MCR LTER: Coral Reef: Long-Term Coral Population and Community Dynamics: Annual Island Wide Coral Demography Survey 2011 ongoing

First Year: 

2011

Last Year: 

2019
Demographic performance (recruitment, growth, and survival) are quantified annually for multiple individual colonies of the three most common genera (Acropora, Pocillopora, Porites) at both backreef and forereef sites. Each coral was tagged in 2011 and subsequently sampled again in 2012 to track colony growth and mortality dynamics. However, since 2013, investigators have transitioned to identifying coral through detailed mapping methodology and will continue to identify corals using this method in the subsequent years. The mapping system developed in 2013 provides data appropriate for detailed demographic study of coral on varying spatial scales around the island. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant No. OCE 16-37396 (and earlier awards) as well as a generous gift from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Research was completed under permits issued by the French Polynesian Government (Délégation à la Recherche) and the Haut-commissariat de la République en Polynésie Francaise (DTRT) (Protocole d'Accueil 2005-2022). This work represents a contribution of the Moorea Coral Reef (MCR) LTER Site.

Package Type: 

Signature

Topic: 

Coral

Core Research Areas: 

Populations

Keywords: 

Scleractinia, Demographics, Corals, Populations, Carbonate Rocks, Shallow Water, Marine Environments, Polyps (organisms), Populations, Reef Resistance and Resilience, Population and Community Dynamics