Comparison of three types of adhesives in attaching coral transplants to clam shell substrates

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. Nubbins from 12 coral species were transplanted onto dead giant clam shells at three sites in a lagoon near Bolinao, north-western Philippines. Transplants were attached using three types of adhesives: cyanoacrylate glue (SG), epoxy putty (EP) and marine epoxy (ME) and were monitored over five months for detachment, in situ mortality and natural self-attachment by tissue growth.2. Corals attached with SG showed a significantly higher rate of detachment (logrank test) than those attached with either EP or ME (P50.001 in each case). Also, those attached with EP showed a higher rate of detachment than corals attached with ME (logrank=6.46, P50.05).3. ANOVA (P>0.05) and survival analysis (logrank=2.85, P>0.05) showed no among-adhesives differences in in situ mortality. Among the species used, Porites cylindrica, Pavona frondifera, Heliopora coerulea and Porites rus had the highest survivorship with 82%, 80%, 76% and 73%, respectively, of nubbins alive at the end of the experiment and also displayed the highest cumulative rates of self-attachment. Species with the lowest survival rates included Acropora muricata and four pocilloporids.4. Although there was no significant difference in the number of self-attaching transplants among the adhesives, corals transplanted using ME and EP self-attached earlier than those transplanted using SG (logrank=11.19, P50.01).5. Results from this study highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate means of attaching corals to substrates and carefully considering species-specific traits of candidate corals for transplantation.

Enhancing the biodiversity of coastal defence structures: transplantation of nursery-reared reef biota onto intertidal seawalls

“…This is commonly facilitated with the use of marine epoxy, which easily binds to the skeletal framework of hard coral colonies or fragments and allows them time to selfattach onto the substratum (Dizon et al, 2008). Our trials, however, showed that direct application of epoxy was not feasible for softbodied sponges and soft corals.…”

Assessing an abridged nursery phase for slow growing corals used in coral restoration

“…For fast growing, highly fragmenting species like members of the Acroporidae and Pocilloporidae, fragmentation and subsequent reattachment is an important life strategy that sometimes determines species' spatial coverage and distribution (e.g., thicket formation; Highsmith, 1982). Attachment may also be a determining factor of coral health as more energy is channelled through growth and formation of new tissue onto the substratum, though attachment time varies with coral species and morphology (Dizon et al, 2008;Guest et al, 2011).…”

“…1 cm in diameter) that were bored using an improvised auger. The corals were attached using Pioneer EpoxyclayAqua, a two-part adhesive that can be mixed underwater by kneading with the fingers (Dizon et al, 2008). The substrate surrounding the holes was scrubbed clean with a steel brush.…”

How Quickly do Fragments of Coral “Self‐Attach” after Transplantation?

“…One aspect of coral transplantation that has yet to be studied comprehensively is the time taken for coral fragments from different species to self‐attach to substrata following fragmentation and transplantation. For reef restoration, coral transplants are sometimes scattered on areas of bare reef (Bowden‐Kerby 1997) or more commonly fragments are artificially attached or stabilized using marine epoxy, cyanoacrylate glue (Dizon et al 2008), cement (Ortiz‐Prosper et al 2001), polythene string (Lindahl 2003), cable ties or stainless‐steel wire (Bruckner & Bruckner 2001). These methods can be very effective in the short term and attached or stabilized coral fragments tend to survive better than unattached fragments (Bowden‐Kerby 1997; Lindahl 2003).…”