Comparative demography of two common scleractinian corals: Orbicella annularis and Porites astreoides.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies directed at understanding the demography and population dynamics of corals are relatively scarce. This limits our understanding of both the dynamics of coral populations and our capacity to develop management and conservation initiatives directed at conserving such ecosystems.

Methods

From 2012 to 2014, we collected data on the growth, survival, and recruitment rates of two common Caribbean coral species, the stress-tolerant Orbicella annularis and the weedy Porites astreoides. A set of size-based population matrix model was developed for two localities in Northeastern Puerto Rico and used to estimate population growth rates (λ) and determine the life cycle transition(s) that contribute the most to spatiotemporal differences in λs. The model

SUBMITTER: Soto-Santiago FJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5661470 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature