Fig 1.
A coral reef mesocosm at the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Southern Taiwan.
Before (A) and during (B) sediment loading. A coral releasing mucus in response to sediment loading (C).
Table 1.
Physical and chemical characteristics of the coral reef mesocosms before, during, and after experiments.
Fig 2.
Changes in the maximum quantum yield of photosystem II.
The Fv:Fm (mean ± standard error [SE], n = 3) of the scleractinian coral Acropora muricata (A), the green macroalga Codium edule (B), and the sea anemone Mesactinia genesis (C). C = control mesocosms, IS = inorganic sediment-enriched mesocosms, OS = organic sediment-enriched mesocosms, ES = nutrient and sediment-enriched mesocosms, EC = nutrient-enriched mesocosms. The white box in the figure represents the sedimentation period.
Table 2.
Response of the coral Acropora muricata and the sea anemone Mesactinia genesis to sediment-enriched or nutrient-enriched seawater.
Fig 3.
Changes in the tissue content of the green macroalga Codium edule.
The C:N (A), C:P (B), and N:P molar ratios (C; mean ± standard error [SE], n = 3) of the green macroalga Codium edule. C = control mesocosms, IS = inorganic sediment-enriched mesocosms, OS = organic sediment-enriched mesocosms, ES = nutrient and sediment-enriched mesocosms, EC = nutrient-enriched mesocosms. The white box in the figure represents the sedimentation period.
Fig 4.
Sediment loading-induced inflation of modified attack tentacles of the sea anemone Mesactinia genesis.
These attack tentacles (A) were capable of injuring or killing nearby corals. Coral mortality due to sea anemone attack (B). C = control mesocosms, IS = inorganic sediment-enriched mesocosms, OS = organic sediment-enriched mesocosms, ES = nutrient and sediment-enriched mesocosms, EC = nutrient-enriched mesocosms. Comparisons between control and experimental mesocosms were conducted with student’s t-tests (* p < 0.05).