JSON RDF ISO19115-3 XML

Predation on coral larvae by corals from the Great Barrier Reef

Created 24/06/2017

Updated 09/10/2017

JSON RDF ISO19115-3 XML

Gametes from colonies of the coral Acropora tenuis (from Magnetic Island) and from Acropora millepora (from Davies Reef) were collected after spawning in tanks. Colonies of several corals (Acropora digitifera, Acropora formosa, Acropora latistella, Acropora secali, Acropora verweyi, Galaxea astreata, Goniastrea aspera, Goniopora pandoraensis, Platygyra pini) and two zoanthids (Palythoa tuberculosa, Zoanthus sp.1.) species were collected from inshore reefs near Townsville for the feeding experiments.

The feeding experiments were conducted in flow chambers at gentle water flow. They commenced when the larvae were 3 days old, and continued until the numbers of free-swimming larvae were depleted by the experiments, and by settlement and/or metamorphosis which occurred at about 11 days (Acropora tenuis) or 13 days (Acropora millepora) after spawning.

Experiments were run at night or day, depending on the time of polyp expansion in each of the predating coral species: Goniopora pandoraensis and Galaxea astreata tended to expand during the day and often contracted at night, whereas most faviids and Acropora spp. only expanded at night. Species, growth form (submassive, massive, branching, stolon-connected solitary polyps); percent depletion of larvae by actively feeding corals and zoanthids (D); controls (N0) after 2-h exposure. Significance levels of difference between numbers of surviving larvae among coral genera (with and without zoanthids), and between the two species of larvae were calculated. The study shows that (if the laboratory experiments are indicative of events in the field) coral larvae are at high predation risk during their final period in the plankton, when they become negatively buoyant and search for a suitable settlement location. Larval mortality around reefs due to predation by non-acroporid corals could significantly affect recruitment rates on reefs with high coral cover. However, predation by corals will be insubstantial in areas of low coral cover, where successful coral recruitment will have the greatest bearing for recovery after disturbance.

Files and APIs

Tags

Additional Info

Field Value
Title Predation on coral larvae by corals from the Great Barrier Reef
Language English
Licence Other
Landing Page https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/e530b8c7-e23b-4089-900c-6fb75c207fc9
Contact Point
Australian Institute of Marine Science
adc@aims.gov.au
Geospatial Coverage {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[146.8, -19.2], [147.7, -19.2], [147.7, -18.75], [146.8, -18.75], [146.8, -19.2]]]}
Data Portal data.gov.au

Data Source

This dataset was originally found on data.gov.au "Predation on coral larvae by corals from the Great Barrier Reef". Please visit the source to access the original metadata of the dataset:
https://devweb.dga.links.com.au/data/dataset/predation-on-coral-larvae-by-corals-from-the-great-barrier-reef

Original dataset
Dataset copies

No duplicate datasets found.