title: Response of reef corals on a fringing reef flat to elevated suspended-sediment concentrations: Moloka'i, Hawai'i.
abstract: A long-term (10 month exposure) experiment on effects of suspended sediment on the mortality, growth, and recruitment of the reef corals Montipora capitata and Porites compressa was conducted on the shallow reef flat off south Moloka'i, Hawai'i. Corals were grown on wire platforms with attached coral recruitment tiles along a suspended solid concentration (SSC) gradient that ranged from 37 mg l(-1) (inshore) to 3 mg l(-1) (offshore). Natural coral reef development on the reef flat is limited to areas with SSCs less than 10 mg l(-1) as previously suggested in the scientific literature. However, the experimental corals held at much higher levels of turbidity showed surprisingly good survivorship and growth. High SSCs encountered on the reef flat reduced coral recruitment by one to three orders of magnitude compared to other sites throughout Hawai'i. There was a significant correlation between the biomass of macroalgae attached to the wire growth platforms at the end of the experiment and percentage of the corals showing mortality. We conclude that lack of suitable hard substrate, macroalgal competition, and blockage of recruitment on available substratum are major factors accounting for the low natural coral coverage in areas of high turbidity. The direct impact of high turbidity on growth and mortality is of lesser importance.
authors: University of Hawai'i, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology , Kāneohe, HI , USA.
authors: Paul L
authors: PL
authors: Jokiel
authors: University of Hawai'i, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology , Kāneohe, HI , USA.
authors: Kuʻulei S
authors: KS
authors: Rodgers
authors: United States Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center , Santa Cruz, CA , USA.
authors: Curt D
authors: CD
authors: Storlazzi
authors: United States Geological Survey, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center , Santa Cruz, CA , USA.
authors: Michael E
authors: ME
authors: Field
authors: University of Hawai'i, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology , Kāneohe, HI , USA.
authors: Claire V
authors: CV
authors: Lager
authors: Hawai'i State Division of Aquatic Resources , Honolulu, HI , USA.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Lager
keywords: Coral reefs; Hawaiʻi; Sediment
references: Mar Pollut Bull. 2002 Nov;44(11):1230-5
references: 12523521
references: Mar Pollut Bull. 2012 Sep;64(9):1737-65
references: 22682583
references: PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e28681
references: 22194883
references: PeerJ. 2014 May 15;2:e387
references: 24883248
references: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 12;109(24):E1558-67
references: 22615403
references: Oecologia. 2004 Nov;141(3):373-84
references: 15322896
references: Mar Pollut Bull. 2005 May;50(5):576-82
references: 15907500
references: Mar Pollut Bull. 2005 Feb;50(2):125-46
references: 15737355