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CRCP-Acropora palmata snail corallivore removal evaluation

Published by Southeast Fisheries Science Center | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Catalog Last Checked: May 05, 2026 at 05:03 PM | Dataset Last Updated: January 01, 2017 at 12:00 AM
Corallivorous snail feeding scars are a common source of tissue loss for the threatened coral Acropora palmata, accounting for roughly one quarter of tissue loss in monitored study plots averaged over seven years. Meanwhile, corallivory is one of the few major sources of partial mortality (contrasting with threats such as bleaching, disease, or storm disturbances) that may be locally managed. Thus we conducted a field experiment to explore both the effectiveness and feasibility of snail removal. Long-term monitoring plots on six reefs in the upper Florida Keys were assigned to one of three snail removal treatments: 1) removal from A. palmata only 2) removal from all host coral species 3) No-removal controls. During the initial removal in June 2011, 639 snails were removed from twelve 150m2 plots. Snails were removed 2 additional times during a seven month removal phase, and then counted at five surveys over the next 19 months to track recolonization. At the conclusion, snails were collected, measured and sexed.

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