NDLI: Spatial variation in mechanical properties of coral reef substrate and implications for coral colony integrity

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Madin, J. S. Dell, A. I. Madin, E. M. P. Nash, M. C.
Copyright Year	2012
Abstract	The physical structure of coral reefs plays a critical role as a barrier to storm waves and tsunamis and as a habitat for living reef-building and reef-associated organisms. However, the mechanical properties of reef substrate (i.e. the non-living benthos) are largely unknown, despite the fact that substrate properties may ultimately determine where organisms can persist. We used a geo-mechanical technique to measure substrate material density and strength over a reef hydrodynamic gradient. Contrary to expectation, we found a weak relationship between substrate strength and wave-induced water flow: flow rates decline sharply at the reef crest, whereas substrate properties are relatively constant over much of the reef before declining by almost an order of magnitude at the reef back. These gradients generate a novel hump-shaped pattern in resistance to mechanical disturbances for live corals, where colonies closer to the back reef are prone to dislodgement because of poorly cemented substrate. Our results help explain an intermediate zone of higher taxonomic and morphological diversity bounded by lower diversity exposed reef crest and unstable reef back zones.
Starting Page	173
Ending Page	179
Page Count	7
File Format	PDF
ISSN	07224028
Journal	Coral Reefs
Volume Number	32
Issue Number	1
e-ISSN	14320975
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2012-09-24
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Reef substrate Cementation Scleractinian corals Biomechanics Freshwater & Marine Ecology Oceanography
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Aquatic Science

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