Response to Increased Sediment Load by Three Coral Species from the Gulf of Suez (Red Sea)

摘要

This study examines the hypothesis that sedimentation, as a result of anthropogenic activities, has a measurable effect on the growth rate (in terms of linear extension) of branching corals of a subtropical site in the northern Gulf of Suez. Three of the dominant branching coral species; Stylophora pistillata (Esper) 1792, Acropora pharaonis (Milne Edwards and Haime) 1860 and A. hemprichi (Ehrenberg) 1834 were chosen for monitoring their growth rate after the cessation of construction works. At the beginning of the study, the three study species had very low rates of growth in response to increased sediment load. Over time sedimentation rates decreased significantly while linear extension rate per branch of the three study species showed a significant gradual increase. The study reaches the conclusion that coral growth is negatively related to sedimentation.