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- Title
Use of sodium hypochlorite as a control method for the non-indigenous coral species Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829.
- Authors
Altvater, Luciana; de Messano, Luciana V. R.; Andrade, Maurício; Apolinário, Moacir; Coutinho, Ricardo
- Abstract
The scleractinian coral Tubastraea coccinea is native to the Pacific Ocean, and it is the first documented hard coral to have invaded the Western Atlantic Ocean. Along the Brazilian coast, this species was documented in the late 1980s on artificial substrates, but currently, T. coccinea is also observed in the natural environment. Previous studies reported that T. coccinea can alter the structure of the native community and can cause social and economic impacts. However, relatively little information is available about control methods and strategies focusing on this coral as the target species. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) exposure on T. coccinea colony mortality and to determine the lowest concentration required to kill this species. The experiments were conducted in controlled laboratory conditions. Colonies were exposed to sodium hypochlorite solutions (2.5% active chlorine) at concentrations of 2, 20, 50, 100, 150 and 200 ppm. The control treatment exposed colonies to only seawater. Colonies were monitored over seven days or until death. Concentrations equal to or higher than 20 ppm were harmful to T. coccinea, causing several types of damage and, eventually, mortality of the colonies. The time needed to kill all the colonies was 108 hours in 20 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution, 72 hours in 50 and 100 ppm, 5 hours in 150 ppm and 3 hours in 200 ppm. Our results showed that the sodium hypochlorite solution was effective for killing T. coccinea colonies. In addition, at 150 ppm and 200 ppm we obtained the best results since the colonies achieved 100% mortality in a short period of time. Therefore, sodium hypochlorite is a potential option to be applied in the management and control of this invasive coral in restricted areas, in both artificial and natural substrates.
- Subjects
ATLANTIC Ocean; INTRODUCED aquatic species; SODIUM hypochlorite; INTRODUCED species prevention; ARTIFICIAL substrates (Biology)
- Publication
Management of Biological Invasions, 2017, Vol 8, Issue 2, p197
- ISSN
1989-8649
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3391/mbi.2017.8.2.07