Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF ACROPORA MILLEPORA CORAL FRAGMENTS TRANSPLANTED IN TURBID WATER OF SEPULU, BANGKALAN – MADURA

Farid Kamal Muzaki, Dian Saptarini, Isabella Rahma Azizah, Inna Kartika Sari and Alif Tian Edo Pramono

Abstract

Turbidity and sedimentation are well known to be one of the major factors that limit the growth and development of Scleractinian corals, either in natural reef or transplanted coral for rehabilitation purpose. This study is aimed to access the survival and growth rate of Acropora millepora coral fragments transplanted on dome-shaped concrete artificial reef in the turbid coastal waters of Labuhan, Sepulu, Bangkalan – Madura. Ten units of dome-shaped concrete artificial reef containing 6 coral fragments deployed on the seafloor at depth ±3.5 meter in two different location (NW and NE) with relatively different turbidity. The observation of survival and growth rate were monthly basis; conducted in situ with Scuba diving technique. After 5 months, the results show that survival of corals was higher in NE location (92.22%) compared to NW location (88.89%). The growth rate of the corals was significantly differed (independent t-test, p = 0.001 at α = 0.05) with NE location have higher growth rate compared to NW (1.948±0.276 - 1.748±0.285 cm/month, respectively).