Abstract
Photogrammetry is an emerging tool that allows scientists to measure important habitat characteristics of coral reefs at multiple spatial scales. However, the ecological benefits of using photogrammetry to measure reef habitat have rarely been assessed through direct comparison to traditional methods, especially in settings where manual measurements are more feasible and affordable. Here, we applied multiple methods to measure coral colonies (Pocillopora spp.) and asked whether photogrammetric or manual observations better describe short-term colony growth and links between colony size and the biodiversity of coral-dwelling fishes and invertebrates. Using photogrammetry, we measured patterns in changes in coral volume that were otherwise obscured by high variation from manual measurements. Additionally, we found that photogrammetry-based estimates of colony skeletal volume best predicted the abundance and richness of animals living within the coral. This study highlights that photogrammetry can improve descriptions of coral colony size, growth, and associated biodiversity compared to manual measurements.
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Data availability
Data, code, and detailed photogrammetry protocols are available at: https://github.com/stier-lab/Stier-Coral-Morphometrics-2020.
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Acknowledgements
This research was funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation Grant OCE 2224354 to the Moorea Coral Reef LTER, OCE #1851510, 1851032 to our research groups, as well as a generous gift from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Research was completed under permits issued by UCSB IACUC (Protocol #926), the Territorial Government of French Polynesia (Délégation à la Recherche) and the Haut-Commissariat de la République en Polynésie Francaise (DTRT) (MCR LTER Protocole d’Accueil 2005–2022; Stier Protocole d’Accueil 2019-2022), and we thank the Délégation à la Recherche and DTRT for their continued support. We thank Matthew Gottlieb, the Moorea Coral Reef LTER, UCSB Ocean Recoveries Lab, and Gump Research Station staff for their insight and technical assistance. Finally, we acknowledge the people of Tahiti for their environmental stewardship and for the honor of studying their reefs.
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CO and AS designed the research; JC and AP collected field data; JG developed the photogrammetry protocol; JC and JG analyzed data; JC led manuscript writing. All authors contributed critically to drafts and gave final approval for publication. On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
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Curtis, J.S., Galvan, J.W., Primo, A. et al. 3D photogrammetry improves measurement of growth and biodiversity patterns in branching corals. Coral Reefs 42, 623–627 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-023-02367-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-023-02367-7