Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals

Abstract Sessile invertebrates often engage in synchronized spawning events to increase likelihood of fertilization. Although coral reefs are well studied, the reproductive behavior of most species and the relative influence of various environmental cues that drive reproduction are not well understo...

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Main Authors: E. Michael Henley, Mariko Quinn, Jessica Bouwmeester, Jonathan Daly, Claire Lager, Nikolas Zuchowicz, Daniel W. Bailey, Mary Hagedorn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16032-6
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author E. Michael Henley
Mariko Quinn
Jessica Bouwmeester
Jonathan Daly
Claire Lager
Nikolas Zuchowicz
Daniel W. Bailey
Mary Hagedorn
author_facet E. Michael Henley
Mariko Quinn
Jessica Bouwmeester
Jonathan Daly
Claire Lager
Nikolas Zuchowicz
Daniel W. Bailey
Mary Hagedorn
author_sort E. Michael Henley
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Sessile invertebrates often engage in synchronized spawning events to increase likelihood of fertilization. Although coral reefs are well studied, the reproductive behavior of most species and the relative influence of various environmental cues that drive reproduction are not well understood. We conducted a comparative examination of the reproduction of the well-studied Hawaiian coral Montipora capitata and the relatively unknown reproduction of its congener, Montipora flabellata. Both are simultaneous hermaphroditic broadcast spawners that release egg-sperm bundles with external fertilization. Montipora capitata had a distinct reproductive pattern that resulted in coordinated gamete maturation and the synchronized release of thousands of egg-sperm bundles across two spawning pulses tightly coupled to consecutive new moon phases in June and July. Montipora flabellata exhibited a four month reproductive season with spawning that was four-fold less synchronous than M. capitata; its spawning was aperiodic with little linkage to moon phase, a broadly distributed release of only dozens or hundreds of bundles over multiple nights, and a spawning period that ranged from late June through September. The reproductive strategy of M. flabellata might prove detrimental under climate change if increased frequency and severity of bleaching events leave it sparsely populated and local stressors continue to degrade its habitat.
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spelling doaj.art-c098a23a013f4caba4a58a2b44db4f112022-12-22T01:30:26ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-07-0112111510.1038/s41598-022-16032-6Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora coralsE. Michael Henley0Mariko Quinn1Jessica Bouwmeester2Jonathan Daly3Claire Lager4Nikolas Zuchowicz5Daniel W. Bailey6Mary Hagedorn7Smithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteAbstract Sessile invertebrates often engage in synchronized spawning events to increase likelihood of fertilization. Although coral reefs are well studied, the reproductive behavior of most species and the relative influence of various environmental cues that drive reproduction are not well understood. We conducted a comparative examination of the reproduction of the well-studied Hawaiian coral Montipora capitata and the relatively unknown reproduction of its congener, Montipora flabellata. Both are simultaneous hermaphroditic broadcast spawners that release egg-sperm bundles with external fertilization. Montipora capitata had a distinct reproductive pattern that resulted in coordinated gamete maturation and the synchronized release of thousands of egg-sperm bundles across two spawning pulses tightly coupled to consecutive new moon phases in June and July. Montipora flabellata exhibited a four month reproductive season with spawning that was four-fold less synchronous than M. capitata; its spawning was aperiodic with little linkage to moon phase, a broadly distributed release of only dozens or hundreds of bundles over multiple nights, and a spawning period that ranged from late June through September. The reproductive strategy of M. flabellata might prove detrimental under climate change if increased frequency and severity of bleaching events leave it sparsely populated and local stressors continue to degrade its habitat.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16032-6
spellingShingle E. Michael Henley
Mariko Quinn
Jessica Bouwmeester
Jonathan Daly
Claire Lager
Nikolas Zuchowicz
Daniel W. Bailey
Mary Hagedorn
Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals
Scientific Reports
title Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals
title_full Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals
title_fullStr Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals
title_full_unstemmed Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals
title_short Contrasting reproductive strategies of two Hawaiian Montipora corals
title_sort contrasting reproductive strategies of two hawaiian montipora corals
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16032-6
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