Reproductive strategies of the coral Turbinaria reniformis in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea)

Rapuano, Hanna; Brickner, Itzchak; Shlesinger, Tom; Meroz-Fine, Efrat; Tamir, Raz; Loya, Yossi

doi:10.1038/srep42670

Cited by 16 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Different species possess different tolerances to environmental conditions; for example, corals demonstrate species-specific responses to global warming and subsequent bleaching and mortality (25,34). Throughout the years of this study, some species at the same area still demonstrated well-synchronized spawning, as expected (28,35) (Fig. 1B).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Breakdown in spawning synchrony: A silent threat to coral persistence

Shlesinger

Loya

2019

Science

Self Cite

103

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The impacts of human and natural disturbances on coral reefs are typically quantified through visible damage (e.g., reduced coral coverage as a result of bleaching events), but changes in environmental conditions may also cause damage in less visible ways. Despite the current paradigm, which suggests consistent, highly synchronized spawning events, corals that reproduce by broadcast spawning are particularly vulnerable because their reproductive phenology is governed by environmental cues. Here, we quantify coral spawning intensity during four annual reproductive seasons, alongside laboratory analyses at the polyp, colony, and population levels, and we demonstrate that, compared with historical data, several species from the Red Sea have lost their reproductive synchrony. Ultimately, such a synchrony breakdown reduces the probability of successful fertilization, leading to a dearth of new recruits, which may drive aging populations to extinction.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Breakdown in spawning synchrony: A silent threat to coral persistence

Shlesinger

Loya

2019

Science

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103

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“…, Rapuano et al. ). Two species ( A. squarrosa and A. pharaonis ) were also collected from both habitats in 2017.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, shallow samples of M. verrucosa in June 2015 and of A. squarrosa and A. valida in September 2015 were not collected. The four additional species were collected in either 2015 or 2016 from shallow (1-8 m) and mesophotic (44-55 m) habitats approximately one week prior to their expected time of spawning, based on previous studies (Shlesinger and Loya 1985, Shlesinger et al 1998, Rapuano et al 2017. Two species (A. squarrosa and A. pharaonis) were also collected from both habitats in 2017.…”

Section: Study Sites and Sampling Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

Can mesophotic reefs replenish shallow reefs? Reduced coral reproductive performance casts a doubt

Shlesinger

Grinblat

Rapuano

et al. 2018

Ecology

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Mesophotic coral ecosystems (i.e., deep coral reefs at 30-120 m depth) appear to be thriving while many shallow reefs in the world are declining. Amid efforts to understand and manage their decline, it was suggested that mesophotic reefs might serve as natural refuges and a possible source of propagules for the shallow reefs. However, our knowledge of how reproductive performance of corals alters with depth is sparse. Here, we present a comprehensive study of the reproductive phenology, fecundity, and abundance of seven reef-building conspecific corals in shallow and mesophotic habitats. Significant differences were found in the synchrony and timing of gametogenesis and spawning between shallow and mesophotic coral populations. Thus, mesophotic populations exhibited delayed or protracted spawning events, which led to spawning of the mesophotic colonies in large proportions at times where the shallow ones had long been depleted of reproductive material. All species investigated demonstrated a substantial reduction in fecundity and/or oocyte sizes at mesophotic depths (40-60 m). Two species (Seriatopora hystrix and Galaxea fascicularis) displayed a reduction in both fecundity and oocyte size at mesophotic depths. Turbinaria reniformis had only reduced fecundity and Acropora squarrosa and Acropora valida only reduced oocyte size. In Montipora verrucosa, reduced fecundity was found during one annual reproductive season while, in the following year, only reduced oocyte size was found. In contrast, reduced oocyte size in mesophotic populations of Acropora squarrosa was consistent along three studied years. One species, Acropora pharaonis, was found to be infertile at mesophotic depths along two studied years. This indicates that reproductive performance decreases with depth; and that although some species are capable of reproducing at mesophotic depths, their contribution to the replenishment of shallow reefs may be inconsequential. Reduced reproductive performance with depth, combined with the possible narrower tolerance to environmental factors, further suggests that mesophotic corals may in fact be more vulnerable than previously conceived. Furthermore, we posit that the observed temporal segregation in reproduction could lead to assortative mating, and this, in turn, may facilitate adaptive divergence across depth.

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“…Some brooder species release their offspring as fertilized eggs or embryos (Vermeij, Sampayo, Bröker, & Bak, 2004) or produce planulae asexually (Ayre & Resing, 1986; Sherman et al., 2006). Although shallow‐water zooxanthellate scleractinians are well known for their synchronized mass‐spawning events triggered by lunar and seasonal periods (Sorek & Levy, 2014), some species reproduce year‐round (e.g., Tubastraea coccinea ; Glynn et al., 2008) or asynchronously for prolonged periods (e.g., Turbinaria reniformis ; Harrison et al., 1984; Rapuano et al., 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Life‐history traits ofTubastraea coccinea: Reproduction, development, and larval competence

Luz

Domênico

Migotto

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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The sun coral Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829 (Dendrophylliidae) is a widely distributed shallow‐water scleractinian that has extended its range to non‐native habitats in recent decades. With its rapid spread, this coral is now one of the main invasive species in Brazil. Its high invasive capability is related to opportunistic characteristics, including several reproductive strategies that have allowed it to disperse rapidly and widely. To better understand the reproductive biology of T. coccinea and aid in developing management strategies for invaded areas, we investigated aspects of its reproductive performance and life cycle, including the effects of colony size, seawater temperature and salinity, and lunar periodicity on offspring production and larval metamorphosis competence. A total of 18,139 offspring were released in different developmental stages, mainly from the larger colonies, which also produced larvae with longer competence periods. The main reproductive peak occurred during the First Quarter and New Moon phases and was highest in water temperatures around 26°C. Together, these results help to explain the rapid expansion of T. coccinea into non‐native habitats such as the Caribbean and southwestern Atlantic, and will inform actions of the recent Brazilian National Plan for the prevention, eradication, control, and monitoring of sun corals.

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Reproductive strategies of the coral Turbinaria reniformis in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea)

Cited by 16 publications

References 66 publications

Breakdown in spawning synchrony: A silent threat to coral persistence

Breakdown in spawning synchrony: A silent threat to coral persistence

Can mesophotic reefs replenish shallow reefs? Reduced coral reproductive performance casts a doubt

Life‐history traits ofTubastraea coccinea: Reproduction, development, and larval competence

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