Settlement and post-settlement survival of Orbicella annularis and Orbicella faveolata (Scleractinia: Merulinidae) on substrates with coatings (original) (raw)

Revista de Biología Tropical

Abstract

Introduction: One of the main bottlenecks in restoration projects based on sexual reproduction is post-settlement survival, mainly due to competition for substrate with fleshy algae and predation. Therefore, substrates of different shapes and materials have been created and tested, seeking to optimize these processes with attractive surfaces for the larvae and structures where the recruits are protected from predation, and competition is reduced. Objective: To improve settlement and post-settlement survival of two important Caribbean reef-building corals, using different coatings on substrates. Methods: To determine whether substrate coatings properties are favourable to larval settlement in Orbicella annularis, and O. faveolata, collected in Puerto Morelos, Mexican Caribbean, we evaluated their settlement for three weeks on six coatings with a combination of properties. Each coating was designed to provide a combination of two out of three properties: 1) water repellence (hydroph...

Lizette Quan hasn't uploaded this paper.

Let Lizette know you want this paper to be uploaded.

Ask for this paper to be uploaded.