Cladocora caespitosa

[Stefano]

I’ve just read your last article on Reefkeeping, about experimental tests with different salts. I quote:
“We chose Montipora digitata, Cladacora caespitosa and Porites cylindrica as representative scleractinians�
I’ve been surprised because the mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa has been choosen among tropical corals. I know this favidae use to a wide spectrum of environments, from the surface (3 m of depth) with clear bright water to 60 m and high turbidity, but always sensitive to high temperature: although the maximum growth is between 23 and 24 °C, a temperature of 28 °C for about 10-15 days is enough to damage in a serious way and to kill the colonies.
Could you specify how and why C. caespitosa has been included in the experiment and give us further infos?
Thanks in advance

Stefano

www.aiam.info

[Stefano]

sorry, some references!

Vacchi M, Sara G, Morri C, Modena M, La Mesa G, Guidetti P & Bianchi CN (1999) “Dynamics of marine populations and climate change: lessons from a Mediterranean fish�. Porcupine Marine Natural History Society Newsletter 3:13-17.
Cerrano C., Bavestrello G., Bianchi C.N., Cattaneo Vietti R., Bava S., Morganti C., Morri C., Picco P., Sara G., Schiapparelli S., Siccardi A. and Sponga F. 2000 “A catastrophic mass-mortality episode of gorgonians in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean), Summer 1999�. Ecology letters luglio 2000.
Bianchi C.N. & Morri C., 1993: Range extension of warm-water species in the northern Mediterranean: evidence for climatic fluctuations ? Porcupine newsletter, 5,7:156-159. Bianchi C.N. and Morri C., 1994: Southern species in the Ligurian Sea (northern Mediterranean): new records and a review. Bollettino dei Musei e degli Istituti Biologici dell’UniversitÃ* di Genova, 58/59 (1992-1993): 181-197.
Bianchi C.N., 1997: Climate change and biological response in the marine benthos. In: M. Piccazzo (Ed.), Atti del 12°congresso dell’associazione italiana di oceanologia e limnologia. AIOL, Genova, 1: 3-20.
R.Rodolfo Metalpa, M.Abbate, C.N. Bianchi, A. Peirano, G. Cerrati, V. Di Fresca 2002
Cambiamenti climatici e ambiente marino: effetti della tempoeratura e della salinitÃ* sulla crescita in acquario del corallo Cladocora caespitosa – ENEA Clima Globale Centro ricerche Ambiente Marino S.Teresa, La spezia-Int. Pub. RT/2002/22/CLIM
R.Rodolfo Metalpa, M.Abbate, C.N. Bianchi, A. Peirano 2001 “Influenza di luce, temperatura e alimentazione sulla crescita dei coralli mediterranei Cladocora caespitosa e Balanophyllia europea� ENEA - Clima Globale Centro ricerche Ambiente Marino S.Teresa, La spezia-Int. Pub. RT/AMB/2001

Stefano
www.aiam.info