Coral reefs are diverse ecosystems predominantly restricted to the tropics that are highly vulnerable to variations in weather and climate. A number of models for coral colony growth have been used to monitor climate-driven extreme events such as severe storms and hurricanes. The most accurate model was found to be a rational polynomial function. The degree of the polynomial can relate to the morphology of the coral. We used this model to verify growth rates when we measured the surface areas and calculated recruitment dates (and subsequent survival) of non-branching corals in sites around Discovery Bay, Jamaica. There was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.72, p<0.01) between recruitment estimates and storm severity. The severest storms resulted in significantly (p<0.002) lower recruitment estimates. It is apparent that severe storms not only destroy branching corals, they also result in limiting non-branching coral recruitment, probably owing to stress on coral reproduction and changes in reef topography. This approach will be useful for modelling how corals will respond to climate change, as well as to anthropogenic effects such as coastal development, marine pollution, inland pollution and sedimentation, and over-exploitation of resources.
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