Recruit survival and growth under different light intensities and light spectra

This study investigated how light quality and light intensity affect the survival and growth of coral spat that cooccur with algal communities typically used to induce larval settlement, but which might also outcompete spat and reduce survival during the grow-out period. The experiment used two light spectra, blue and full, at four maximum light intensities ranging from 5 to 160 µmol m−2 s−1. Spat were photographed weekely for 12 weeks. Survival was measured by counting spat over time and growth was measured by tracking the area of individual recruits in the photographs.本研究探讨了光质与光强对与藻类群落共存的珊瑚幼体（coral spat）存活与生长的影响；此类藻类群落通常用于诱导珊瑚幼虫附着，但在育苗培育期也可能对珊瑚幼体产生竞争排斥，降低其存活率。本实验设置蓝光与全光谱两种光质，以及4个最大光强梯度，光强范围为5至160 µmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹。实验期间每周对珊瑚幼体进行拍摄，持续12周。存活率通过随时间计数珊瑚幼体的数量进行测定，生长情况则通过追踪照片中单个附着幼体的面积来量化。