Abstract
Fragmentation in scleractinian corals has been recognized as an important facet in the life history portrait of many species. Fragments (ramets) isolated from existing genets may establish new colonies; a phenomenon that is widely used in a variety of management measures, including restoration of denuded coral reef areas. An analysis of regenerating branches of the Indo-Pacific coral Stylophora pistillata reveals that the architectural complexity of isolated branches may have a significant impact on the initiation of the regeneration process towards the typical structure and complexity of an intact colony. It is suggested that the 3-D structure complexity of isolated ramets should be taken into consideration when applying reef restoration practices.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 219-222 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Basic and Applied Ecology |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2001 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Architectural complexity
- Coral ramets
- Pattern formation
- Reef restoration
- Stylophora pistillata
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
