and Health Consortium (CDHC) is a Working Group of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force charged with organizing and coordinating the scientific resources of the U.S. and its territories to meet the challenge presented by globally declining coral reefs. Its mission is to preserve and protect the health of coral reef ecosystems through an understanding of the effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors on reef-building communities. The CDHC serves to unify the coral health and disease research community, identify research priorities, and encourage a new generation of coral researchers through education and outreach. The biomedical perspective and innovative technologies developed from Consortium efforts is envisioned to give scientists, resource managers, and industry new tools to identify and alleviate hidden stresses before they become environmental health crises. Currently over 125 partners, including federal agencies, NOAA, DOI, EPA, along with academia, non-profit and industry, contribute their time and expertise to the CDHC, while organizational infrastructure is supported by the congressionally funded NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. Citation for this Report Bartlett, T.C. 2013. Small Scale Experimental Systems for Coral Research: Considerations, Planning, and Recommendations. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 165 and CRCP 18. 68pp. Small Scale Experimental Systems for Coral Research: Considerations, Planning, and Recommendations Thomas C. Bartlett Jardon & Howard Technologies, Inc. NOAA, National Ocean Service National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research Hollings Marine Laboratory 331 Fort Johnson Rd. Charleston, South Carolina 29412-9110 NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 165 and CRCP 18 March 2013 United States Department National Oceanic and National Ocean Service of Commerce Atmospheric Administration Kathryn D. Sullivan Rebecca M. Blank Acting Under Secretary of Holly Bamford Acting Secretary Commerce for Oceans and Assistant Administrator Atmosphere, NOAA TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 1 SECTION 1 – TEST SPECIES SELECTION.................................................................................. 3 1.1 Relevance.............................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Captive vs. Collected.............................................................................................. 6 1.3 Hardiness.............................................................................................................. 7 SECTION 2 – EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN................................................................................... 8 2.1 Identifying Experimental Variables…....................................................................... 8 2.2 Experimental Plan.................................................................................................. 9 2.2.1 Treatments............................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 Experimental Unit....................................................................................... 9 2.2.3 Experimental Group/Sample Size................................................................... 9 2.2.4 Pseudoreplication....................................................................................... 10 2.2.5 Replicate Interspersion................................................................................ 11 2.3 Experimental Design and Statistical Test Compatibilities........................................... 12 SECTION 3 – IMPORTANT COMPONENTS............................................................................. 14 3.1 Water....................................................................................................................14 3.2 Experimental Tanks................................................................................................ 16 3.3 Lighting................................................................................................................. 17 3.4 Hardware.............................................................................................................. 20 SECTION 4 – CRITICAL PARAMETERS AND MAINTENANCE................................................... 24 4.1 Water Changes...................................................................................................... 24 4.2 Water Quality Testing and Adjustment.................................................................... 25 4.2.1 Salinity..................................................................................................... 26 4.2.2 pH........................................................................................................... 27 4.2.3 Alkalinity...................................................................................................27 4.2.4 Calcium.................................................................................................... 28 4.2.5 Magnesium............................................................................................... 28 4.2.6 Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Phosphate....................................................... 29 4.3 Feeding................................................................................................................. 31 4.4 Suggested Testing and Maintenance Guidelines...................................................... 32 4.4.1 Short Term Experiments.............................................................................. 32 4.4.2 Long Term Experiments............................................................................... 32 4.5 Handling Chemical and Biological Agents………………………………………………………….... 33 i SECTION 5 – ACCLIMATING, TREATING, AND QUARANTINING NEW CORAL....................... 36 5.1 Acclimation........................................................................................................... 36 5.2 Prophylactic Treatment.......................................................................................... 37 5.3 Quarantine............................................................................................................ 37 5.4 Common Pests, Parasites, and Disease Seen With New Coral.................................... 39 5.4.1 Acoel Flatworms......................................................................................... 39 5.4.2 Acropora-Eating Flatworms.......................................................................... 40 5.4.3 Red Bugs................................................................................................... 40 5.4.4 Nudibranchs.............................................................................................. 40 5.4.5 Aiptasia Anemone...................................................................................... 41 5.4.6 Skeletal Eroding Band.................................................................................. 41 5.4.7 Rapid Tissue Necrosis.................................................................................. 42 5.4.8 Brown Jelly................................................................................................ 43 5.4.9 Additional Notes........................................................................................ 43 SECTION 6 – FRAGMENTING CORAL..................................................................................... 45 6.1 Recommended Procedure for Fragmenting Branching Coral...................................... 46 6.1.1 Equipment................................................................................................ 46 6.1.2 Method.................................................................................................... 46 6.1.3 Additional Notes on Fragmenting...................................................................48 SECTION 7 – THREE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS AT WORK...................................................... 49 7.1 Small-Scale Biological Challenge Experiment Using Fungia........................................ 49 7.2 Effects of Different Light Sources on Acropora cervicornis........................................