Variation in habitat soundscape characteristics influences settlement of a reef-building coral.

ABSTRACT: Coral populations, and the productive reef ecosystems they support, rely on successful recruitment of reef-building species, beginning with settlement of dispersing larvae into habitat favourable to survival. Many substrate cues have been identified as contributors to coral larval habitat selection; however, the potential for ambient acoustic cues to influence coral settlement responses is unknown. Using in situ settlement chambers that excluded other habitat cues, larval settlement of a dominant Caribbean reef-building coral, Orbicella faveolata, was compared in response to three local soundscapes, with differing acoustic and habitat properties. Differences between reef sites in the number of larvae settled in chambers isolating acoustic cues corresponded to differences in s

SUBMITTER: Lillis A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5068343 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature