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Millimeter-scale topography facilitates coral larval settlement in wave-driven oscillatory flow
Mark A Levenstein1,2, Daniel J Gysbers3, Kristen L Marhaver4
1Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States of America.
Plos One
|September 12, 2022
Summary
Marine invertebrate larval settlement is crucial but poorly understood. Millimeter-scale ridges on substrates significantly boost coral larval settlement by altering fluid flow, aiding ecosystem restoration efforts.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Fluid dynamics
- Ecological engineering
Background:
- Larval settlement is a critical life stage for marine invertebrates in nearshore environments.
- Observing and understanding larval settlement in situ is challenging.
- Benthic topography's role in larval settlement is not fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of millimeter-scale benthic topography on coral larval settlement.
- To understand the hydrodynamic mechanisms driving larval settlement in wave-dominated environments.
- To explore substrate design for enhancing larval recruitment in marine ecosystems.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a custom flume tank simulating wave-dominated nearshore conditions.
- Employed particle tracking velocimetry to analyze flow fields around substrates.
- Applied Q-criterion method for vortex identification and correlated with settlement.
- Conducted computational fluid dynamics modeling and agent-based larval simulations.
Main Results:
- Millimeter-scale ridges increased coral larval settlement by tenfold compared to flat substrates.
- Ridges created flow recirculation zones, slowing larvae and directing them to the substrate.
- Hydrodynamic features linked to settlement were quantified and correlated with topography.
- Micro-scale topography did not yield similar settlement-enhancing hydrodynamic features.
Conclusions:
- Millimeter-scale substrate topography significantly enhances coral larval settlement through altered hydrodynamics.
- Physics-based substrate design offers a novel approach for marine ecosystem restoration.
- Understanding fluid dynamics is key to optimizing larval recruitment strategies.
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