The Effect of Zooxanthellae Availability on the Rates of Skeletal Growth in the Red Sea Coral Acropora Hemprichii

Abstract

Zooxanthellae density affects growth rate of Acropora hemprichii at reef flat and 10 m depth, where the correlations were significantly moderate at reef flat (r = 0.461 & P < 0.01) and significantly high at 10 m depth (r = 0.636 & P = 0.424). Non interactive effects were obtained at 20 and 25 m depths, where the correlations were insignificant (r = 0.346 & P < 0.19 and r = 0.103 & P < 0.706, respectively). Either zooxanthellae density, hosted by Acropora hemprichii, or growth rate was decreased with depth increase. Zooxanthellae density at reef flat (1.55± 0.303 x 106 cells/cm2) was twice higher than at 25 m depth (0.706± 0.253 x 106 cells/cm2). However, growth rate at reef flat was approximately three times higher than at 25 m depth (0.013± 0.0024 mm\day). The maximum growth rate (0.0335 mm\day) and zooxanthellae density (1.32 106 cells/cm2) were recorded during summer season, whereas the minimum growth rate (0.01769 mm\day) and zooxanthellae density (0.931106 cells/cm2) were recorded during autumn. Keywords: zooxanthellae, growth rates, depths, Acropora hemprichii and Red Sea.