Growth rate of two species branched Acropora in the area of discharged power plant cooling water

Abstract

The effect of water temperature on the growth rate of the two species of Acropora, i.e. <i>Acropora formosa</i> and <i>A. nobilis</i>, was observed during March-August 2013. The growth rate was observed based on the length/linear growth of the transplanted coral fragments. Linear gowth rate of both corals which affected by high temperature was about 0.4 ± 0.08 and 0.58 ± 0.11 cm/month, lower than corals growth rate in the appropriate water temperature which is 1.19 ± 0.08 and 1.14 ± 0.11 cm/month, for <i>A. formosa</i> and <i>A. nobilis,</i> respectively. While for branch growth, only one branch/month was observed for both corals, much lower than the normal which is 6.1 and 2.3 branches / month, for <i>A. formosa</i> and <i>A. nobilis</i>. The increase of temperature above the optimal temperature reduced the growth ability of the two species of branching corals.