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Coral larvae for restoration and research:a large-scale method for rearingAcroporamilleporalarvae, inducing settlement, andestablishing symbiosis
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing Acropora millepora larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis
PeerJ (San Francisco, CA), Vol.5(9), pp.e3732-e3732
06/09/2017
PMCID: PMC5591638
PMID: 28894640
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Source: InCites
Abstract
Here we describe an efficient and effective technique for rearing sexually-derived coral propagules from spawning through larval settlement and symbiont uptake with minimal impact on natural coral populations. We sought to maximize larval survival while minimizing expense and daily husbandry maintenance by experimentally determining optimized conditions and protocols for gamete fertilization, larval cultivation, induction of larval settlement by crustose coralline algae, and inoculation of newly settled juveniles with their dinoflagellate symbiont
Symbiodinium
. Larval rearing densities at or below 0.2 larvae mL
−1
were found to maximize larval survival and settlement success in culture tanks while minimizing maintenance effort. Induction of larval settlement via the addition of a ground mixture of diverse crustose coralline algae (CCA) is recommended, given the challenging nature of
in situ
CCA identification and our finding that non settlement-inducing CCA assemblages do not inhibit larval settlement if suitable assemblages are present. Although order of magnitude differences in infectivity were found between common Great Barrier Reef
Symbiodinium
clades C and D, no significant differences in
Symbiodinium
uptake were observed between laboratory-cultured and wild-harvested symbionts in each case. The technique presented here for
Acropora millepora
can be adapted for research and restoration efforts in a wide range of broadcast spawning coral species.
Details
- Title
- Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing Acropora millepora larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis
- Creators
- F. Joseph Pollock (Author) - Pennsylvania State UniversitySefano M Katz (Author) - James Cook UniversityJeroen A.J.M van de Water (Author) - Centre Scientifique de MonacoSarah W Davies (Author) - University of CalgaryMargaux Hein (Author) - James Cook UniversityGergely Torda (Author) - James Cook UniversityMikhail V Matz (Author) - University of TexasVictor H Beltran (Author) - Australian Institute of Marine SciencePatrick Buerger (Author) - James Cook UniversityEneour Puill-Stephan (Author) - Zayed UniversityDavid Abrego (Author) - Zayed UniversityDavid G Bourne (Author) - Australian Institute of Marine ScienceBette L Willis (Author) - James Cook University
- Publication Details
- PeerJ (San Francisco, CA), Vol.5(9), pp.e3732-e3732
- Publisher
- PeerJ Inc; San Francisco, USA
- Grant note
- DEB-1054766 / National Science Foundation CEO561435 / Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies Life Sciences Research Foundation
- Identifiers
- 991012888598002368
- Academic Unit
- National Marine Science Centre
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article