Coral mass- and split-spawning at a coastal and an offshore Venezuelan reefs, southern Caribbean

Bastidas, Carolina; Cróquer, Aldo; Zubillaga, Ainhoa L.; Ramos, Ruth; Kortnik, V.; Weinberger, Constanza; Márquez, L. M.

doi:10.1007/s10750-004-4672-y

Cited by 42 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Sexual reproduction failure in anthozoans has been associated with many sources of stress including those mentioned above (turbidity/sedimentation, eutrophication, mechanical stress, oil and chemical pollution, bleaching, UV radiation), and recently, as shown in this study, biotic diseases play an important role. While previous spawning observations have shown healthy-looking tissues in colonies with YBD-releasing bundles (Bastidas et al 2005), results of the present study provide the first quantitative evidence of infertility in polyps affected by the disease, and a significant reduction in fecundity in polyps close to the lesion. Although no significant differences were found, the trend observed indicated that YBD might have a systemic effect, affecting healthy-looking tissues far from the active lesions in infected colonies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 44%

Yellow band disease compromises the reproductive output of the Caribbean reef-building coral Montastraea faveolata (Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

Weil

Cróquer²,

Urreiztieta³

2009

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Sexual reproduction is critical to coral population dynamics and the long-term regeneration of coral reefs. Bleaching, disease, and/or anthropogenic-induced tissue/colony loss reduce reproductive output. This is the first attempt to explore the effect of a biotic disease on the reproduction of scleractinian corals. The study aimed to assess the effect of yellow band disease (YBD) on the reproduction of the important Caribbean reef-builder Montastraea faveolata. Tissue samples were collected from diseased, transition, and healthy-looking areas in each of 5 infected colonies and from 5 healthy controls in southwest Puerto Rico. The effect of disease-induced mortality was assessed by collecting samples from the edge and center of surviving small and large, healthy-looking tissue patches from large, previously infected tagged colonies. Fecundity was significantly lower in disease lesions compared to transition and healthy-looking tissues and the controls (99% fewer eggs). Fecundity in transition areas was significantly lower (50%) than in healthy-looking tissues in diseased colonies, which had 23% lower fecundity than control tissues. Although this fecundity drop was not statistically significant, it could indicate a systemic effect of YBD across the colony. Large and small patches had 64 and 84% fewer eggs than controls, respectively, and edge polyps had 97% fewer eggs than those in central control areas. Field observations of the spawning behavior of each tissue area corroborated the histological results. Our results indicate that YBD significantly compromises the reproductive output of M. faveolata, potentially reducing the fitness and consequently, the recovery of this important reef-building species on Caribbean coral reefs.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 44%

Yellow band disease compromises the reproductive output of the Caribbean reef-building coral Montastraea faveolata (Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

Weil

Cróquer²,

Urreiztieta³

2009

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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“…Based on previous fecundity and fertilization rate studies (e.g. Van Veghel & Kahmann 1994, Hughes et al 2000, Bastidas et al 2005), the source reefs should produce at least 1.5 × 10 6 times more viable planulae than the number of particles released in the model. The particle concentrations were therefore also multiplied by a factor of 1.5 × 10 6 .…”

Section: Data Extractionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulating the transport of broadcast coral larvae among the Southern Islands of Singapore

Tay¹,

Todd

Rosshaug

et al. 2012

Aquat. Biol.

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Singapore's coral reefs have experienced significant anthropogenic impacts for at least 4 decades. Ongoing reef restoration efforts, however, may not be sustainable if there is no natural coral recruitment. Knowledge of coral reef connectivity, which can be identified using hydrodynamic-advection and individual-based models, can help inform reef management decisions. Here, a 2-dimensional, hydrodynamic, flexible mesh model (MIKE 21 FM) coupled with a Lagrangian particle-tracking module was used to simulate larval transport among Singapore's Southern Islands. In each simulation, neutrally buoyant, passive particles representing coral planulae were released into the hydrodynamic conditions present during the coral multi-species synchronous spawning event of April 2007. When the number of larvae released was proportional to live coral cover (between 2400 and 46 200 particles), 3 islands: Pulau Sudong, Pulau Pawai and Pulau Senang, which all lie within a military Live Firing Area, were identified as the most robust sources of larvae seeding the rest of the Southern Islands. However, when equal numbers of larvae (18 000 larvae per site) were released from all sites in an effort to identify nursery areas with the greatest potential to seed other reefs, 2 different and upstream islands, Sisters' Islands and Kusu Island, were found to be better sources of larvae. We suggest all 5 of these sites should be identified for conservation. Additional effort to enhance coral cover, and hence larval export, at Sisters' Islands and Kusu Island may help increase recruitment on downstream reefs.

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“…Between these extremes are a variety of complex patterns of spawning and planulation, ranging from (3) coincident multispecific spawning in a few species and (4) temporal isolation of reproduction in other species in the Caribbean and western Atlantic (e.g. Szmant 1986, Gittings et al 1992, Van Veghel 1993, Hagman et al 1998, Bastidas et al 2005, to (5) extensive multispecific spawning and (6) other reproductive patterns in some Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical reef regions, which vary in scale and the extent of breeding seasons (e.g. Hayashibara et al 1993, Richmond 1997, Baird et al 2001, Wilson & Harrison 2003, Guest et al 2005a,b, Penland et al 2004, Caroll et al 2006, Harrison 2008, Rosser & Gilmour 2008.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extended breeding seasons and asynchronous spawning among equatorial reef corals in Kenya

Mangubhai¹,

Harrison²

2009

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Patterns of sexual reproduction in scleractinian reef corals have been widely studied, and vary both systematically and biogeographically. Extensive sampling and repeated monitoring of 401 marked colonies of 20 Acropora spp. over 2 yr on equatorial lagoon reefs in Kenya (4°S) demonstrated an overall asynchronous spawning pattern extending over a 7 mo period (Mangubhai & Harrison 2008a; Mar Ecol Prog Ser 360:85-96). Spawning occurred during all lunar phases, and during both rising and maximum sea surface temperatures. Although some degree of multispecies spawning occurs on Kenyan reefs, most coral species exhibited relatively asynchronous and extended spawning over 2 to 5 mo with some level of temporal reproductive isolation among species. These data support previous hypotheses of more protracted breeding seasons and a breakdown in spawning synchrony nearer the equator, and contrast markedly with the mass spawning of corals on the Great Barrier Reef and some Western Australian reefs. Baird & Guest (2009, this volume) question this conclusion based on their redefinition of the term 'mass spawning', which they define to encompass lesser multispecies spawning events. They assert that Mangubhai & Harrison (2008a) (1) categorically state that mass spawning does not occur in equatorial regions, and (2) do not cite recent studies that document spawning in synchrony by numerous species in equatorial assemblages; both of these assertions are incorrect. The conclusions in Mangubhai & Harrison (2008a) are valid, and clearly demonstrate an unusually extended and asynchronous spawning pattern among many corals on equatorial reefs in Kenya. KEY WORDS: Sexual reproduction · Coral spawning · Asynchrony · Mass spawning · Indian Ocean Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 374: [305][306][307][308][309][310] 2009 some Indo-Pacific tropical and subtropical reef regions, which vary in scale and the extent of breeding seasons (e.g. Hayashibara et al. 1993, Richmond 1997, Baird et al. 2001, Wilson & Harrison 2003, Guest et al. 2005a,b, Penland et al. 2004, Caroll et al. 2006, Harrison 2008, Rosser & Gilmour 2008. Mangubhai & Harrison (2008a) used extensive sampling and repeated monitoring of 401 marked colonies of 20 Acropora spp. over 2 yr on equatorial lagoon patch reefs in Kenya (4°S) to provide detailed information on the timing and levels of spawning synchrony within and among species. The Kenyan data demonstrate an unusually asynchronous spawning pattern within and among Acropora spp., with gamete release extending over a 7 mo period from October to April. In contrast to the tightly synchronised mass spawning events that occur following full moon periods on the GBR and in WA and species that split-spawn over successive lunar months or reproduce at other times (Willis et al. 1985), spawning in these equatorial Kenyan corals occurred across all lunar periods (both within and among species), and during both rising and maximum sea surface temperatures over a grea...

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Coral mass- and split-spawning at a coastal and an offshore Venezuelan reefs, southern Caribbean

Cited by 42 publications

References 14 publications

Yellow band disease compromises the reproductive output of the Caribbean reef-building coral Montastraea faveolata (Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

Yellow band disease compromises the reproductive output of the Caribbean reef-building coral Montastraea faveolata (Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

Simulating the transport of broadcast coral larvae among the Southern Islands of Singapore

Extended breeding seasons and asynchronous spawning among equatorial reef corals in Kenya

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