Inducing broadcast coral spawning ex situ: Closed system mesocosm design and husbandry protocol.

ABSTRACT: For many corals, the timing of broadcast spawning correlates strongly with a number of environmental signals (seasonal temperature, lunar, and diel cycles). Robust experimental studies examining the role of these putative cues in triggering spawning have been lacking until recently because it has not been possible to predictably induce spawning in fully closed artificial mesocosms. Here, we present a closed system mesocosm aquarium design that utilizes microprocessor technology to accurately replicate environmental conditions, including photoperiod, seasonal insolation, lunar cycles, and seasonal temperature from Singapore and the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia. Coupled with appropriate coral husbandry, these mesocosms were successful in inducing, for the first time, broadcast coral s

SUBMITTER: Craggs J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5743687 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature