Abstract
3D printing technology offers significant advantages in the development of objects and tools across an array of fields and has been implemented in an increasing number of ecological studies. As rates of degradation or chemical leaching of 3D printed models has not been well documented under environmental conditions, it is essential to examine if these objects will alter the behavior or impact the survivorship of the focal species prior to widespread implementation. Here, we explored the efficacy of using 3D printed models in coral reef behavioral research, an area of study where this form of additive manufacturing could offer significant advantages. Coral-associated blue-green chromis (Chromis viridis) individuals were exposed to natural and 3D printed coral habitats, and larval mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) were offered 3D printed substrate as a settlement surface. Habitat association and behavioral analyses indicated that C. viridis did not discriminate or display modified behaviors between 3D printed and natural coral skeletons or between 3D printed materials. P. astreoides displayed significantly higher settlement when provided with 3D printed settlement surfaces than when provided with no settlement surface and settled at similar rates between 3D printed surfaces of differing materials. Additionally, growth and mortality of P. astreoides settled on different 3D printed surfaces did not significantly differ. Our results suggest that the 3D printed models used in this study are not inherently harmful to a coral reef fish or species of brooding coral, supporting further exploration of the benefits that these objects and others produced with additive manufacturing may offer as ecological research tools.
Highlights
For the cafeteria-style experiment, no significant difference was found between the total proportion of time that C. viridis associated with any of the filament treatments between the A. formosa and P. damicornis treatments (Welch’s t-test: t(27.247) = 1.018, p = 0.32)
For the activity level experiment, differences in behavioral responses were first analyzed between C. viridis exposed to either A. formosa or P. damicornis treatments
By exposing C. viridis to various 3D printed corals simultaneously, designed to provide replicate protective structures, we were able to determine if these artificial habitats would act as a stressor
Summary
Other behavioral studies have used 3D models to understand the visual effect of floral traits on pollinators [8] and predation rates on lizards [9]. Utilizing 3D printed models could benefit research conducted in other structurally complex and vulnerable systems, such as coral reefs. Coral reef systems are in global decline due to a combination of anthropogenic stressors [11,12], yet customary research methods may require manipulation, destruction, or interference with what little habitat remains to understand the complex processes driving coral reef ecosystems. The application of artificial 3D printed corals could offer more quantitatively repeatable and less invasive alternatives to investigate the consequences of this habitat loss on reef organism behavior
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