[Coral-List] Porites defending themselves WITH Turf Algae?

Tue Dec 19 19:41:04 UTC 2023

   Thank you for these valuable literature shares it appears this is not
   an isolated phenomenon but consistent amongst Porites corals in various
   regions.

   The real question still remains as to, "why?"

   Why would an entire 3 m x 3 m colony gradually recess polyps, get
   covered in this "biofilm - turf algae" to then re-appear months later?
   What triggers this?

   My anecdotal observations show our corals in warm periods being more
   prone to covering of this "bio-film - turf algae" than in cooler
   periods however we still need to validate this.

   With Humility & Respect,
   Damien Lord Beri
   E: DamienBeri at gmail.com
   E2: DamienBeri at thecoralconservancy.org
   C: +1 (917) 543-2164
   Owner: The Waikiki Aquarium Service LLC
   President: The Coral Conservancy 501(c)(3)
   B.S. Biology, The College Of Charleston
   M.A. Marine Conservation & Policy, Stony Brook University

     On Dec 19, 2023, at 2:50AM, Bill Allison <allison.billiam at gmail.com>
     wrote:

   Hello Mary-Alice, Damien,
   I have seen this in Maldives during stressful times. My first
   impression was similar to Damien's but that interpretation didn't quite
   fit bc I couldn't understand how the coral could be alive and covered
   in algae at a time when some many corals had died and were being
   covered in algae. I was pretty busy surveying other phenomena and it
   was pre-digital so I had limited photos in an outing so I may not have
   recorded this, but I recall wondering what was going on. I'll dig
   around for some more information and photos if you are interested.
   Cheers,
   Bill
   On Mon, Dec 18, 2023 at 6:40PM Mary-Alice Coffroth via Coral-List
   <[1]coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

     Hi Damien,
     Porites often form mucous covering ("mucous sheets") that can become
     fouled with bacteria, algae, etc.  These sheets are then shed
     periodically.  Below are several older papers published on this.
     Please let me know if you need copies of these.
     All the best,
     Mary Alice
     Coffroth, M.A.  The function and fate of mucous sheets produced by
     reef coelenterates.  In: J.H. Choat, et al. (eds), Proc. 6th Int.
     Coral Reef Symp., James Cook University, Townsville, Australia, vol
     2, pp. 15-20.  (1988)
     Coffroth, M.A. Mucous sheet formation on poritid corals:  effects of
     altered salinity and sedimentation.  Proc. 5th Inter. Coral Reef
     Congress., Tahiti. 4:165-170 (1985)
     Coffroth, M.A.  Cyclical mucous sheet formation on poritid corals in
     the San Blas Islands, Panama.  Mar. Biol. 109:35-40. (1991)
     Coffroth, M.A. Mucous sheet formation on poritid corals: An
     evaluation of coral mucus as a nutrient source on reefs. Mar. Bio.
     105: 39-49. (1990)
     Mary Alice Coffroth, PhD
     Professor
     Department of Geology
     Office: 457 Hochstetter Hall
     126 Cooke Hall
     Department of Geology
     State University of New York at Buffalo
     Buffalo NY 14260
     Phone: 716-645-4871 (office)
           716-645- 4874 (lab)
     Fax:   716-645-3999
     Email: [2]Coffroth at buffalo.edu
     Web page:  [3]http://burr.bio.buffalo.edu/
     -----Original Message-----
     From: Coral-List <[4]coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> On
     Behalf Of Damien Beri via Coral-List
     Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2023 12:32 AM
     To: coral list <[5]coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
     Subject: [Coral-List] Porites defending themselves WITH Turf Algae?
     Aloha Coral List,
     I was searching for some evidence in the literature on Porites coral
     using turf algae to defend themselves from exposure. The Coral
     Conservancy (community coral restoration in Hawaii) has noticed that
     the Porites evermanni/lutea coral (and newly invasive Harbor
     Porites) we have been working with here in Hawaii tend to cover
     themselves in turf algae during warm periods and then seem to shed
     this algae off during cooler periods?
     Porites are perforate corals, so it seems they then regrow from
     under the algae. There are periods when many of the large Porites
     appear to be shedding simultaneously as if some environmental que
     triggers this for all the Porites in the region. Thoughts? We have
     some time series imagery demonstrating this phenomena.
     Thanks,
     Damien Beri
     President, The Coral Conservancy
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References

   1. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   2. mailto:Coffroth at buffalo.edu
   3. http://burr.bio.buffalo.edu/
   4. mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   5. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   6. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   7. https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
   8. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
   9. https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list