Evaluación de cultivos ex situ de dos especies de corales formadores de arrecife (Porites lobata y Pocillopora damicornis)
Fecha
2021
Autores
Marín Moraga, José Andrés
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Editor
Universidad Nacional (Costa Rica)
Resumen
Los arrecifes de coral constituyen uno de los sistemas biológicos más productivos y biodiversos del planeta, al mismo tiempo que se les reconoce como ecosistemas en alto riesgo de deterioro funcional, susceptibles a los efectos de prácticas humanas insostenibles, principalmente el cambio climático, marca distintiva del Antropoceno. De la necesidad de generar estrategias con las que hacer frente a esta situación, nace la ciencia aplicada de la acuacultura coralina con fines restaurativos. Esta investigación supone el primer ensayo de cultivo ex situ de las especies de coral Porites lobata y Pocillopora damicornis en Costa Rica. La viabilidad y el rendimiento del cultivo se analizó en función de la sobrevivencia y el crecimiento de ambas especies. En total se generaron 180 fragmentos de coral, los cuales se mantuvieron durante 152 días, en sistemas de recirculación semi-abierto conformados por dos tanques de 12m3 (90 fragmentos por tanque, 45 de cada especie). Se registró la sobrevivencia y se midió la tasa de crecimiento para la totalidad de los fragmentos en términos de cambio en el área, y volumen (en el caso de P.damicornis) como variables morfométricas, además, se monitorearon los nutrientes y parámetros físico-químicos en cada tanque. Los resultados obtenidos se analizaron mediante el estimador no paramétrico Kaplan-Mier, y la prueba no paramétrica Kruskal-Wallis complementada con modelos de regresión lineal simple (en cuyo caso los datos fueron transformados sobre logaritmo en base 10). La sobrevivencia fue alrededor del 70%, previo al colapso de uno de los tanques. La mayoría de variables tanto morfométricas como ambientales vario significativamente dependiendo del tanque. A excepción de la temperatura y la radiación fotoactiva (PAR), los valores para las variables abiótica difirieron del rango recomendado para el cultivo coralino. En promedio los fragmentos de P.lobata aumentaron su área 216-277% a una tasa de crecimiento inicialmente alta, que con el tiempo fue decayendo, contrario a P.damicornis cuyo crecimiento se mantuvo relativamente constate, hasta aumentar 287-366% respecto al tamaño inicial. Estos resultados indican que, aunque pequeñas diferencias entre el medio de cultivo pueden parecer triviales a corto plazo, los efectos acumulados podrían ser sustanciales a lo largo del tiempo. A través de estos hallazgos, se concluye que el cultivo de corales pétreos se una actividad rentable, el cultivo debe ser optimizado en función de las especies de coral, como objetivo de conservación o de estudio.
Coral reefs constitute one of the most productive and biodiverse biological systems on the planet, at the same time that they are recognized as ecosystems at high risk of functional deterioration, susceptible to the effects of unsustainable human practices, mainly climate change, a distinctive mark of the Anthropocene. From the need to generate strategies to deal with this situation, the applied science of coral aquaculture for restorative purposes was born. This research represents the first ex situ culture test of the coral species Porites lobata and Pocillopora damicornis in Costa Rica. The viability and yield of the culture was analyzed based on the survival and growth of both species. In total, 180 coral fragments were generated, which were maintained for 152 days, in semi-open recirculation systems made up of two 12m3 tanks (90 fragments per tank, 45 of each species). Survival was recorded and the growth rate for all the fragments was measured in terms of change in area, and volume (in the case of P.damicornis) as morphometric variables, in addition, nutrients and physical parameters were monitored. chemicals in each tank. The results obtained were analyzed using the non-parametric Kaplan-Mier estimator, and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test complemented with simple linear regression models (in which case the data were transformed on a base 10 logarithm). Survival was around 70%, prior to the collapse of one of the tanks. Most morphometric and environmental variables varied significantly depending on the tank. With the exception of temperature and photoactive radiation (PAR), the values for the abiotic variables differed from the recommended range for coral culture. On average, the fragments of P.lobata increased their area 216-277% at an initially high growth rate, which over time was declining, contrary to P.damicornis whose growth remained relatively constant, until increasing 287-366% with respect to the initial size. These results indicate that, although small differences between the culture medium may seem trivial in the short term, the cumulative effects could be substantial over time. Through these findings, it is concluded that the cultivation of stony corals is a profitable activity, the cultivation must be optimized according to the coral species, as a conservation or study objective.
Coral reefs constitute one of the most productive and biodiverse biological systems on the planet, at the same time that they are recognized as ecosystems at high risk of functional deterioration, susceptible to the effects of unsustainable human practices, mainly climate change, a distinctive mark of the Anthropocene. From the need to generate strategies to deal with this situation, the applied science of coral aquaculture for restorative purposes was born. This research represents the first ex situ culture test of the coral species Porites lobata and Pocillopora damicornis in Costa Rica. The viability and yield of the culture was analyzed based on the survival and growth of both species. In total, 180 coral fragments were generated, which were maintained for 152 days, in semi-open recirculation systems made up of two 12m3 tanks (90 fragments per tank, 45 of each species). Survival was recorded and the growth rate for all the fragments was measured in terms of change in area, and volume (in the case of P.damicornis) as morphometric variables, in addition, nutrients and physical parameters were monitored. chemicals in each tank. The results obtained were analyzed using the non-parametric Kaplan-Mier estimator, and the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test complemented with simple linear regression models (in which case the data were transformed on a base 10 logarithm). Survival was around 70%, prior to the collapse of one of the tanks. Most morphometric and environmental variables varied significantly depending on the tank. With the exception of temperature and photoactive radiation (PAR), the values for the abiotic variables differed from the recommended range for coral culture. On average, the fragments of P.lobata increased their area 216-277% at an initially high growth rate, which over time was declining, contrary to P.damicornis whose growth remained relatively constant, until increasing 287-366% with respect to the initial size. These results indicate that, although small differences between the culture medium may seem trivial in the short term, the cumulative effects could be substantial over time. Through these findings, it is concluded that the cultivation of stony corals is a profitable activity, the cultivation must be optimized according to the coral species, as a conservation or study objective.
Descripción
Marín Moraga, J.A. (2021). Evaluación de cultivos ex situ de dos especies de corales formadores de arrecife (Porites lobata y Pocillopora damicornis). [Tesis de Licenciatura]. Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica.
Palabras clave
ARRECIFES, CORALES, ARRECIFES ARTIFICIALES, ECOSISTEMAS ACUÁTICOS, COSTA RICA, REEFS, AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS, COSTA RICAN