Solar radiation, temperature and the reproductive biology of the coral Lobactis scutaria in a changing climate.

ABSTRACT: Coral reefs worldwide are at risk due to climate change. Coral bleaching is becoming increasingly common and corals that survive bleaching events can suffer from temporary reproductive failure for several years. While water temperature is a key driver in causing coral bleaching, other environmental factors are involved, such as solar radiation. We investigated the individual and combined effects of temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the spawning patterns and reproductive physiology of the Hawaiian mushroom coral Lobactis scutaria, using long-term experiments in aquaria. We examined effects on spawning timing, fertilisation success, and gamete physiology. Both warmer temperatures and filtering UVR altered the timing of spawning. Warmer

SUBMITTER: Bouwmeester J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9816315 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature