Moothien Pillay, Ruby , Willis, Bette, and Terashima, Hiroaki (2005) Trends in the density of zooxanthellae in Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834) at the Palm Island Group, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Symbiosis, 38. pp. 209-226.

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Abstract

It is important to understand the natural variation of coral zooxanthellae considering the implications of loss of these micro-algal symbionts for coral survival during bleaching. This study explores the seasonal trend of zooxanthellae densities in the common coral, Acropora millepora over a period of seven months at a relatively undisturbed environment, the inshore reefs of the Palm Island Group in the Central Section of the Great Barrier Reef. Zooxanthellae densities increased twofold at both sites with the onset of colder temperatures and lower solar flux. This strongly suggests that a seasonal component is responsible for the observed changes in algal densities in A. millepora. Zooxanthellae densities also varied between colonies (F=4.858, p=0.000) and branches (F=1.565, p=0.001). The results of this study stress the importance of accounting for seasonal variation and for variation within and among colonies when designing studies to determine zooxanthellae densities and assessing the intensity of bleaching during mass bleaching events.

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