Bioerosion in Acropora across the continental shelf of the Great Barrier Reef

The degree of internal bioerosion was examined in the dead basal portions of live branches of the scleractinian coral Acropora formosa collected from six reefs across the continental shelf in the central region of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The bioeroders included the sponges Cliona spp. and Cliothosa spp., the boring bivalve Lithophaga sp., and sipunculid and polychaete worms. Total internal bioerosion exhibited higher means and …