Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient
Population size structure provides information on demographic characteristics, such as growth and decline, enabling post-hoc assessment of spatial differences in susceptibility to disturbance. Nevertheless, very few studies have quantified size data of scleractinian corals along a shallow-mesophotic...
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doaj-06578423bb924564bc83d02bd62c75702020-11-25T03:06:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452020-07-01710.3389/fmars.2020.00615564336Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth GradientNetanel Kramer0Raz Tamir1Raz Tamir2Gal Eyal3Gal Eyal4Gal Eyal5Gal Eyal6Yossi Loya7School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelSchool of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelThe Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat, Eilat, IsraelSchool of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelThe Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat, Eilat, IsraelARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, AustraliaThe Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, IsraelSchool of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, IsraelPopulation size structure provides information on demographic characteristics, such as growth and decline, enabling post-hoc assessment of spatial differences in susceptibility to disturbance. Nevertheless, very few studies have quantified size data of scleractinian corals along a shallow-mesophotic gradient, partly because of previously inaccessible depths. Here, we report the coral size-frequency distributions at the morphology level (six growth forms) and at the species level for ten representative locally abundant species along a broad depth gradient (5–100 m) in the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba (GoE/A). A total of 18,865 colonies belonging to 14 families and 45 genera were recorded and measured over four reef sites. Colonies were found to be 11.2% more abundant at mesophotic (40–100 m; 55.6%) depths compared with shallow (5–30 m; 44.4%). The coral taxa exhibited heterogeneity in their size-structure, with marked differences among depths, morphological growth forms, and species. Branching and corymbose corals were more prevalent in shallow waters, while encrusting and laminar forms comprised the majority of mesophotic corals. Nevertheless, massive morphology was the most abundant growth form across all sites and depths (39%), followed by laminar (26%) and encrusting (20%). Corymbose corals (primarily Acroporidae) revealed constrained size at all depths; with the lack of small-size groups indicating populations at risk of decline. Depth-generalist species belonging to massive and laminar morphologies generally exhibited a larger colony size at the mesophotic depths, but were typified by a higher number of small colonies. Furthermore, we refute the widely and long-accepted assertion that Stylophora pistillata is the most abundant coral in the northern GoE/A, and assert that Leptoseris glabra is the one. Here, we provide a baseline for future monitoring of coral population structures, insights to recent ecological dynamics, retrospective assessment of coral community recovery following disturbances and grounds for conservation assessments and management actions.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00615/fullcoral reefsmesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs)size-frequency distributionspopulation structuregrowth formsmorphology |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Netanel Kramer Raz Tamir Raz Tamir Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Yossi Loya |
spellingShingle |
Netanel Kramer Raz Tamir Raz Tamir Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Yossi Loya Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient Frontiers in Marine Science coral reefs mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) size-frequency distributions population structure growth forms morphology |
author_facet |
Netanel Kramer Raz Tamir Raz Tamir Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Gal Eyal Yossi Loya |
author_sort |
Netanel Kramer |
title |
Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient |
title_short |
Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient |
title_full |
Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient |
title_fullStr |
Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient |
title_full_unstemmed |
Coral Morphology Portrays the Spatial Distribution and Population Size-Structure Along a 5–100 m Depth Gradient |
title_sort |
coral morphology portrays the spatial distribution and population size-structure along a 5–100 m depth gradient |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
issn |
2296-7745 |
publishDate |
2020-07-01 |
description |
Population size structure provides information on demographic characteristics, such as growth and decline, enabling post-hoc assessment of spatial differences in susceptibility to disturbance. Nevertheless, very few studies have quantified size data of scleractinian corals along a shallow-mesophotic gradient, partly because of previously inaccessible depths. Here, we report the coral size-frequency distributions at the morphology level (six growth forms) and at the species level for ten representative locally abundant species along a broad depth gradient (5–100 m) in the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba (GoE/A). A total of 18,865 colonies belonging to 14 families and 45 genera were recorded and measured over four reef sites. Colonies were found to be 11.2% more abundant at mesophotic (40–100 m; 55.6%) depths compared with shallow (5–30 m; 44.4%). The coral taxa exhibited heterogeneity in their size-structure, with marked differences among depths, morphological growth forms, and species. Branching and corymbose corals were more prevalent in shallow waters, while encrusting and laminar forms comprised the majority of mesophotic corals. Nevertheless, massive morphology was the most abundant growth form across all sites and depths (39%), followed by laminar (26%) and encrusting (20%). Corymbose corals (primarily Acroporidae) revealed constrained size at all depths; with the lack of small-size groups indicating populations at risk of decline. Depth-generalist species belonging to massive and laminar morphologies generally exhibited a larger colony size at the mesophotic depths, but were typified by a higher number of small colonies. Furthermore, we refute the widely and long-accepted assertion that Stylophora pistillata is the most abundant coral in the northern GoE/A, and assert that Leptoseris glabra is the one. Here, we provide a baseline for future monitoring of coral population structures, insights to recent ecological dynamics, retrospective assessment of coral community recovery following disturbances and grounds for conservation assessments and management actions. |
topic |
coral reefs mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) size-frequency distributions population structure growth forms morphology |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00615/full |
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