TABLE 1.
Coral life‐history groups and their defining traits. Rankings compiled from data references listed in Table A2. Growth rate is average linear extension rate, reproductive output is larval recruitment rate. Growth rate ranking computed from mean of all published values separated into bottom/middle/top third percentiles of mean (e.g., 1–33, 34–66, 67–100 percentiles); ranges = 1.1–4.0, 5.0–7.0, and 13.2–119.5 mm/year for slow, moderate, and fast growth, respectively. Interspecific aggression ranking computed from experimental results from Lang (1973) and qualitative ranking from synthesis of literature, and rankings for all other traits computed from qualitative ranking from synthesis of literature
| Life‐history group | Species group | Colony morphology | Growth rate (mm/year) | Reprod. mode | Reprod. output (sexual) | Asexual propagation | Interspecific aggression | Susceptibility to bleaching | Sediment rejection capacity/Sedimentation tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitive | Acropora cervicornis | Large branching | Fast (119.5) | Spawner | Low | High | Moderate | High | Low |
| Acropora palmata | Large branching | Fast (68.4) | Spawner | Low | High | Moderate | High | Low | |
| (Millepora spp.) | Plating and branching | Fast (13.2) | Spawner | Moderate | High | High | High | High | |
| Stress‐tolerant | Colpophyllia natans | Domed | Moderate (7.0) | Spawner | Low | Low | High | Moderate to low | High |
| Pseudodiploria spp. | Domed | Moderate (5.7) | Spawner | Low | Low | Moderate | Low | High | |
| Meandrina spp. | Domed | Slow (1.1) | Spawner | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | |
| Montastrea cavernosa | Domed | Moderate (5.8) | Spawner | Low | Low | Moderate | Low | High | |
| Orbicella spp. | Domed | Moderate (7.9) | Spawner | Low | Moderate to low | High | High | Moderate to high | |
| Siderastrea spp. | Domed | Slow (3.7) | Spawner (s. Siderea); brooder (s. Radians) | Low to moderate | Low | Low | Moderate to high | High | |
| Stephanocoenia spp. | Domed | Moderate (5.0) | Spawner | Low to moderate | Low | Low | High | High | |
| Weedy | Agaricia spp. | Plating and foliose | Slow (1.6) | Brooder | High | Low | Low | High | Moderate |
| Branching Porites spp. | Small branching | Fast (16.0) | Brooder | High | High | Low | Moderate to high | High | |
| Porites astreoides | Domed | Slow (4.0) | Brooder | High | Low | Low | High | High | |
| Madracis spp. | Small branching | Moderate (6.3) | Brooder | Moderate | High | Low | Low | High |