Genus-Scale Taxonomic Resolution Is Appropriate to Study Coral Demographics: A Case Study With Pocillopora

Area of Science:

• Marine biology
• Ecology
• Conservation science

Background:

• Coral demography is crucial for understanding reef ecosystem persistence and recovery.
• Accurate taxonomic resolution is essential for interpreting coral population dynamics.
• Fine-scale distinctions among scleractinian coral species are often unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the demographic performance of Acropora, Pocillopora, and Porites corals at different taxonomic levels.
• To identify the most appropriate taxonomic resolution for studying coral population dynamics.
• To assess the influence of taxonomic resolution on interpreting coral growth and survivorship.

Main Methods:

• Comparative demographic analysis of three coral genera (Acropora, Pocillopora, Porites).
• Assessment of growth and survivorship across species and haplotype levels within Pocillopora.
• Evaluation of demographic differences at genus and morphological levels.

Main Results:

• In Pocillopora, growth did not vary by species or haplotype, but survivorship was species- and environmentally dependent.
• Significant differences in both growth and survival were observed between the three genera.
• Genus-level and morphological taxonomic resolution provided sufficient demographic information.

Conclusions:

• Taxonomic resolution significantly impacts the interpretation of coral population dynamics.
• Genus-level and morphological classifications are ecologically relevant for studying coral demographics.
• These findings offer insights for addressing coral population trends and responses to climate change.