Porites recruit

This project examines spatial and temporal patterns of coral recruitment on reefs at Glovers Atoll, Belize. Specifically, it focuses on how disturbances (e.g. hurricanes, coral bleaching) affect recruit densities and community structure in both the short term (months) and longer term (years - decades). The project also interfaces with studies into algal cover and settlement space.

Abstract: Bleaching and hurricane disturbances to populations of coral recruits in Belize.
In 1998, coral populations in Belize were disturbed simultaneously by a severe coral bleaching event and Hurricane Mitch. The impact of these disturbances was assessed for naturally occurring populations of coral recruits (2-20 mm diameter), at a depth of 8-10 m on the forereef of Glovers Atoll. Bleaching took place at all four study sites but the hurricane only affected two sites, enabling the effects of bleaching to be compared to those arising from bleaching plus hurricane damage. Pre-disturbance recruit density, size-frequency distribution, and community structure were similar between sites (at kilometre scales). The bleaching event lasted ca 3.5 months. 70-90% of adult colonies full-bleached and at least 25% of recruits exhibited signs of bleaching. A month after adult colonies had regained usual colouration, only 1% of recruits showed even partial bleaching. Surprisingly, coral bleaching alone had no measurable effect on either recruit density or community structure. The combination of bleaching with hurricane disturbance reduced total recruit densities to 20% of pre-disturbance levels. Effects of bleaching/hurricane disturbance on community structure were spatially patchy and I suggest that such patchiness may arise from variable cover of protective microhabitat and/or different storm conditions mediated by proximity to reef cuts (breaks in the reef crest).

This was one of few studies into the effects of coral bleaching on natural populations of coral recruits.