Analysis of composition and abundance of viral communities associated with coral \(\textit{Acropora formosa}\)

Coral reefs harbor the extraordinary biodiversity and not only provide livelihoods for coastal communities but also play a crucial role in economic development generally. Unfortunately, they are in decline in Vietnam and around the world because mass coral bleaching events have become more common worldwide. However, little is discovered, about viruses that infect corals and their symbionts. Herein, we present metagenomic analyses of the viral communities in coral mucus associated with healthy and bleached coral Acropora formosa which was collected at Con Dao Island, Vietnam. Interestingly, the number of viral species in bleached specimens are higher than those in healthy status. Viruses similar to those that infect humans and some marine animals also appeared in the coral viral assemblage. The results indicated that the proportion of shared viruses were quite small, and represented extremely abundance. Among the phage identified, vibriophage and cyanophage were only presented in healthy and bleached coral, respectively. Therefore, coral-associated viruses could prospectively infect all constituents of the holobiont - coral, microalgal and microbial. Thus, we expect viruses to be illustrated prominently in the preservation and breakdown of coral health.

Colonies of Acropora formosa with greater survival potential show conservative calcification rates

Coral reefs are facing increasingly devasting impacts from ocean warming and acidification due to anthropogenic climate change. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, potential solutions have focused either on reducing light stress during heating, or the potential for identifying or engineering “super corals”. These studies, however, have tended to focus primarily on the bleaching response of corals, and assume that corals that bleach earlier in a thermal event are more likely to die. Here, we explore how survival, potential bleaching, and coral skeletal growth (as branch extension and densification) varies for conspecifics collected from distinctive reef zones at Heron Island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. A series of reciprocal transplantation experiments were undertaken using the dominant reef building coral (Acropora formosa) between the highly variable ‘reef flat’ and the less variable ‘reef slope’ environments. Coral colonies originating from the reef flat had higher rates of survival and thicker tissues but reduced rates of calcification than conspecifics originating from the reef slope. The energetics of both populations however benefited from greater light intensity offered in the shallows. Reef flat origin corals moved to the lower light intensity of reef slope reduced protein density and calcification rates. For A. formosa, genetic difference, or long-term entrainment to a highly variable environment, appeared to promote coral survival at the expense of calcification. The response divorces coral resilience from carbonate coral reef resilience, a response that was further exacerbated by reductions in irradiance. As we begin to discuss interventions necessitated by the CO2 that has already been released to the atmosphere, we need to prioritise our focus on the properties that maintain valuable carbonate ecosystems. Rapid and dense calcification by corals such as branching Acropora is essential to the ability of carbonate coral reefs to rebound following disturbances events, but may be the first property that is sacrificed to enable coral genet survival under stress.

LAJU PERTUMBUHAN KARANG Acropora formosa YANG DITRANPLANTASI PADA MEDIA TEMPEL DAN MEDIA GANTUNG

Corals are associations of millions polyps that live in symbiotic way with zooxanthellae algae. Most of the polyps live in colonies and form a reef. Coral reefs are rich ecosystems that contain diverse organisms living in it. However, the threat of damage increases with the pressure that enters the waters. Coral transplantation is one way of restorations that can be done to restore damaged corals by cutting live corals and then planting them in places where the corals have been damaged. This study aims to determine the growth rate of Acropora formosa corals that were transplanted on fixed and hanging media. Data was collected in Malalayang Coast Waters, Manado City, North Sulawesi. The research took place for seven months. Beginning with the coral transplant activity of Acropora formosa on fixed and hanging media, then continued with monitoring every month for six months. Transplanted corals were measured using a ruler to determine the length of the coral from the beginning to the end of the study and then the data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The results obtained for the average growth rate of Acropora formosa corals transplanted on fixed media were 0.8 cm and on hanging media 1.8 cm. Overall growth rate averaged 1.3 cm.Keywords: Coral, Coral Reef, Transplant, Acropora formosa.

Growth rate of Acropora formosa coral fragments transplanted on different composition of faba kerbstone artificial reef

Khasanah RI, Herawati EY, Hariati AM, Mahmudi M, Sartimbul A, Wiadnya DGR, Asrial E, Yudatomo, Nabil R. 2019. Growth rate of Acropora formosa coral fragments transplanted on different compositions of faba kerbstone artificial reef. Biodiversitas 20: 3593-3598. A counter measure and an alternative technique to reduce coral reef destruction is through transplantation, which requires the relocation or cutting of a live coral, planted in a designated place containing damaged varieties. Faba kerbstone is a product innovation similar to paving block/brick, made from fly and bottom ash (FABA), which is the dominant waste product from PT Jawa Power, Probolinggo, Indonesia. In addition, it has also been widely utilized as a raw material in the creation of paving and concrete blocks, composed by harmless material, with a length, width, and height of 40, 25 and 15 cm, respectively. This study aims to observe the growth rate of Acropora formosa coral fragments transplanted on a faba kerbstone, using five different fly and bottom ash compositions: K1 = 0% Fa, K2 = 25% Fa and 75% Ba, K3 = 50% FA and 50% Ba, K4 = 75% Fa and 25% Ba, while K5 = 100% Fa and 0% Ba. Furthermore, the observations were conducted underwater, using scuba diving for six months, observing the parameters of fragment length, colony diameter, and branches number. In addition, the highest elongation rate of A. formosa coral fragments was identified at K2 (1.313 ± 0.447 cm/month), and K1 (1.185 ± 0.642 cm/month), while the most significant increment in colony diameter was observed in K2 (0.077 ± 0.060 cm/month) and K1 (0.063 ± 0.071 cm/month), and the largest number of branches was also found in K2 (29.50 or 4.28 branches/month) and K1 (25.25 or 3.67 branches/month). Furthermore, the one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (p = 0.05) showed was no significant difference in the fragments elongation and colony diameters in the K1 and K2 models, although there was substantial variation from the K3, K4, and K5.

LAJU PERTUMBUHAN BEBERAPA KARANG BERCABANG PADA PERAIRAN PULAU KARIMUNJAWA, KABUPATEN JEPARA Growth Rate of Some Branching Corals in Karimunjawa Island, District of Jepara

ABSTRAK Taman Nasional Karimunjawa (TNKJ) merupakan kawasan konservasi bagi lingkungan dan biota, salah satunya adalah terumbu karang. Pengukuran pertumbuhan karang merupakan informasi penting terhadap potensi terumbu karang dimana mampu mengetahui waktu yang diperlukan karang untuk tumbuh secara akurat. Penelitian dilaksanakan di 2 lokasi, Pantai Ujung Gelam yang terletak pada sisi barat pulau Karimunjawa dan Pantai Pancuran yang terletak pada sisi timur pulau Karimunjawa selama 3 bulan yaitu selama April – Juli 2018 dan bertujuan untuk mengetahui jenis karang cabang dominan serta tutupan terumbu karangnya dan mengetahui laju pertumbuhan dari beberapa karang cabang yang ditemukan. Penelitian dilakukan pada kedalaman air berbeda yaitu kurang dari 2 meter dan lebih dalam dari 2 meter, menggunakan 8 individu karang bercabang, setiap individu karang diambil data sebanyak 3 cabang karang dan 3 kali pengulangan. Analisis data laju pertumbuhan karang dilakukan dengan uji regresi linier sederhana. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa karangAcropora robusta dan Acropora formosa ditemukan di stasiun 1, Montipora digitata dan Acropora nobilis ditemukan di stasiun 2, Acropora aspera dan Acropora formosa ditemukan di stasiun 3, dan Acropora formosa dan Porites cylindrica ditemukan di stasiun 4. Rata – rata laju pertumbuhan panjang dan diameter dalam kurun waktu 3 bulan karang jenis Acropora robusta sebesar 0,605 cm/bulan dan 0,2 cm/bulan, karang Acropora aspera sebesar 0,395 cm/bulan dan 0,083 cm/bulan, karang Acropora nobilis sebesar 0,946 cm/bulan dan 0,3 cm/bulan, karang Acropora formosa sebesar 0,491 cm/bulan dan 0,122 cm/bulan, karang Porites cylindrica sebesar 0,58 cm/bulan dan 0,162 cm/bulan, dan karang Montipora digitata adalah 0,541 cm/bulan dan 0,095 cm/bulan. ABSTRACT Karimunjawa National Park is a conservation area for the environment and biota, coral reefis one of it. Coral growth measurement is a very important information on potential of coral reefs where we can determine time needed for corals to grow accurately. This research was conducted in2 locations,Ujung Gelam beach in westside of Karimunjawa Island and Pancuran beach in eastside of Karimunjawa Island for 3 months started from April – July 2018 and aims to determine the dominant species of branching coral in each area and its percentage cover and to find out the growth rate of branching coral found in those area. This study was conducted with difference-depth treatment which is less than 2 metres and deeper than 2 metres, using 8 branching corals as a samples where each individual takes 3 branches and 3 repetition data. The experimental test used in this study was simple linear regression. The study result showed that Acropora robusta and Acropora formosa can be found in area 1, Montipora digitata and Acropora nobilis can be found in area 2, Acropora aspera and Acropora formosa can be found in area 3, and Acropora formosa and Porites cylindrica can be found in area 4. The average length and diameter growth rate within 3 months of species Acropora robusta is 0,605 cm/month and 0,2 cm/month,Acropora aspera is 0,395 cm/month and 0,083 cm/month, Acropora nobilis is 0,946 cm/month and 0,3 cm/month, Acropora Formosa is 0,491 cm/month and 0,122 cm/month, Porites cylindrical is 0,58 cm/month and 0,162 cm/month, and Montipora digitata is 0,541 cm/month and 0,095 cm/month

LAJU PERTUMBUHAN TERUMBU KARANG Acropora formosa DI PULAU MENJANGAN KECIL, TAMAN NASIONAL KARIMUNJAWA

Salah satu pulau di Taman Nasional Karimunjawa yang sering dikunjungi wisatawan adalah Pulau Menjangan Kecil. Wisatawan tertarik mengunjungi Pulau Menjangan Kecil dikarenakan keanekaragaman ekosistemnya, terutama ekosistem terumbu karang dan letaknya yang dekat dengan pulau utama. Namun, aktivitas pariwisata tersebut menyebabkan terjadinya degradasi ekosistem terumbu karang. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kondisi fisika kimia perairan, tutupan terumbu karang dan jenis karang yang hidup di titik pengamatan , laju pertumbuhan karang dan korelasi antara variabel fisika kimia perairan terhadap laju pertumbuhan terumbu karang. Metode penelitian menggunakan metode eksplanatif dan dianalisa menggunakan SPSS 23 dan Microsoft Excel 2013. Hasil yang diperoleh adalah kualitas perairan di lokasi tersebut mendukung pertumbuhan ekosistem terumbu karang dengan suhu yang berkisar 27-300C, kecerahan sampai dasar dan salinitas sebesar 35 ppm. Tutupan terumbu karang di titik pengamatan tergolong baik dengan persentase penutupan sebesar 61,92%. Jenis karang yang dominan adalah jenis Acropora formosa dan Acropora divaricata. Laju pertumbuhan karang yang diukur adalah jenis Acropora formosa dengan nilai sebesar 5,47 mm/bulan. Berdasarkan nilai R2 pada grafik rata-rata laju pertumbuhan terumbu karang, waktu pengukuran memiliki pengaruh sebesar 95,1 % terhadap laju pertumbuhan karang. Hasil uji Pearson menunjukkan variabel fisika kimia perairan yang memiliki hubungan terhadap laju pertumbuhan terumbu karang adalah arus dan pasang surut air laut dengan nilai Sig. 0,027<0,05 dan Sig. 0,046<0,05. Temperatur air laut tidak memiliki korelasi terhadap laju pertumbuhan terumbu karang dengan nilai Sig. 0,364>0,05. One of the islands in Karimunjawa National Park that often visited by tourists is the Menjangan Kecil Island. Tourists are interested to visit Menjangan Kecil Island because the diversity, especially the coral reef ecosystem and its location that close to the main island. However, these tourism activities cause degradation of coral reef. The purpose of this study was to determine the physical chemistry of the waters, coral reef cover and the types of coral, the growth rate of coral and the correlation between the variables of physical chemistry of the waters on the growth rate of coral reefs. The research method used explanatory method and analyzed using SPSS 23 and Microsoft Excel 2013. The quality of water in these locations supported the growth of coral reef ecosystems with temperatures ranging from 27-300C, brightness to base and salinity of 35 ppm. Coral reef cover at the observation point is classified as good with a closing percentage of 61.92%. The dominant coral species are Acropora formosa and Acropora divaricata. The measured coral growth rate was Acropora formosa with a value of 5.47 mm / month. Based on the R2 value on the graph of the average growth rate of coral reefs, the measurement time has an influence on the growth rate of the coral. The results of Pearson's test showed that the physics of water chemistry variables that have a relationship to the growth rate of coral reefs are currents and tides with the value of Sig. 0.027 <0.05 and Sig. 0.046 <0.05. Sea water temperature does not have a correlation to the growth rate of coral reefs with the value of Sig. 0.364> 0.05.