Naslov
Bioconstructional features of the coral coral Cladocora caespitosa (Anthozoa, Scleractinia) in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia)

Autori
Kružić, Petar ; Benković, Laura

Izvornik
Marine Ecology (0173-9565) 29 (2008), 1; 125-139

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Cladocora caespitosa; Adriatic Sea

Sažetak
The Mediterranean endemic Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) is a colonial scleractinian coral belonging to the family Faviidae and the only zooxanthellate coral from Mediterranean whose colonies may fuse in reef-like structures (hermatypic). Recent surveys are focused on three locations where banks occur in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia): near Prvić Island in the northern Adriatic, near Pag Island in the central Adriatic and in Veliko jezero (Mljet National Park) in the southern Adriatic. The C. caespitosa bank in Veliko jezero covers an area more than 650 m2 and is thus the largest bank of C. caespitosa found to date. The strong sea currents, which occur as a result of tidal exchange in the channel, appear to favour the growth of the bank. The goal of the study was to present the influence of major environmental factors upon the build-up process of the coral bank. Biometrical parameters in the C. caespitosa colonies like diameter of the calyces, polyp ash free dry weight (AFDW), corallite linear growth rate and index of sphericity were investigated and compared from these three locations. The morphology of coral banks from the Adriatic Sea and the disposition of the biometrical values are affected by the sea currents, temperature and sedimentation.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

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