
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
document.write('<div id="oa_widget"></div>');
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="https://beta.openaire.eu/index.php?option=com_openaire&view=widget&format=raw&projectId=undefined&type=result"></script>');
-->
</script>
Allometric growth in reef-building corals

Predicting demographic rates is a critical part of forecasting the future of ecosystems under global change. Here, we test if growth rates can be predicted from morphological traits for a highly diverse group of colonial symbiotic organisms: scleractinian corals. We ask whether growth is isometric or allometric among corals, and whether most variation in coral growth rates occurs at the level of the species or morphological group. We estimate growth as change in planar area for 11 species, across five morphological groups and over 5 years. We show that coral growth rates are best predicted from colony size and morphology rather than species. Coral size follows a power scaling law with a constant exponent of 0.91. Despite being colonial organisms, corals have consistent allometric scaling in growth. This consistency simplifies the task of projecting community responses to disturbance and climate change.
- Macquarie University Australia
- James Cook University Australia
- University of St Andrews United Kingdom
- Macquarie University Australia
- University of St Andrews United Kingdom
Morphology, 570, QH301 Biology, Climate Change, General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology, 590, Biochemistry, Scaling, Scleractinia, QH301, Environmental Science(all), Immunology and Microbiology(all), SDG 13 - Climate Action, Animals, SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling, SH, General Environmental Science, Allometry, General Immunology and Microbiology, Coral Reefs, DAS, Traits, Anthozoa, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Morphology, 570, QH301 Biology, Climate Change, General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology, 590, Biochemistry, Scaling, Scleractinia, QH301, Environmental Science(all), Immunology and Microbiology(all), SDG 13 - Climate Action, Animals, SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling, SH, General Environmental Science, Allometry, General Immunology and Microbiology, Coral Reefs, DAS, Traits, Anthozoa, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).55 popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10% influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).Top 10% impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10%
