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An appraisal of methods used in coral recruitment studies

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 16:44 authored by Craig MundyCraig Mundy
A new method for attaching individual artificial settlement plates directly to the reef surface using small stainless steel base plates is described. Recruitment of corals to settlement plates attached to the reef substratum and to steel mesh racks is compared. The effects of differences in depth, settlement plate angle, and local topography on recruitment of corals were also investigated. No significant difference in mean recruit density was found between settlement plates deployed using the two attachment methods. Small differences in depth and plate angle among replicate plates explained less than 6% of the variability in coral recruitment on replicate settlement plates. The direct-attachment method is less obtrusive, more cost and time efficient, and settlement plates can be deployed at precise locations. Additionally, because settlement plates are deployed individually rather than grouped on racks or frames, the direct-attachment method avoids complications associated with assumptions of independence implicit in most statistical procedures.

History

Publication title

Coral Reefs

Volume

19

Pagination

124-131

ISSN

0722-4028

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Springer-Verlag

Place of publication

Germany

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Marine biodiversity

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