Size-frequency distributions of scleractinian coral (Porites spp.) colonies inside and outside a marine reserve in Leyte Gulf, central Philippines

Coral colony size-frequency distributions (SFDs) can elucidate demographic differences among coral species and their responses to environmental drivers. However, studies on species-specific demography of coral colonies in the Coral Triangle are rare despite knowledge about the regional variability of reef conditions. Coral reefs in the Southern Philippine Sea biogeographic zone (SPS) frequently experience natural (e.g. typhoons) and anthropogenic disturbances. Coral colony sizes in the SPS may vary with depth within a small-distance (