title: The biology and economics of coral growth.
abstract: To protect natural coral reefs, it is of utmost importance to understand how the growth of the main reef-building organisms-the zooxanthellate scleractinian corals-is controlled. Understanding coral growth is also relevant for coral aquaculture, which is a rapidly developing business. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of factors that can influence the growth of zooxanthellate scleractinian corals, with particular emphasis on interactions between these factors. Furthermore, the kinetic principles underlying coral growth are discussed. The reviewed information is put into an economic perspective by making an estimation of the costs of coral aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: Aquaculture and Fisheries, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700, AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands. ronald.osinga@wur.nl
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osinga
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schutter
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Griffioen
authors.forename: René H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wijffels
authors.forename: Johan A J
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Verreth
authors.forename: Shai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shafir
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henard
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taruffi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gili
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavorano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000254:growth & development*; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002254:Carbonates / Q000378:metabolism; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D057894:Coral Reefs; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D010100:Oxygen; D002118:Calcium