Abstract
As a contribution to the biological knowledge about the sea fan Gorgonia ventalina and the use of this information as a tool to generate conservation and management strategies for this threatened species, a study about its annual growth rate, in different reef areas in Santa Marta and the National Natural Park Tayrona in the Colombian Caribbean took place. Manual measurements of 35 colonies were analyzed and images of 11 colonies were recorded in the beginning and in the end of the field stage. The annual growth rate varies among colonies and areas where measurements were taken. The average annual growth rate obtained with both of the methods was high and oscillated between 7.6 and 8.1 cm/year in height and between 6.9 and 8.3 cm/year wide. The total area of the colonies increased 246.1 cm2/year. These high rates suggest that the study area has the ideal features for the optimal development of the species. Eventhough, these features may be limited by environmental, biological and anthropic changes.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
