MCR LTER: Coral Reef: Long-Term Coral Population and Community Dynamics: Annual Island Wide Coral Demography Survey 2011 ongoing

Demographic performance (recruitment, growth, and survival) are quantified annually for
multiple individual colonies of the three most common genera (Acropora, Pocillopora,
Porites) at both backreef and forereef sites. Each coral was tagged in 2011 and subsequently sampled
again in 2012 to track colony growth and mortality dynamics. However, since 2013, investigators
have transitioned to identifying coral through detailed mapping methodology and will continue to identify corals using this method in the subsequent years.
The mapping system developed in 2013 provides data appropriate for detailed demographic study of coral on varying spatial scales around the island. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under
Grant No. OCE 16-37396 (and earlier awards) as well as a generous gift from the Gordon and
Betty Moore Foundation. Research was completed under permits issued by the French Polynesian
Government (Délégation à la Recherche) and the Haut-commissariat de la République en
Polynésie Francaise (DTRT) (Protocole d'Accueil 2005-2022). This work represents a
contribution of the Moorea Coral Reef (MCR) LTER Site.