Growth rate and survival rate of coral Acropora sp. transplanted on the artificial dead coral substrate in the waters of Baai Island, Bengkulu, Indonesia

Abstract. Andika D, Purnama D, Fajar SPN N, Kusuma AB, Tapilatu RF. 2020. Growth rate and survival rate of coral Acropora sp. transplanted on the artificial dead coral substrate in the waters of Baai Island, Bengkulu, Indonesia. Ocean Life 4: 17-23. Coral reefs are organisms that live on the bottom of the waters that are capable of producing limestone. Transplantation is a technique to accelerate the regeneration of coral reefs that can be used to protect coastal areas and marine life and improve the quality of coral habitat. This study aims to determine the survival rate, growth, and growth rate of height and width of Acropora sp. reared using transplantation technology. The usefulness of this research is as one of the basic information about the use of transplantation in the maintenance of coral reefs. The research location is on Baai Island at a depth of 2 m. This study used an experimental method utilizing a transplant technique and five treatments. At the end of the study, the survival rate of coral reefs Acropora sp. at the end of the study was 92%. For three months, the growth of coral reef height Acropora sp. ranged from 0.87 to 0.90 cm, while the width ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 cm. The growth rate of the average height of coral reefs Acropora sp. ranged from 0.72 to 0.82 cm, while the average width was 0.72 to 0.76 cm. Based on the ANOVA statistical test results, there was no difference in the growth rate in either height or width for each type of substrate used.