Coral responses in single- and mixed-species plots to nutrient disturbance

• Published in: Marine ecology. Progress series (Halstenbek) 2005-07, Vol.296, p.165-172
• Main Authors: Dizon, Romeo M., Yap, Helen T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal communities; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Carbonates; Cnidaria. Ctenaria; Coral reefs; Corals; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Invertebrates; Neighborhoods; Nutrient nutrient interactions; P values; Sea water ecosystems; Species; Synecology; Water samples; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0171-8630; 1616-1599
• DOI: 10.3354/meps296165

Space is a limiting resource in coral reef communities causing actively growing coral colonies to come in proximity and interact with each other. Although most contact interactions among corals have been studied extensively, very few non-contact and non-aggressive interactions have been documented so far. We present results from a 3 yr field study of coral communities showing that, under unperturbed conditions, the reef-building coralPorites cylindricaexhibits significantly higher growth when transplanted together with 2 other species (P. rusandPavona frondifera) than when grown in monoculture. However, the introduction of a chronic disturbance (nutrient enrichment) adversely affected its growth rates and survival, thus overturning the earlier trend. Furthermore, the 3 species used in the experiment exhibited different responses to the perturbation (negative, no effect, positive). Our results show that the presence of other species can enhance performance at the colony level, while differential species responses potentially provide buffering effects at the community level that may contribute to the maintenance of community structure and function during periods of disturbance.