Mother Colonies
Coral Species Selection
Species selection is currently based on:
- Goal of maximum diversity possible from reference site guidelines
- Maximum diversity of morphologies for diverse habitat type and geo-morphological function to promote maximum overall reef habitat diversity
- Diversity of colour of coral on the reef
- Will be determined by availability of species on the reef at the mother colony sites
- Analysis of monitoring data for each species in our nurseries and restoration areas will indicate further resilient species and individuals to propagate
Mother Colony Selection
Mother colonies are large, healthy coral colonies that are old enough to have survived many years of disturbance and are well adapted to the area. Only completely healthy colonies are considered as donor colonies. We aim to use mother colonies from hot pockets if possible. We fragment up to a maximum of 10% of mother colonies. Mother colonies selected should represent the diversity of species, functional groups, and morphologies in the local area as determined from the Reference Site. Minimum size dimension (diameter) should be established in an area for each species as a guideline for mother colony selection.
Collection from mother colonies must not be done during the hot season as this increases the chance of infection in the fragments and the mother colonies.
Mother Colony Morphology
Mother colonies are categorised by their morphology to indicate form and function as follows:
Coral morphological diversity in form and function
| Morphology | Ecological Function | |
|---|---|---|
| Branching — tight — spaces between branches smaller or equal to branch | Microhabitat diversity | |
| Branching — open — spaces between branches larger than branch | Larval recruitment facilitation | |
| Tabular | Large fish refuge | |
| Foliose | Environmental heterogeneity | |
| Encrusting | Substrate consolidation | |
| Columnar | Diverse habitat creation | |
| Mounding | Reef matrix stability | |
| Massive | Reef framework |
Mother Colony Monitoring
Mother colony monitoring is important to provide objective proof that taking fragments from them for our work is not damaging them.
Mother colonies are monitored initially when selected:
- Geolocated via GPS (additional accuracy enabled)
- Measured (L × W × H)
- Health status recorded — health, survival, bleached scores
- Photographed in reef context to enable locating them again
- Fragment wound photographed (for comparison to subsequent monitoring to document wound healing)
- Marked if deemed easy to locate again for monitoring purposes (10% of total mother colonies for monitoring)
Ongoing monitoring of mother colonies continues for a 10% subset on this schedule:
| Timing | Trigger |
|---|---|
| 3 months (after end of filling nursery / mother colony collections) | First check |
| 6 months | Mid-term check |
| 1 year | Annual check |
And consists of:
- Measuring size (L × W × H)
- Health status — health, survival, bleached scores
- Photograph of fragment wound (for comparison to subsequent monitoring to document wound healing)