10.6084/m9.figshare.5082493.v1
Lutfi Afiq-Rosli
Lutfi
Afiq-Rosli
Daisuke Taira
Daisuke
Taira
Hai Xin Loke
Hai Xin
Loke
Tai Chong Toh
Tai
Chong Toh
Kok Ben Toh
Kok
Ben Toh
Chin Soon Lionel Ng
Chin
Soon Lionel Ng
Patrick Caranzo Cabaitan
Patrick Caranzo
Cabaitan
Loke Ming Chou
Loke
Ming Chou
Tiancheng Song
Tiancheng
Song
<i>In situ</i> nurseries enhance coral transplant growth in sedimented waters
Taylor & Francis Group
2017
Reef restoration
asexual propagation
scleractinian corals
Singapore
coral gardening
in situ nursery
Dan Smale
2017-06-06 14:52:02
Journal contribution
https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/_i_In_situ_i_nurseries_enhance_coral_transplant_growth_in_sedimented_waters/5082493
<p><i>In situ</i> nurseries have been a crucial part of coral reef restoration initiatives for the past two decades. However, the advantages over direct transplantation in sedimented waters has yet to be examined. In the present study, we showed that <i>Pachyseris speciosa</i> and <i>Pocillopora damicornis</i> fragments reared in <i>in situ</i> nurseries (NR) in Singapore’s sedimented waters grew significantly faster (by three to five times) than those which were directly transplanted (DT) onto the substrates. The increased growth rate during the nursery phase augmented the size of NR transplants, and had a flow-on effect on their performance during the post-transplantation phase. Overall, the maximum diameter of the NR transplants was 1.8–2.7 times larger than DT transplants after 11 months. The growth enhancement of the nursery-reared transplants improved the cost-effectiveness of our restoration effort: the estimated cost per centimetre growth of NR transplants was one-fifth of the DT corals despite the additional costs incurred to construct the nurseries. These results highlight that coral nurseries are beneficial to reef restoration in chronically sedimented waters.</p>