Meeting Abstract

6.4  Sunday, Jan. 4  Factors influencing coral recruitment: sediment and depth PEREZ III, Kaipo*; JOKIEL, Paul L.; RODGERS, Kuulei S.; Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology; Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology; Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology kaipop@hawaii.edu

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine survival rates from the effects of sediment on planulae of the coral Pocillopora damicornis. Manipulative field experiments were also conducted on the Windward side of Moku o Lo’e, Kane’ohe, Hawai’i to determine coral recruitment at three different depths. Coral growth and abiotic factors of temperature, visibility, water motion, and sediment were simultaneously measured. A statistically significant relationship was found between the quantity of sediment added and the rate of successful planula settlement. Very little recruitment was observed at sediment concentrations above 0.9 mg x cm^-2 in laboratory trials. Coral recruitment in the field was determined to be positively correlated with the abundance of adult colonies and negatively correlated with water motion, sediment, and temperature. Comprehending the complexity of coral recruitment and settlement can be instrumental to management decisions and in furthering scientific understanding of these processes.