Coral mass- and split-spawning at a coastal and an offshore Venezuelan reefs, southern Caribbean
Article
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
- 192 Downloads
- 23 Citations
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate potential differences in coral spawning behavior between a fringing coastal reef and an offshore reef in the southern Caribbean. For this, scleractinian and gorgonian colonies (N = 324) of 21 species were mapped along eight transects, each 10-m long, at two study sites located in Morrocoy and Los Roques National Parks, Venezuela. Observations were made between 19:30 and 23:00 from August 23 to 30 and from September 26 to 30, 2002. Ninety one colonies belonging to six hard coral and seven octocoral species spawned or planulated during this period. We were unable to observe any signs of reproductive activity in 95 colonies of nine species different from those that reproduced. Despite the differences in environmental conditions between the two sites, we observed high synchrony in the spawning behavior of seven coral species common to both reefs. The most striking result was the ability of colonies of Montastraea faveolata and Eusmilia fastigiata to split spawn up to three times, either in consecutive nights or in different months.
Keywords
mass spawning corals coral reefs reproduction Montastraea gorgoniansPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
- Bone, D., Losada, F., Weil, E. 1993Origin of sedimentation and its effects on the coral communities of a Venezuelan national parkEcotropicos61021Google Scholar
- Brazeau, D. A., Lasker, H. R. 1989The reproductive cycle and spawning in a Caribbean gorgonianBiological Bulletin17617Google Scholar
- De Graaf, M., Geertjes, G. J., Videler, J. J. 1999Observations on spawning of scleractinian corals and other invertebrates on the reefs of Bonaire (Netherland Antilles Caribbean)Bulletin of Marine Science64189194Google Scholar
- Fitzsimmons-Sosa, K., Hallock, P., Wheaton, J., Hackett, K. E., Callaghan, M. K. 2004Annual cycles of gonadal development of six common gorgonians from Biscayne National Park, Florida, USACaribbean Journal of Science40144150Google Scholar
- Gittings, S. R., Boland, G. S., Deslarzes, J. P., Combs, C. L., Holland, B. S., Bright, T. J. 1992Mass spawning and reproductive viability of reef corals at the East Flower Garden Bank, Northwest Gulf of MexicoBulletin of Marine Science51420428Google Scholar
- Hagman, D. K., Gittings, S. R., Deslarzes, K. J. P. 1998Timing, species participation, and environmental factors influencing annual mass spawning at the Flower Garden Banks (Northwest Gulf of Mexico)Gulf of Mexico Science2170179Google Scholar
- Kapela, W., Lasker, H.R. 1999Size-dependent reproduction in the Caribbean octocoral Pseudoplexaura porosaMarine Biology135107114CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Knowlton, N., Matè, J. L., Guzmàn, H. M., Rowan, R., Jara, J. 1997Direct evidence for reproductive isolation among the three species of the Montastraea annularis complex in Central America (Panamà and Honduras)Marine Biology127705711CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Laboy-Nieves, E. N., Klein, E., Conde, J. E., Losada, F., Cruz, J. J., Bone, D. 2001Mass mortality of tropical marine communities in Morrocoy, VenezuelaBulletin of Marine Science68163179Google Scholar
- Lasker, H. R., Brazeau, D. A., Calderon, J., Coffroth, M. A., Coma, R., Kim, K. 1996In situ rates of fertilization among broadcast spawning gorgonian coralsBiological Bulletin1904555Google Scholar
- Mendes, J. M., Woodley, J. D. 2002Timing of reproduction in Montastraea annularis: relationship to environmental variablesMarine Ecology Progress Series227241251Google Scholar
- Mèndez, J. 2002Origen y formaciòn del ArchipièlagoZamarro, E. eds. Guìa del Parque Nacional Archipièlago Los Roques. Embajada Española, Agencia de Coorperaciòn Española, MARNEcographCaracas8595Google Scholar
- Oliver, J. K., Babcock, R. C. 1992Aspects of the fertilization ecology of broadcast spawning corals: sperm dilution effects and in situ measurements of fertilizationBiological Bulletin183409417Google Scholar
- Richmond, R. H., Hunter, C. L. 1990Reproduction and recruitment of corals: comparisons among the Caribbean, the tropical Pacific and the Read SeaMarine Ecology Progress Series60185203Google Scholar
- Sanchez, J. A., Alvarado, E. M., Gil, M. F., Charry, H., Arenas, O. L., Chasqui, L. H., Garcia, R. P. 1999Synchronous mass spawning of Montastraea annularis (Ellis & Solander) and Montastraea faveolata (Ellis & Solander) (Faviidae: Scleractinia) at Rosario Islands, Caribbean Coast of ColombiaBulletin of Marine Science65873879Google Scholar
- Szmant, A. M. 1986Reproductive ecology of Caribbean reef coralsCoral Reefs54354CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Szmant, A. M. 1991Sexual reproduction by the Caribbean reef corals Montastrea annularis and M. cavernosaMarine Ecology Progress Series741325Google Scholar
- Szmant, A. M., Weil, E., Miller, M. W., Colon, D. E. 1997Hybridization within the species complex of Montastraea annularisMarine Biology129561572CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Veghel, M. L. J. 1993Multiple species spawning on Curacao reefsBulletin of Marine Science5210171021Google Scholar
- Veghel, M .L. J. 1994Reproductive characteristics of the polymorphic Caribbean reef building coral Montastrea annularis. I. Gametogenesis and spawning behaviourMarine Ecology Progress Series109209219Google Scholar
- Villamizar, E. 2000Estructura de una comunidad arrecifal en Falcòn, Venezuela, antes y despuès de una mortalidad masivaRevista de Biologìa Tropical471930Google Scholar
- Willis, B. L., Babcock, R. C., Harrison, P. L., Oliver, J. K. 1985Patterns in the mass spawning of corals on the Great Barrier Reef from 1981 to 1984Proceedings of the 5th International Coral Reef Congress4343348Google Scholar
- Wyers, S. C. 1985Sexual reproduction of the coral Diploria strigosa (Scleractinia, Faviidae) in Bermuda: Research in progressProceedings of the 5th International Coral Reef Congress4301305Google Scholar
- Wyers, S. C., Barnes, H. S., Smith, S. R. 1991Spawning of hermatypic corals in Bermuda: a pilot studyHydrobiologia216109116CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Copyright information
© Springer 2005