Resumen
El reclutamiento de corales fue estudiado utilizando placas de cerámica colocadas en cuatro períodos de seis meses, entre marzo de 2001 y abril de 2003, en el Arrecife Frontal Oeste en Discovery Bay, Jamaica. Durante cada período de muestreo se colocaron dos grupos de cuatro placas a seis profundidades, en un ámbito de 3-33 m. Se encontraron tres reclutas de Acropora durante todo el estudio, únicamente a 3 m de profundidad y durante uno de los cuatro períodos. Esto representa una densidad de 8 reclutas m-2 a 3 m, para un semestre de muestreo. Acropora representó <1% del total de reclutas de las placas colocadas a 3 m durante los cuatro períodos de muestreo. Se encontró una densidad baja de acropóridos en el Arrecife Frontal Oeste. Únicamente se encontró una colonia de Acropora palmata durante los censos de cobertura coralina y densidad realizados a profundidades de 3, 9, 14 y 19 m. Considerando la escasez de colonias de acropóridos y el asentamiento infrecuente de reclutas en el Arrecife Frontal Oeste, la recuperación de la abundancia histórica de A. palmata y A. cervicornis, es poco probable a corto plazo.Citas
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Derechos de autor 2005 Revista de Biología Tropical