Genus-Scale Taxonomic Resolution Is Appropriate to Study Coral Demographics: A Case Study With Pocillopora

Abstract

Coral demography reveals how populations persist, recover and grow, offering key insights into individual responses to environmental variability and their role in shaping reef ecosystems. Taxonomy resolution strongly influences how these dynamics are interpreted, yet fine-scale distinction among scleractinian species remains unclear. Here, we examine the demographic performance of Acropora, Pocillopora and Porites corals at different taxonomic levels to identify the most appropriate resolution for studying coral population dynamics. In Pocillopora, growth did not differ among species or haplotypes, while survivorship varied among species but was also shaped by environmental factors. Comparison between the three genera revealed clear differences in both growth and survival, suggesting that genus-level and morphological resolution captures sufficient demographic information. Our results highlight the ecological relevance of taxonomic resolution and provide important insights into how population dynamics should be addressed to understand trends and responses to future climate change.