Inferring the health of coral reefs on the Egyptian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba for three branching-coral species

Coral growth rates in the Aqaba Marine Reserve vary significantly by species, location, and environmental conditions. Acropora humilis exhibited the highest growth rate, followed by Stylophora pistillata and Pocillopora damicornis. Dahab showed the greatest coral proliferation, while Taba had the least. Seasonal analysis revealed peak growth in spring, with salinity positively correlated to growth rates, whereas pH, phosphate (PO4-P), and silicate (SiO4-Si) showed negative correlations. These findings highlight the critical role of localized environmental factors in shaping coral reef health, offering key insights for targeted conservation strategies to enhance resilience against climate change and human-induced stressors.

Bashar, M. A. E., El-Tabakh, M. A. M., Salem, E.-S. S., Abo-Taleb, H. A., Shaban, W. M., Zeina, A. F., Abdel-Gaid, S. E., Alabssawy, A. N., Farrag, D. M. G., Attallah, M. A., & Gabr, M. Kh. (2023). Inferring the health of coral reefs on the Egyptian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba for three branching-coral species. Egyptian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 10(1), 861–874. https://doi.org/10.1080/2314808x.2023.2283266