Effects of salinity and sedimentation on the Gorgonian Coral, Leptogorgia virgulata (Lamarck 1815)

摘要: Abstract Construction of jetties along the Texas coast has provided hard substrate biota with suitable habitats for attachment that is otherwise scarce. Although similar to natural bottom environments such as coral reefs or offshore banks, in temperate subtropical areas are subjected substantially more environmental instability including swift channelized currents, terrestrial runoff, maintenance dredging, fluctuating temperatures, and swells from ship recreational boat traffic. The gorgonian Leptogorgia virgulata, found on south jetties, constantly exposed variable salinity sediment loads associated these jetty systems. In this study, L. virgulata was collected Aransas Pass near Corpus Christi, experimentally tested determine their ability tolerate a range salinities over 14 days. response salinity, showed significant tissue loss (p