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Species-specific declines in the linear extension of branching corals at a subtropical reef, Lord Howe Island

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Abstract

Reef-building corals are extremely sensitive to changing temperature regimes, such that sustained increases in ocean temperatures are generally expected to have negative effects on coral growth and survivorship. At high-latitude reefs, however, projected increases in ocean temperature may actually increase coral growth (relaxing constraints imposed by cool winter temperatures), though this will depend upon on the rate and extent of declines in aragonite saturation, which is already much lower at high latitudes. This study quantified linear extension rates of six scleractinian corals, Acropora yongei, Isopora cuneata, Pocillopora damicornis, Porites heronensis, Seriatopora hystrix, and Stylophora pistillata, at Lord Howe Island in 2010/11. Contemporary growth rates were compared to equivalent data collected in 1994/95. There was marked interspecific variation in growth rates, with A. yongei growing almost twice the rate of all other species. Temporal changes in annual growth also varied among species. Growth rates of both A. yongei and Pocillopora damicornis were 30 % of that recorded in 1994/95. However, growth rates of Porites heronensis had not changed. Declines in the growth rates of these branching species may be attributable to declines in aragonite saturation or increases in summertime temperatures above limits for optimal growth, but either way it appears that climate change is having negative effects on corals, even at subtropical locations.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a JCU-Griffith University Collaborative grant awarded to M Pratchett and G Diaz-Pulido, as well as an AIMS@JCU Honours grant awarded to K Anderson. Thanks to J. Casey for statistical advice. Pathfinder data were provided by GHRSST and the U.S. National Oceanographic Data Center, supported in part by a grant from the NOAA Climate Data Record (CDR) Program for satellites. The manuscript contents are solely the opinions of the authors and do not constitute a statement of policy, decision, or position on behalf of NOAA or the US Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Kristen D. Anderson & Morgan S. Pratchett

  2. AIMS@JCU, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Kristen D. Anderson

  3. NOAA Coral Reef Watch, Townsville, QLD, 4817, Australia

    Scott F. Heron

  4. Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics Department, College of Science, Technology and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Scott F. Heron

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  1. Kristen D. Anderson
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Correspondence to Kristen D. Anderson.

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Communicated by Geology Editor Prof. Chris Perry

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Anderson, K.D., Heron, S.F. & Pratchett, M.S. Species-specific declines in the linear extension of branching corals at a subtropical reef, Lord Howe Island. Coral Reefs 34, 479–490 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-014-1251-1

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