Variation in the size structure of corals is related to environmental extremes in the Persian Gulf

Bauman, AG; Pratchett, MS; Baird, AH; Riegl, B; Heron, SF; Feary, DA

Variation in the size structure of corals is related to environmental extremes in the Persian Gulf

Bauman, AG Pratchett, MS Baird, AH Riegl, B Heron, SF Feary, DA

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Marine Environmental Research, 2013, 84 pp. 43 - 50
Issue Date:: 2013-03-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Bauman, AG	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Pratchett, MS	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Baird, AH	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Riegl, B	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Heron, SF	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Feary, DA	en_US
dc.date.available	2012-11-18	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-03-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Marine Environmental Research, 2013, 84 pp. 43 - 50	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0141-1136	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/23429
dc.description.abstract	The size structure of coral populations is the culmination of key demographic events, including recruitment, mortality and growth, thereby providing important insights to recent ecological dynamics. Importantly, the size structure of corals reflects both intrinsic (inherent life-history characteristics) and extrinsic (enhanced mortality due to chronic or acute disturbances) forcing on local populations, enabling post-hoc assessment of spatial and taxonomic differences in susceptibility to disturbance. This study examined the size structure of four locally abundant corals (Acropora downingi, Favia pallida, Platygyra daedalea, and massive Porites spp.) in two regions of the Persian Gulf: the southern Gulf (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and eastern Gulf (western Musandam). Significant and consistent differences were apparent in mean colony sizes and size-distributions between regions. All corals in the southern Gulf were significantly smaller, and their size structure positively skewed and relatively more leptokurtic (i.e., peaky) compared to corals in the eastern Gulf. Sea surface temperatures, salinity, and the recent frequency of mass bleaching are all higher, in the southern Gulf, suggesting higher mortality rates and/or slower growth in these populations. Differences in size structure between locations were more pronounced than differences between species at each location, suggesting that extreme differences in environmental conditions and disturbance events have a greater influence on population dynamics in the Gulf than inherent differences in their life-history characteristics. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Marine Environmental Research	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.marenvres.2012.11.007	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Animals	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Environment	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Temperature	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Environmental Monitoring	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Population Density	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Population Dynamics	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Indian Ocean	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Salinity	en_US
dc.title	Variation in the size structure of corals is related to environmental extremes in the Persian Gulf	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	84	en_US
utslib.for	0602 Ecology	en_US
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	84	en_US

Abstract:

The size structure of coral populations is the culmination of key demographic events, including recruitment, mortality and growth, thereby providing important insights to recent ecological dynamics. Importantly, the size structure of corals reflects both intrinsic (inherent life-history characteristics) and extrinsic (enhanced mortality due to chronic or acute disturbances) forcing on local populations, enabling post-hoc assessment of spatial and taxonomic differences in susceptibility to disturbance. This study examined the size structure of four locally abundant corals (Acropora downingi, Favia pallida, Platygyra daedalea, and massive Porites spp.) in two regions of the Persian Gulf: the southern Gulf (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and eastern Gulf (western Musandam). Significant and consistent differences were apparent in mean colony sizes and size-distributions between regions. All corals in the southern Gulf were significantly smaller, and their size structure positively skewed and relatively more leptokurtic (i.e., peaky) compared to corals in the eastern Gulf. Sea surface temperatures, salinity, and the recent frequency of mass bleaching are all higher, in the southern Gulf, suggesting higher mortality rates and/or slower growth in these populations. Differences in size structure between locations were more pronounced than differences between species at each location, suggesting that extreme differences in environmental conditions and disturbance events have a greater influence on population dynamics in the Gulf than inherent differences in their life-history characteristics. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/23429