growth rate of staghorn coral (acropora) on coral garden

RESEARCH JOURNAL OF LIFE SCIENCE E-ISSN : 2355-9926 DESEMBER-2015 VOLUME 02 NO. 03 http://rjls.ub.ac.id

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Growth Rate of Staghorn Coral (Acropora) on Coral Garden Program at Sempu Nature Reserve Malang

OktiyasMuzaky Luthfi1; Novita Nurmalasari1; dan Alfan Jauhari2

1 Marine Science University of Brawijaya, Jl. Veteran-Malang, 65145, Indonesia 2 Fisheries Utilization University of Brawijaya, Jl. Veteran-Malang, 65145, Indonesia

E-mail : [email protected]

ABSTRACT Live coral cover at Sempu Nature

Reserve was decrease from 50% in 2006 to 36% in 2013. Adverse human activities such as: over-fishing, recreational activities, waste disposal, deforestation, reef mining and deforestation were suggested to be main factors for declining coral reef at this area. Restoration is defined as the act of returning an ecosystem, as nearly as possible, to its original condition. Coral on SendangBiru laid on northern area of Sempu Island. Coral garden was establish in the end of 2013. Aim of this research was to know the growth (wide, number of branches, growth rate) of staghorn coral that was transplanted on steel frame at coral garden in different depth. Staghorn coral were tied on doom shaped steel in 6 m depth. The result showed thatthe average of increasing staghorn coral's area was 56.91 cm2, number of branch increase was 55 and growth rate was 5.23 cm2/month respectively.Increase of depth will influence to decrease of sunlight intensity in water will be affected on calcification rate of coral. GR of staghorn coral in Sempu was higher than other area. Keywords: coral garden, Sendang Biru, Sempu Island, Acropora, staghorn coral.

INTRODUCTION Sempu Island nature reserve

(112⁰40’45”–112⁰42’45”E and 8⁰7’24”–8⁰24’54”S) had 778 ha area (Hartini and Takagu, 2012). Coral reef found only along of

Sempu strait and Segara Anakan which has 10 wide area. During last eight years live coral cover was decrease from 50% in 2006 (Reef Check, 2006), 30% in 2013 and 22% in 2014 (Luthfi, 2014). Like as another coral in the world, coral reef in Sempu Island also under the threat came from natural or anthropogenic factors. 5 threats were suggested became threat in this area, i.e. over fishing, tourism activity, run off sedimentation, domestic waste, and coral mining.

Over fishing lead change abundance and composition of coral fish. In normal condition herbivorous fish (Scaridae) which has a pair of protruding teeth, will eat algal in surrounding of coral. Decrease or loss the kind of fish can cause algal bloom that mean will reduce coral cover (Williams, 2001).

Even if Sempu Island was categorized as nature reserve or restricted area, in fact many domestic tourism enjoy with their water sport activities, such as diving, snorkeling, fishing and kayaking near coral reef ecosystem. Those all activities had contribute to increase coral stress and fragmentation. Usually during low tide many tourism play a game while stand on massive coral or some unprofessional diver or snorkeler kicked branching coral with their fin and caused small fragmentation of coral. Algal will easily covered by algae, causing death to the coral.

Coral reef in nature reserve Sempu Island nearby from Nusantara Fisheries Port on Sendang Biru where located less than 1

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km. More than 300 ships passing near coral reef ecosystem per-day also disposed domestic waste into water directly. During rainy season sediment run off also load into water than change color of sediment into brown color. Sediment and nutrient had important role as coral disease trigger in coral (Luthfi, 2014). Coral disease outbreak could decline coral diversity and increase algal growth or phase shift from coral to algal dominance. Potential loss of coral reef fishes in the future become main problem for human kind (Norströmet al., 2009). The last threat was coral mining which lot of massive Porites and Goniastrea used became home foundation by local people.

Acropora are the most abundance coral were found in Indo-Pacific area which the largest species in scleractinian coral about 140-160 species (Wallace, 2011). These coral had many life forms with life form of branching or staghorn (Veron, 2000). Dominance of Acropora coral suggested influenced by its fast growth and adaptation process. Acropora can easly found in reef flat, reef front and reef slope (Dai and Horng, 2009; Veron, 2000). Many Acroporids coral commonly found on eastern part of Sempu Island in 3-6 m depth, which had 2 types of growth rate i.e. branching and tabulate form.

Potential degradation of coral reef in Sempu Island has been looming. Coral transplantation is one method to restoration of coral reef as original state. Transplantation coral was done in many country, Australia, Philippine, Guam, America, and Singapore (Harriott and Fisk, 1988). In late of 2013 we adopt gardening coral of branching coral Acropora were taken from locality colony. Media for coral garden was made from steel frame which have dome shape. Aim of this research was to know growth rate of staghorn coral

(Acroporasp) during 9 months in Sempu Island's waters.

METHODS

1. TIME AND STUDY SITE This research was conducted at

September 2013-June 2014 at strait of Sempu Island, located on Watu Mejo 2 (08⁰ 25'44.8" LS - 112⁰41'36.5" BT) (Picture 1). Fragment of coral Acropora (10±3 cm) were

tide in edge of steel frame ( 1mm) in 6 m depth used SCUBA. We took picture every single coral fragment using Canon G 16 underwater camera (Japan) with ruler beside, these data stated as t0. After 9 months We took pictures of fragment with the same method, stated as t9.

Photograph taken perpendicular to the diver to get maximum angle. We also record chemical-physical oceanography (temperature, salinity, pH, Dissolved oxygen, turbidity and water current) every two months. Coral growth rate and area measured by using software Image-J (NIH, America), and number of new branching calculated manually in Marine Science Laboratory. Coral accretion rate calculated using method of Ricker(1975): Β = Lt-L0…… (Formula 1) where : β = increase of length/ height of coral

fragment. Lt = average of length/ height of coral

fragmentafter month of-t. L0 = average of length/ height of coral

fragmentafter month of-t Growth rate of transplanted coral calculated as below:

α = (𝐿𝑡+1)−𝐿𝑡

(𝑡𝑖+1)−𝑡𝑖 .... (Formula 2)

α = growth rate of length and wide of transplanted


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Lt+1 = average length or height at t+1 Lt = average length or height of coral

fragment after i ti+1 = time afteri +1 ti = time after t

Picture 1. Study area marked by green dot

where coral garden was laid.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION 1. TRANSPLANTEDCORAL

Fragment coral was tied on 6 columns in different steel row, total 18 fragments (Table 1). Six on the top of steel frame (A1, C1, E1, F1, G1 and H1), another six was placed on the middle (A2, C2, E2, F2, G2 and H2) and six on the bottom (A3, C3, E3, F3, G3 and H3). Two types of species were transplanted i.e. Acropora sp1 and Acropora sp2 which both of them are branching coral. After 2 months coral fragment tied into steel frame through cementation process except some coral (A3, E3, F1, F2, H2 and H3) that didn't run into perfect cementation.

Coral accretion, number of branch and growth rate of Acroporasp.

Table 1. Mean of accretion, number of branch and growth rate of coralAcroporasp.

Code LF Species β

(cm2)

α

(cm2/month) Coral

branch Annotation

A1 ACB Acroporasp1 35.00 3.89 23

A2 ACB Acroporasp1 38.37 4.26 52

A3 - - - - - Lost

C1 ACB Acroporasp1 31.21 3.47 48

C2 - - - - - -

C3 - - - - - -

E1 ACB Acroporasp2 62.01 5.19 114

E2 - - - - - -

E3 - - - - - Lost

F1 - - - - - Lost

F2 - - - - - Lost

F3 ACB Acroporasp2 69.94 7.77 25

G1 ACB Acroporasp1 49.31 5.48 80



H1 ACB Acroporasp2 121.75 13.53 47

H2 - - - - - Lost

H3 - - - - - Lost

Ann.: β : coral accretion rate. α : coral growth rate.

: Increase number of branches. "-" : lost or no data.


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After 9 months monitoring on Acropora growth, the survival rate of coral was 62%. Nine

coral was lost or broken due to high current speed on December-February (west monsoon). Table 1 showed that coral accretion rate (β) of Acropora sp2 higher than Acropora sp1. The highest of accretion rate on Acroporasp1 was found on G1 (49.31 cm2)and the lowest on G3 (4.53 cm2). While the highest accretion rate on Acropora sp2 was found on H1 (121.75 cm2) and the lowest on F3 (62.01 cm2). The highest of coral growth rate (α) on Acroporasp1 was found on H1 (13.53 cm2/month) and the lowest on E1 (5.19 cm2/month). The highest amount of Acropora branch was found on E1 (114 axial corallites) and the lowest on A1 (23 axial corallites).

Appendices. Appendix 1. Initial conditions (t0) and after 9 months transplanted (t9) of branching Acropora sp.

t0 t9

C1

A1

A2


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t0 t9

E1

F3

G1

G2


157

t0 t9

2. PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL PARAMETER Water temperature in Sempu Island in

normal range 2742 - 28.41 oC, also salinity in average of 34 ‰. Water turbidity was low because clarity of sea water maximum 6.7 m (100%) and current speed in moderate condition about 1.1 m/s (Table 2).

Table 2. Water quality in Sendang Biru water during research.

Parameter Unit Sept.

2013

Nov.

2013

Jan.

2014

Jun.

2014

Temperature oC 27,67 27,42 27,83 28,41

Salinity ‰ 34,13 34,10 34,11 34,20

pH - 8,43 8,50 8,40 8,35

DO mg/l 8,92 9,13 9,07 8,86

Clarity m 6,36 6,27 6,43 6,97

Current m/s 1,40 1,00 1,30 2,60

3. DISCUSSION. Coral Acropora Survival Rate.

Nine coral fragment was loss from transplantation media. September-November where coral transplantation had started it was transition season, from east monsoon to west monsoon, and then during December to April monsoon came with strong wind, current and high sedimentation due run off from terrestrial. Coral fragments

were tied using copper wire (=1 mm) into steel frame, if the cementation of the coral fragments do not occur in the first 3 months it is possible that the fragment will be easily separated from the media. And if happened into fragment Acroporasp which has branched form. Branching morphology would has difficulty for binding. If too strong to bound into media fragment would brake otherwise, if the binding is not strong the

G3

H1


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fragments would drift cause of strong current.

Cementation rate was the key of success of transplantation project, where it was natural process coating of media/ substrate by using calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Cementation also intend to bind coral skeleton to substrate and to close porosity thereby function as natural adhesive (Manzello, et al., 2008). Life form also affects the speed of cementation of coral fragments on the substrate. Branching Acropora had faster cementation than tubular or foliose. Many studies also has proved branching Acropora has faster growth rate than non-Acropora (Guest et al., 2011).

Growth Rate and Branch of Acropora.

Coral growth rate also be characterized by increasing of mass of coral skeletal and increasing number of polyp (Soong and Chen, 2003). Skeletal extension due to increase of strontium (Sr) and calcium (Ca) in fasiculi during day time and center of calcification (COCs) occur at night. During night time micron sized crystals would be deposited on axial coralit of coral. Collection of crystals coalesce into a bundle to form new fasciculi. Skeletal extension faster during day than night time (Allison and Finch, 2004).

This research showed that coral where on the upper frame had faster growth rate than below. Light is the main factor of coral growth. Schlacher et. al (2007) stated that growth rate of Acropora was influenced by light and depth in the water. Acroporasolitaryensis would growth optimal under 14000 and 20000 Kelvin light intensity, in these condition chlorophyll-a has maximum absorption of foton or 4 times faster than lower intensity.

Increasing branch in coral Acropora became successfully of coral transplantation. Branch is an extension of axial coraliteneither radial coralite. In macro size axial coralite form a long rod also called as synapticulae. Contrary with massive coral that have solid structure of skeletal, branching Acropora has wider and sturdy, so this is the reason why Acroporid has faster growth rate than massive coral (Nothdurft and Webb, 2007).

Aside as former new brach in Acropora, axial coralite also have a role as nutrient translocation for main branching of Acropora (Gladfelter, 1983). Acropora coral growth rate would be reduced if nutrients (nitrite and phosphate) high in the waters. Nutrient excess water will cause reduced fecundity coral, inhibition of fertilization, embryo development and disrupt the process of attachment of coral planulae (Renegarand Riegl, 2005).

CONCLUSIONS

The average of coral growth rate Acroporasp in Sempu Nature Reserve was 5.23 cm2/month. Intensity of light, nutrient and depth of water have important role for coral growth rate. Coral reef in Sempu Island Nature Reserve face many threats which came from natural as well as anthropogenic. Coral garden initiation is simple idea for bigger step of coral conservation in the future.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Author would like to thank to Coral Reef

Study Club (Acropora) of Marine Science University of Brawijaya, Malang who has help to take data during in the field. The data was used in this manuscript is part of coral garden activities data to save coral reefs in Sempu Island Nature Reserve. This study was supported by Ministry of Higher


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Education (Number: 023.04.2.414989/2014, December 5, 2013) of Republic of Indonesia.

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growth rate of staghorn coral (acropora) on coral garden

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