Elevated Temperature Affects Development, Survivorship, and Settlement of the Elkhorn Coral,Acropora palmata(Lamarck 1816)

Abstract

Elevated seawater temperatures during the late summer have the potential to negatively affect the development and survivorship of the larvae of reef corals that are reproductive during that time of year. Acropora palmata, a major Caribbean hermatype, reproduces annually during August and September. A. palmata populations have severely declined over the past three decades, and recovery will require high recruitment rates. Such recruitment will be limited if larval supply is reduced by elevated temperatures. The effects of elevated temperatures on development, survival, and larval settlement of A. palmata were investigated by culturing newly fertilized eggs at temperatures ranging from 27.5 to 31.5 degrees C. Development was accelerated and the percentage of developmental abnormalities increased at higher temperatures. Embryo mortality peaked during gastrulation, indicating that this complex developmental process is particularly sensitive to elevated temperatures. Larvae cultured at 30 and 31.5 degrees C experienced as much as an 8-fold decrease in survivorship compared to those at 28 degrees C. Additionally, settlement was 62% at 28 degrees C compared to 37% at 31.5 degrees C. These results indicate that embryos and larvae of A. palmata will be negatively affected as sea surface temperatures continue to warm, likely reducing recruitment and the recovery potential of A. palmata on Caribbean reefs.

Potential bleaching effects on coral reproduction

“…During the 2015 F. scutaria spawning season, due to elevated temperatures and bleaching we observed a reduction in egg volume, delayed development and increased larval abnormalities, which match well with previous observations. In Acropora palmata, under bleaching conditions development was accelerated, developmental abnormalities increased and larval survival was reduced (Randall and Szmant 2009).…”

“…It is clear that bleaching has profound effects on the reproduction of coral; however, detailed reproductive characteristics of coral after bleaching are limited (Szmant and Gassman 1990;Randall and Szmant 2009). Therefore, we were interested in detailing the reproductive profile of Fungia scutaria and Montipora capitata coral populations in Kaneohe Bay (most of which bleached in October 2014), 9 months after their recovery.…”

Spatial and temporal variability of thermal stress to China’s coral reefs in South China Sea

“…Besides, a significant relationship also exists between warm temperature anomalies and coral disease outbreaks (Heron et al, 2010;Aeby et al, 2011;Lough, 2012;Ferreira et al, 2013). Coral embryonic development, survivorship, larval settlement as well as growth and calcification of coral taxa are also negatively affected by elevated temperatures (Worum et al, 2007;Randall and Szmant, 2009;Carricart-Ganivet et al, 2012;Chen et al, 2013). Anthropogenically local environment stressors play a role in accelerating this threat (Carilli et al, 2010;Negri and Hoogenboom, 2011;Chang et al, 2012;Shang and Bai, 2012;Hongo and Yamano, 2013).…”

Interspecific Hybridization May Provide Novel Opportunities for Coral Reef Restoration

“…All embryos had reached planula stage and were ready to settle by 93 h. Triplicate samples of 100 embryos of each offspring group were collected and fixed in 4% formaldehyde. Developmental stages were assessed and counted under a dissecting microscope based on the stages described in Randall and Szmant (2009).…”