Evaluation of the Effects of Sedimentation and Nutrient stress on Coral

Wilson R. Ramírez 1

Jack Morelock 2

1 Department of Geology University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

2 Department of Marine Sciences University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Marine Sciences

Funded by Sea Grant

Question (main objective)

o How can we quantify the effects of terrigenous sediment and nutrient stress on corals in their natural environment ?

Moving impacted corals to clean areas and vice-versa and monitor their responses

Based on the : - physiography - bathymetry - sediment character

- coral survey locations in the MayagüezAñasco watershed were chosen to provide the variety of conditions consistent with the goals of the project

Based on the : - physiography - bathymetry - sediment character

Coral cover by species

- coral surveys locations in the MayagüezAñasco watershed were chosen to provide the variety of conditions consistent with the goals of the project

9 meters depth MI

8 meters depth Al 5 meters depth

10 meters depth

Based on the : - physiography - bathymetry - sediment character

- coral survey locations in the MayagüezAñasco watershed were chosen to provide the variety of conditions consistent with the goals of the project

Coral Transplantation

Colcophyllia natans

Dichocoenia stokessi

Fourteen coral species studied

Species were selected based on: - cover - number of colonies - diversity

Diploria labyrinthiformis

Diploria strigosa

Dendrogyra cylindrus

Madracis decactis

Meandrina meandrites

Montastraea annularis

Montastraea cavernosa

Montastraea faveolatta

Porites asteroides

Porites porites

Siderastrea siderea

Undaria(Agaricia)agaricites

Transplant pattern

Healthy environment changed to impacted environment

Coral from Escollo Negro are transplanted to:

Manchas north

Sewer reef

Algarrobo

Control slab transplant at Escollo Negro

Transplant pattern

Sediment & Nutrient stressed corals are given clean water environment. The environment has been “cleaned up.”

Manchas Norte Manchas Interiores Algarrobo

corals transplanted to Escollo Negro Control slab transplantation at each stressed site

All

Time Line

corals stained with Alizarin Red-S at the time of transplantation

Measurements of Sedimentation Input

Load-Texture-Composition

Sediment traps were place in all locations

Bi-monthly monitoring for two years

Photographs and notes describing the status of the corals

Sediments in traps collected bi-monthly

cover and health recorded

EN 50

From Manchas Interiores 8 to Escollo Negro.

From: Feb. 2002

To: Oct. 2002

49 coral colonies transplanted as “control” : colonies lost by concrete failure colonies lost during the next two years (coral grazers)

“Clean” site to “clean” site (EN): CONTROL

SUMARY of Results: Coral Mortality

48 coral colonies transplanted to the “clean” site : 1 colony lost by concrete failure colony died during the next two years

Impacted sites to clean site (EN): “stressed” to “cleaner”

SITE SLAB Transplanted CF Remain LOST

Station Lost due to BAD WEATHER

Only a few colonies survived

SUMARY of Results: Coral Mortality

From: 139 coral colonies transplanted : 20 colonies died during the next two years mostly deaths by algal overgrowth)

Clean site (EN) to impacted sites: “cleaner” to “stressed”

Montastraea annularis

Diploria labyrinthiformis

Diploria strigosa

Madracis decactis

Meandrina meandrites

Undaria sp.

General Observations

• Most of the coral loss due to overgrowth of the coral colonies by turf algae (within few months after transplantation)

• Montastraea cavernosa colonies showed active budding when moved from “stress” into “cleaner” environment (within few months after transplantation)

Coral Growth

• Coral samples harvested after two years

• Alizarin Red-S = Time Line (date of transplantation)

Coral Growth

2 years of growth

Montastraea annularis

Species

Coral Growth Rates

• Bands can be measured before and after transplantation (2 years) using the Alizarin Red-S line as a time line

• A set of 2 bands (high and low density) represent 1 year

Coral Growth Rates

• EN188 From EN to EN - Control Slab

• Porites porites

• Transplantation did not caused significant changes in growth rate on the long term

TRANSPLANTATION

After Transplantation

Before Transplantation

Coral Growth Rates (cm/yr)

Corals moved from CLEAN to IMPACTED sites

Each number is an average of all samples measured of the same species and an average of two years before and two years after transplantation

Coral Growth Rates

• “Clean” to “stressed” sites

• Porites asteroides

Coral Growth Rates (cm/yr)

Before Transplantation After Transplantation

Corals moved from IMPACTED to CLEAN sites

Each number is an average of all samples measured of the same species and an average of two years before and two years after transplantation

Sediment Traps

• Laboratory analyses

⚫ XRD analysis (minerals, pesticides, chemicals)

⚫ Composition analysis (organics, carbonate, terrigenous)

⚫ Grain size distribution

⚫ Average (yearly and monthly) sediment collection

Detailed descriptions available at:http://geology.uprm.edu/Morelock/GEOLOCN_/mayaguez.htm

Sediment Traps

• Laboratory analyses

⚫ XRD analysis (minerals, pesticides, chemicals)

⚫ Composition analysis (organics, carbonate, terrigenous)

⚫ Grain size distribution

⚫ Average (yearly and monthly) sediment collection

Terrigenous sediments

dominate in inner reefs all year

Winter - terrigenous seds. dominate

Summer - carbonates seds. dominate

Sediment Traps

• Laboratory analyses

⚫ XRD analysis (minerals, pesticides, chemicals)

⚫ Composition analysis (organics, carbonate, terrigenous)

⚫ Grain size distribution

⚫ Average (yearly and monthly)

sediment collection

Grain Size Analysis for Escollo Negro

Sediment Traps

• Laboratory analyses

⚫ XRD analysis (minerals, pesticides, chemicals)

⚫ Composition analysis (organics, carbonate, terrigenous)

⚫ Grain size distribution

⚫ Average (yearly and monthly)

sediment collection

Grain Size Analysis for Escollo Negro

Manchas Interiores 8

Sediment Traps

• Laboratory analyses

⚫ XRD analysis (minerals, pesticides, chemicals)

⚫ Composition analysis

⚫ Grain size distribution

⚫ Sediment Inputs (traps)

Detailed data available at: http://geology.uprm.edu/Morelock/GEOLOCN_/mayaguez.htm

Total weight of sediment collected

Students Involved :

• Characterization of temporal and stratigraphic changes in texture, composition, nutrients and organic content of bottom sediments in Mayagüez Bay, Puerto Rico

⚫ MS Thesis by Ismael Rodriguez

⚫ Finished in May 2004

• Sedimentation and Nutrient Impact on Coral Growth Rates at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Verónica Ortiz

⚫ Written Report and Presentation completed on December 2003

• Sedimentation and Nutrients Impacts on Coral Growth, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Irmaris Rodríguez

⚫ Written Report and Presentation completed on May 2003

Students Involved :

• Sediment dynamics and their temporal variability in the Mayagüez Bay

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Garimar Rivera

⚫ Written Report and Presentation completed on May 2003

• Geographical and Temporal Variations in Sediment Influx and Composition Along the Mayagüez Bay

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Garimar Rivera

⚫ Written Report and Presentation completed on December 2002

• Geographical and Temporal Variations in Sediment Influx and Composition Along the Mayagüez Bay

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Yolanda Fong

⚫ Written Report and Presentation completed on May 2002

Students Involved :

TOTAL of students directly involved (until now)

1 Graduate Student 7 Undergraduate Students

• The effects of terrigenous sedimentation on the growth rate and morphology of the Holocene fossil corals of Cañada Honda in Enriquillo Valley, Southwestern Dominican Republic and Mayagüez Bay, Puerto Rico

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Viviana Díaz

⚫ in progress

• Comparisons of growth rates between modern Montastraea faveolatta corals from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and Holocene fossil Montastraea faveolatta corals from Enriquillo, D.R.

⚫ Undergraduate Research project by Belyneth Deliz

⚫ in progress

Comparisons between Modern and Fossil reefs

Coral Cover

Coral Diversity Climate Changes

Rees History

and Evolution

Thermometers were place in all locations

in progress …

Modern and Fossil corals as surface water temperature proxies

• Ramirez, W., Morelock, J. (2004) Evaluation of the effects of sedimentation and nutrients on coral and the long term monitoring of recover after environmental stress. Abstract in the 2004 Geology Department Annual Symposium Program

• Ramirez, W., Morelock, J. (2003) Monitoring change in coral colonies by changing physical environments. Abstract in the Scientific Program and Abstracts of Marcuba 2003, page 1.

• Morelock, J., Ramirez, W., (2002) Monitoring Change in Coral Colonies by Changing Physical Environments. Abstract in the 2002 Ocean Sciences Meeting Program, page 29.

• Ramirez, W., Morelock, J. (2001) An ongoing project to evaluate the long-term recovery of corals after environmental stress. Sea Grant in the Caribbean. January-March 2001, pages 1-5.

Presentations

• Evaluation of the effects of sedimentation and nutrients on coral and the long term monitoring of recover after environmental stress

⚫ Geology DepartmentAnnual Symposium,UPRM

⚫ February 2004

• Working to develop paleoclimate records from Cenozoic Caribbean Reefs

⚫ Geology DepartmentAnnual Symposium,UPRM

⚫ February 2004

• Monitoring change in coral colonies by changing physical environments

⚫ Marcuba Conference, Habana, Cuba

⚫ December 2003

• Monitoring Change in Coral Colonies by Changing Physical Environments

⚫ Ocean Sciences Meeting, Hawaii

⚫ February 2002

Thanks to :

• Milton Carlo (CIMA)

• Ismael Rodríguez (M.S. student)

• Verónica Ortiz (B.S. student)

• Irmaris Rodríguez (B.S. student)

• Garimar Rivera (B.S. student)

• Yolanda Fong (B.S. student)

• Damaris González (UPRM)

• Jose Almodovar (UPRM)

• Ruth Ortíz (UPRM)

• Rafael Morales (UPRM)

• Hospital San José

• The Dive Shop

many others ……