Environmental conditions influence tissue regeneration rates in scleractinian corals

•Lesion recovery rates were assessed in Orbicella annularis colonies in the USVI.•A suite of water quality parameters was measured at each site.•Tissue regeneration rates varied by site from 2.34 (.18) to 6.43 (.95)mm2d−1.•Nearshore sites experienced low water flow, high turbidity and high sedimenta...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2015-06, Vol.95 (1), p.253-264
Main Authors: Sabine, Alexis M., Smith, Tyler B., Williams, Dana E., Brandt, Marilyn E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anthozoa - physiology
Coral lesions
Environment
Environmental Monitoring
Geologic Sediments
Marine
Orbicella annularis
Oxygen - analysis
Regeneration - physiology
Scleractinia
Tissue regeneration
Turbidity
U.S. Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
Water flow
Water Quality
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:•Lesion recovery rates were assessed in Orbicella annularis colonies in the USVI.•A suite of water quality parameters was measured at each site.•Tissue regeneration rates varied by site from 2.34 (.18) to 6.43 (.95)mm2d−1.•Nearshore sites experienced low water flow, high turbidity and high sedimentation.•High turbidity and low water flow significantly reduced tissue regeneration rates. Natural and anthropogenic factors may influence corals’ ability to recover from partial mortality. To examine how environmental conditions affect lesion healing, we assessed several water quality parameters and tissue regeneration rates in corals at six reefs around St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. We hypothesized that sites closer to developed areas would have poor water quality due to proximity to anthropogenic stresses, which would impede tissue regeneration. We found that water flow and turbidity most strongly influenced lesion recovery rates. The most impacted site, with high turbidity and low flow, recovered almost three times slower than the least impacted site, with low turbidity, high flow, and low levels of anthropogenic disturbance. Our results illustrate that in addition to lesion-specific factors known to affect tissue regeneration, environmental conditions can also control corals’ healing rates. Resource managers can use this information to protect low-flow, turbid nearshore reefs by minimizing sources of anthropogenic stress.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.04.006