Diurnal and seasonal variations in the growth of a staghorn coral measured by time‐lapse photography

Abstract

Branch elongation in a staghorn coral was measured by comparing photographs taken at 6‐h intervals. The data suggest seasonal changes in daily extension. Although photosynthesis by symbiotic algae considerably increases skeletal deposition in reef‐building corals, the nighttime extension was similar to, or greater than, the daytime extension.