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Composition of Juvenile Corals on Different Morphotypes of Substrate at Karimunjawa Archipelago, Indonesia

1Department of Marine Science, Diponegoro University Semarang 50275, Indonesia

2Department of Marine Science, Diponegoro University Semarang 50275

3Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan , Taiwan

4 No. 28, Lane 70, Section 2, Yanjiuyuan Rd, Nangang District, Taipei City, Taiwan 115, Taiwan

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Received: 4 Feb 2016; Published: 6 Dec 2016.

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Abstract
Patterns of coral recruitment are partially explained by fitness consequences of substrate selection, and may be affected by substrate morphology. This study examined juvenile coral assemblages on morphologically different dead coral substrate in shallow water reefs (4-5 m) at Karimunjawa Island, Java Sea (Indonesia). Surveys on juvenile corals were performed using 0.5×0.5 m transects on two different morphotypes of natural substrate; tabular dead corals (stable) and branching dead corals (unstable). Results showed that the morphological characteristics of dead coral substrate had a significant influence on the generic composition of juvenile corals. Coral recruits on tabular dead coral substrate (stable) which composed micro-cervices was more diverse than on branching dead coral substrate (unstable). Juvenile corals of the genus Acropora were dominant on (exposed microhabitats of) tabular dead coral substrate, while those of the genus Fungia and Montipora were dominant on (cryptic microhabitats of) branching dead coral substrate. These results suggest that Acroporid juveniles can be
settled to the various morphotypes of the substrate, thus the distribution pattern of juvenile corals in shallow reef Karimunjawa may correlate with the distribution pattern of natural substrates.

Keywords: juvenile, microhabitat, dead coral, substrate Karimunjawa Archipelago
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Funding: Munasik, Diah Permata W, Retno Hartati, Rudhi Pribadi, Diponegoro University, Department of Marine Science;Yoko Nozawa,2Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei

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