Coral reefs face numerous threats from climate change and human activities. To protect these vital animals, scientists are exploring their reproductive processes, which are infrequent but crucial for their survival.
Coral reproduction can occur in two main ways: sexually and asexually. Asexual reproduction, such as budding and fragmentation, allows corals to quickly spread by creating new colonies from existing coral fragments. Fragmentation occurs when pieces of a colony are detached, for example by waves or animal activity, and they can attach in a new location, forming new colonies.
Sexual reproduction is more complex and plays a key role in maintaining the genetic diversity of corals, which is important in adapting to changing environmental conditions. There are two main types of sexual reproduction: broadcast spawning and internal fertilization (brooding). For more details on sexual reproduction, refer to the article: Sexual reproduction strategies of corals.
Recent research has been groundbreaking in providing insights into the factors that influence coral sexual reproduction. This study uses a new approach of gathering data from an aquarium. The results published in the Royal Society Open Science journal, present a new model for predicting coral reproductive events.
The sexual reproduction process of corals, known as mass spawning, is a synchronized event that typically occurs after a full moon and is one of the most impressive spectacles in nature. Professor Shinichiro Maruyama from the Department of Integrated Biology at the University of Tokyo explains that despite extensive previous studies, the precise environmental factors triggering this synchronization had remained elusive. The rarity of reproductive events and the significant risk for divers involved in nighttime expeditions, weather conditions, and financial issues result in difficulties in gathering data, which negatively affects the development of models predicting coral spawning. Moreover, creating an accurate model with such limited data is impossible, and if it is created, it is fraught with significant error.
The breakthrough came from an unexpected source—the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, which has collected extensive data over the last 15 years on the spawning of Acropora corals. By analyzing this data, scientists identified several environmental factors, such as rainfall, wind speed, and especially water temperature, which corals use to synchronize their reproductive cycles.
The results highlight the potential of aquariums as previously untapped scientific resources for research, providing very valuable data that are difficult to obtain in natural conditions. Scientists plan to create a mathematical model based on the data obtained from the aquarium combined with data from natural water bodies to predict future coral spawning in nature.
About the author
Grzegorz Bubak
My fascination with marine aquariums began over two decades ago when I stumbled upon an article about this topic in a magazine. Since then, the underwater world has become my obsession and passion, shaping my everyday life. I started my adventure with marine aquariums with soft corals, which were my first step into this fascinating world. Over time, captivated by the diversity and beauty of SPS corals, I decided to focus on their cultivation, which continues to fill me with constant wonder.
Thanks to my experience and passion for marine aquariums, I am ready to share my knowledge and expertise with other enthusiasts in this field. I am happy to be part of the Reef Pedia community, which serves as an invaluable source of information for all marine aquarium lovers.