Co-culture of coral recruits with different species of grazing herbivores was tested as a method of improving the corals’ survival and growth in ex-situ grow-out facilities. Coral recruits from Acropora millepora, A. tenuis, A secale, Porites lobata and Platygyra daedalea were cultured for 6 months in 50L flow-through tanks under one of five grazing treatments:
(1) Thalotia, coral cultured with 30 Calthalotia strigata per tank,
(2) Turbo, 30 Turbo haynesi per tank,
(3) COTS, 40 Acanthaster cf. solaris per tank,
(4) Mix, 10 Calthalotia strigata, 10 Turbo haynesi, 20 Acanthaster cf. solaris and
(5) Control, with no grazers.
Survival was tracked by photographs of plugs with coral recruits taken at Day 0, Day 7. Day 14 and subsequently fortnightly until Day 182 when the experiment was ended. Growth from Day 0 to Day 56 and Day 182 was the basal growth of the recruits, measured using the ImageJ program.
Parameters:
Size and growth of corals is measured in mm2
In growth datafiles, the fused parameter indicated which recruits had fused on the designated measurement date. Different groups of fused corals on the same plug are indicated by different numbers.
Survival is recorded under Dead_time 0 for no mortality occurring within the time frame and 1 for when mortality occurred, and time_Survival for time of event (either 182 for no mortality or the day mortality was observed).
