Enhancement of coral growth and survival of Pocillopora Lamarck, 1816, using in situ table nurseries in the northeastern tropical Pacific
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15517/ttsttj97Keywords:
Reef intervention; coral nursery; coral resilience; branching corals; reef-building corals; Scleractinia.Abstract
Introduction: Coral gardening has been widely used as a coral restoration strategy to improve the survival and performance of coral fragments prior to transplantation. However, the effectiveness of in situ coral nurseries based on biological and ecological traits remains underexplored in many regions. In recent years, coral restoration efforts have increased across the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), highlighting the need to develop and assess a broader range of standardized protocols adaptable to different environmental conditions.
Objective: This one-year study determined the effectiveness of coral nurseries through the assessment of coral growth, survival, and resulting EV of Pocillopora spp. fragments in situ nurseries deployed in two reef locations, Cuastecomate, a coastal non-protected coralline area, and in Islas Marietas National Park (IMNP), an insular protected area.
Methods: A total of 131 fragments of opportunity were attached to coral nurseries of metal-grid structures at reef bottom at Cuastecomate reef (n=72) and IMNP (n=59). Coral growth, survival, and attachment were evaluated bi-monthly, and the Ecological Volume (EV) was determined by the end of the year. Monthly sea surface temperature data were measured to assess the effect of sea surface temperature and chl-a on coral fragment performance.
Results: Pocillopora fragments from Cuastecomate exhibited a higher monthly height growth rate (0.68 ± 0.38 cm∙mo-2) compared to those from IMNP (0.41 ± 0.20 cm∙mo-2), throughout the experiment. Growth peaks at both sites occurred when temperatures reached 28 ± 2.08 °C. After six months, 67% of the fragments in Cuastecomate and 83% in IMNP had self-attached to the structure, reaching 100% after one year, with a survival rate of ≥81%. Environmental data showed no differences among sites and did not affect coral performance (p > 0.05). The increase in the three-dimensionality of the fragments resulted in 291.4 cm³ of EV accumulated in Cuastecomate and 117.93 cm³ in IMNP.
Conclusions: Pocillopora fragments can successfully survive and grow in nurseries and may provide an in situ condition, reducing predation and creating a stabilized substrate that can accelerate growth and enhance survival before outplanting. Additionally, nurseries can serve as natural laboratories for testing biological and ecological metrics, providing a cost-effective approach and science-based information to improve methods for restoring ETP coral reefs.
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