Pocillopora spp. growth analysis on restoration structures in an Eastern Tropical Pacific upwelling area.

ABSTRACT: Coral reefs in Culebra Bay (North Pacific of Costa Rica) are threatened by multiple anthropogenic disturbances including global warming, overfishing, eutrophication, and invasive species outbreaks. It is possible to assist their recovery by implementing ecological restoration techniques. This study used artificial hexagonal steel structures, called "spiders" to compare growth of Pocillopora spp. coral fragments of different sizes. Three initial fragment class sizes were used: 2, 5 and 8 cm, with each class size having 42 initial fragments. Changes in fragment length, width and area were measured monthly from January to December 2020. Results showed an overall survivorship of 70.21%, and no significant differences in survivorship and linear growth rate were detected between class siz

SUBMITTER: Combillet L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9233897 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature