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Continuation of sexual reproduction in Montipora capitata following bleaching

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Abstract

Bleaching is generally expected to produce detrimental impacts on coral reproduction. This study compared the fecundity of bleached and unbleached colonies of the Hawaiian coral Montipora capitata. It was hypothesized that bleaching would have no effect on reproduction because previous studies have shown that Montipora capitata can increase heterotrophic feeding following bleaching. Reproductive parameters, total reproductive output (bundles released ml−1 coral colony), number of eggs bundle−1, and egg size, measured in the summer of 2005 did not differ between colonies that bleached or did not bleach during 2004. These data were collected following a single bleaching event and cannot be used to predict the outcome should bleaching episodes become more frequent or severe.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Paul Jokiel for encouraging me to collect these data even though I had no grant support. I would also like to thank Frank Stanton, Ku‘ulei Rodgers and Fred Farrell for assistance during the experiment, as well as a crew of volunteer undergraduate students who helped collect bundles during spawning events. This manuscript was improved by comments from reviewers. This is HIMB Contribution No. 1277.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, P.O. Box 1346, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA

    E. F. Cox

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  1. E. F. Cox
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Correspondence to E. F. Cox.

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Communicated by Environment Editor K. Fabricius.

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Cox, E.F. Continuation of sexual reproduction in Montipora capitata following bleaching. Coral Reefs 26, 721–724 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-007-0251-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-007-0251-9

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