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Ecology and biodiversity of the Montastraea “annularis” reef coral species complex
Clemontene
Rountree
Research Experiences for Teachers, 2003
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Ecology and biodiversity of the Montastraea “annularis” reef coral species complex Introduction Montastraea "annularis" has long held the interest of coral reef ecologists because it is one of the most dominant corals of Caribbean reefs. The extensive variability in colony growth form (columns, massive heads, and sheets/plates) that exists from shallow to deep waters was believed to be an adaptive response to differing light levels. More recently, reproductive biology, symbiotic associations, aggressive behavior and the results of biochemical and genetic analyses were found to be correlated to the different types of growth forms, and have led investigators to conclude that modern Montastraea “annularis” sensu lato, long thought to represent one species, consists of a complex of at least three different species. Traditional morphometric characteristics (e.g. number of septa, septa length, corallite spacing) used to distinguish M. “annularis” from other corals do not distinguish these three species from each other. However, morphometric analyses of non-traditional skeletal characters (e.g. distance between endothecal dissepiments, area of exothecal pores) may show that the species are morphologically distinct. Finding internal structures that differ among species is important to paleontologists who may not have entire colonies that display growth form or other external features to assist in identification. The purpose of the
current research project is to assess the species boundaries and ecological
distribution of each of the three purported species of the M. “annularis”
species complex from Carrie Bow Caye, Belize. Non-traditional morphological
characteristics were measured on collected specimens to determine how
skeletal morphology varies among species. In addition, transect data
of species distribution across the reef was analyzed to quantify the
ecological distribution of the three reef coral species.
A total of fifty coral specimens of Montastraea annularis s.s., M. faveolata and M. franksi were collected by John M. Pandolfi from Carrie Bow Caye, Belize, in February, 2001. Longitudinal slabs were cut to expose the internal corallites for morphological analysis. Thirty of the specimen slabs representing the three species were chosen for analysis based on corallite quality. Individual corallites were viewed by using a OPTEM Zoom 70 image system with a video camera attachment that displays the image on the computer screen using Adobe Photoshop 7.0 software. Snapshots of the corallites were saved and opened in Image Pro Plus 3.0.01 for measuring the morphometric characteristics. The following characteristics were measured 3-5 times per corallite, one corallite per specimen:
The data was exported to Microsoft Excel.
A summary of the morphometric characteristics measured for the 30 specimens was prepared. Additional data needs to be collected prior to statistical analysis. Analysis of the
transect data showed a significant difference in species composition
among the different depths (p= 0.001, Analysis of Similarity on non-transformed,
non-standardized data, PRIMER). M. faveolata favors shallower
depths, M. franksi deeper depths and M. annularis s.s.
mid depths. In addition, a Multi-Dimensional Scaling plot representing
each transects’ species composition shows how transects from the
same depth cluster together and how species composition transitions
from shallower to deeper depths.
The described morphometric
characteristics (ens, cdd, exs) will be measured on 2 - 4 additional
corallites per specimen. Also, the following additional morphometric
characteristics will be measured (3-5 measurements/corallite, 3-5 corallites/specimen):
vertical distance between threads (cts), thickness of threads (ctt),
angle of thread departure from the wall (cta), thread length from columella
to septal margin (ctl), and columella thickness (cot). Once the complete
set of morphometric characteristics have been measured, the data will
be analyzed.
I would like to thank the National Science Foundation for their support of the Research Experience for Teachers Internship Program and Mary Sangrey, NMNH Internship coordinator. Want to ask a question? Visit the Message Board Virtual
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