Abstract
The presence or absence of zooxanthellae near the tip of Acropora formosa branches is correlated with apical skeletal structure and extension rates. White (zooxanthellae-free) tips are lightly calcified, possess thin, widely spaced skeletal elements and bear only a few, poorly developed radial corallites. Brown tips are heavily calcified, possess smaller axial corallites and larger, more numerous radial corallites. White tips exhibit a range of normally distributed extension rates. Brown tips do not extend, but radial growth and internal calcification continue. These processes progressively alter the appearance and density of brown tipped branches. In addition, the axial corallite of brown tips becomes progressively smaller and is eventually indistinguishable from adjacent radial corallites. Although brown and white tips can change from one form to the other, with a corresponding change in extension rate, it is hypothesized that in brown tips with degenerated axial corallites, a new axial corallite must develop before extension can resume. Brown tips predominate in the interior of arborescent colonies, where space for continued extension is limited. They may therefore represent a means of coordination of growth within a colony. Field and experimental evidence suggest that brown tips may develop in response to micro-environmental conditions. White, zooxanthellae-free zones are also characteristic of other branched and plate-forming species, which exhibit rapid extension in a localized region of the colony.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bak RPM (1976) The growth of coral colonies and the importance of crustose coraline algae and burrowing sponges in relation with carbonate accumulation. Neth J Sea Res 10:285–337
Barnes DJ (1972) The structure and function of growth ridges in scleractinian coral skeletons. Proc R Soc London, Ser B 182:331–350
Barnes DJ (1973) Growth in colonial scleractinians. Bull Mar Sci 23:280–298
Barnes DJ, Crossland CJ (1977) Coral calcification: sources of error in radioisotope technique. Mar Biol 42:119–129
Barnes DJ, Crossland CJ (1980) Diurnal and seasonal variations in the growth of a staghorn coral measured by time-lapse photography. Limnol Oceanogr 25:1113–1117
Buddemeier RW, Kinzie RA III (1976) Coral growth. Oceanogr Mar Biol 14:183–225
Bull GD (1982) Scleractinian coral communities of two inshore high island fringing reefs at Magnetic Island, North Queensland. Mar Ecol Progr Ser 7:267–272
Chalker BE, Taylor DL (1975) Light enhanced calcification and the role of oxydative phosphorylation in calcification of the coral Acropora cervicornis. Proc R Soc London Ser B 190:323–331
Chalker BE, Taylor DL (1978) Rhythmic variations in calcification and photosynthesis associated with the coral Acropora cervicornis (Lamarck). Proc Soc London Ser B 201:179–189
Chamberlain JH, Graus RR (1975) Waterflow and hydromechanical adaptations of branched reef corals. Bull Mar Sci Gulf Caribb 25:112–125
Davis LV (1966) Inhibition of growth and regeneration in Hydra by crowded culture water. Nature (London) 212:1215–1217
Dodge RE, Aller RC, Thomson J (1974) Coral growth related to resuspension of sediments. Nature (London) 247:574–577
Dustan P (1975) Growth and form in the reef building coral Montastrea annularis. Mar Biol 33:101–107
Faulkner D, Chesher R (1979) Living corals. Potter, New York
Fisher RA (1950) Statistical methods for research workers. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh
Gladfelter EH (1982) Skeletal development in Acropora cervicornis. I. Patterns of calcification in the axial corallite. Coral Reefs 1:45–51
Glynn PW (1977) Coral growth in upwelling and non-upwelling areas off the Pacific coast of Panama. J Mar Res 35:567–585
Goreau TF (1959) The physiology of skeleton formation in corals. I. A method for measuring the rate of calcium deposition under different conditions. Biol Bull 116:59–75
Goreau TF (1961) Problems of growth and calcium deposition in reef corals. Endeavor 20:32–39
Goreau TF, Goreau NI (1959) The physiology of skeletal formation in corals II. Calcium deposition by hermatypic corals under various conditions in the reef. Biol Bull 117:239–250
Hopley D (1982) Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef. Wiley, New York
Houck JE, Buddemeier RW, Smith SV, Jokiel PL (1977) The response of coral growth rate und skeletal strontium content to light intensity and water temperature. Proc 3rd Int Coral Reef Symp 2:425–431
Isedale P (1977) Variation in the growth rate of hermatypic corals in a uniform environment. Proc 3rd Int Coral Reef Symp 2:403–408
Jokiel PL, Coles SL (1977) Effects of temperature in the mortality and growth of Hawaiian reef corals. Mar Biol 43:201–208
Lamberts AE (1978) Coral growth: alizarin method. In: Stoddart DR, Johannes RE (eds) Coral reefs: research methods. UNESCO, pp 523–527 (UNESCO monographs on oceanographic methodology vol 5)
Loomis WP (1961) Feedback factors affecting sexual differentiation in Hydra littoralis. In: Lenhoff HM, Loomis WF (eds) The biology of Hydra and some other coelenterates. University of Miami Press, Coral Gables, Fla
Meek S (1982) Structure, growth and regeneration in the Astrocoeniid scleractinian coral, Acropora formosa. PhD thesis, James Cook University
Morrissey J (1980) Community structure and zonation of macro-algae and hermatypic corals on a fringing reef flat of Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia. Aquat Bot 8:91–140
Muscatine L, Pool RR (1979) Regulation of numbers on intracellular algae. Proc R Soc London Ser B 204:131–130
Oliver JK (1979) Temporal and spatial variations in the growth of Acropora formosa (Dana 1846) on a north Queensland fringing reef. Honours thesis, James Cook University
Oliver JK, Chalker BE, Dunlap WC (1983) Bathymetric adaptions of reef building corals at Davies Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. I. Long term growth responses of Acropora formosa (Dana 1846). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 73:11–35
Pardy RL (1974) Some factors affecting the growth and distribution of the algae symbionts of Hydra viridis. Biol Bull 147:105–118
Pearse VB, Muscatine L (1971) Role of symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) in coral calcification. Biol Bull 141:350–363
Sammarco PW, Coll JC, LaBarre S, Willis B (1983) Competitive strategies of soft corals (Coelenterate: Octocorallia); allelopathic effects on selected Scleractinian corals. Coral Reefs 1:173–178
Shinn EA (1966) Coral growth-rate, an environmental indicator. J Paleontol 40:233–241
Vandermeulen JH, Davis N, Muscatine L (1972) The effect of inhibitors of photosynthesis on zooxanthellae in corals and other marine invertebrates. Mar Biol 16:185–191
Vaughan TW (1915) Growth-rate of Floridian and Bahamian shoal water corals. Carnegie Inst Washington Yearb 14:221–231
Wood-Jones F (1910) Corals and atolls. London
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oliver, J.K. Intra-colony variation in the growth of Acropora formosa: extension rates and skeletal structure of white (zooxanthellae-free) and brown-tipped branches. Coral Reefs 3, 139–147 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301958
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00301958