HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations
Defense Date
12-4-2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. Marine Biology
First Advisor
Joanna Figueiredo, Ph. D
Second Advisor
Brian Walker, Ph. D
Third Advisor
Bernhard Riegl, Ph. D
Fourth Advisor
Charlie Gregory, DVM
Abstract
Current solutions of coral restoration rely mainly on fragmentation. Though a reliable technique, this asexual form of reproduction does not benefit the genetic diversity of the coral reef. With many global and local stressors threatening corals’ existence, the resiliency of corals to future ocean conditions depends highly on sexual reproduction to produce new genotypes. New technology allows coral spawning/larval release, larval settlement and rearing to be carried out in an aquarium system. Many of the techniques necessary to maintain coral recruits are well-established, however the effects of light intensity remain to be studied for these early life stages. Newly settled corals have been found on vertical surfaces and the undersides of ledges and crevices, suggesting full solar irradiance is detrimental to their health. Newly settled Porites astreoides and Agaricia agaricites recruits were placed under varying irradiance levels to test their survivorship, growth and pigmentation. In the first four weeks post-settlement, growth was significantly different between recruits under a PAR of 10 µmol quanta m-2 s-1 and 240 µmol quanta m-2 s-1. In a separate experiment, growth curves were significantly different between six different irradiance increase regimens in the first 14 weeks post-settlement. This study shows, for the first time, a definitive preference by newly settled coral recruits to lower intensity irradiance, devoid of ultraviolet radiation, in the first four weeks post-settlement, and that Porites astreoides recruits can acclimatize to higher intensities at a rate of ~ 11 µmol quanta m-2 s-1 per week for up to 15 weeks.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
NSUWorks Citation
Nicholas J. McMahon. 2018. Optimization of Light Irradiance During the Early Life of Sexually-Produced Porites astreoides and Agaricia agaricites Recruits. Master's thesis. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (493)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_stuetd/493.
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Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons