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Are climate change and pollution threats to coral spawning synchronization?

$4,537
Raised of $4,530 Goal
100%
Funded on 10/05/24
Successfully Funded
  • $4,537
    pledged
  • 100%
    funded
  • Funded
    on 10/05/24

About This Project

The preservation of coral reefs relies on their ability to sexually reproduce during an annual spawning event. Spanning a period of 16 years, a site in Bocas del Toro, Panama holds the longest record of coral spawning observations in the Caribbean, yet it has not been monitored for nearly a decade. While spawning observations have traditionally occurred via snorkeling and/or SCUBA, this project aims to test the feasibility of using underwater cameras to record coral spawning events.

Ask the Scientists

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What is the context of this research?

Once per year, broadcast spawning corals release their eggs and sperm bundles where they float to the surface, break apart, and mix with other individual’s gametes. The precise time (month, day, and hour) corals spawn is regulated by the sea surface temperature, and the sun and moon light cycles. Recent studies have found that, in some locations, corals are not spawning synchronously. Evidence indicates that this mismatch in the day and hour of spawning may be attributed to increasing temperatures driven by climate change, light pollution from increased coastal development, and exogenous sex steroids. However, there is a potential for several other aspects to disrupt spawning synchrony that have yet to be assessed, including changes in light intensity and spectrum, sound, and turbidity.

What is the significance of this project?

Coral reefs provide important ecosystem services. However, reefs are facing threats that have the potential to eliminate 60% of coral reefs by 2030. Mass coral spawning and recruitment provides the genetic diversity needed for adaptation to a changing environment. Spawning asynchrony can lead to low rates of fertilization, thus compromising the recruitment of new corals to the reefs, further exacerbating reef degradation. Determining if there are shifts in the time of spawning will inform managers of the importance of assisted fertilization for reef restoration. Similarly, quantifying the effects of light intensity and spectral shifts, turbidity, and soundscapes on spawning synchrony across reefs will further inform on the effects of anthropogenic influences on the persistence of corals.

What are the goals of the project?

This project will take place throughout the Caribbean over the next four years; however, funding from this grant will cover the cost of cameras for the upcoming spawning season in September at Bocas del Toro, Panama. This study will 1) record current spawning times in endangered coral genera and compare them to historical data. Furthermore, it will elucidate the potential factors that have or will interfere with coral spawning synchrony of corals by examining 2) temperature variations, 3) light intensity, 4) light spectrum, and 5) soundscapes before, during, and after a coral spawning event. Data will be analyzed by graduate students and project collaborators using RStudio and SonarWiz Inc.

Budget

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We obtained funding for six researchers to measure light spectrum and intensity, temperature, and soundscapes in Panama for coral spawning in September 2024 from the University of North Carolina Wilmington Charles L. Cahill Grant. However, it is not feasible to monitor two reef sites with only six divers and bad weather may prevent spawning observations via scuba altogether. While spawning nets with egg traps can be used for passive monitoring, it does not provide detailed information about the timing of spawning at the scale of minutes. This budget consists of 4 custom-built night vision cameras placed in underwater housing. These cameras will be programmed to take a burst of photographs every five minutes to capture accurate data on the timing of spawning. SD cards and a 5TB external hard drive will be necessary to store large amounts of spawning footage from 7 nights. Additional funding will cover the cost of a protective travel case for the cameras and housing.

Endorsed by

Successful fertilization of coral gametes is the first step to replenish coral reefs with unique genetic individuals. Fertilization rates decrease drastically for those individual corals that spawn as little as 30 minutes before or after the population's peak spawning time. As ocean warm and become more polluted, two of the most important coral spawning cues- light and temperature- can be disrupted leading to reproductive failure. Understanding if and how coral spawning is becoming more asynchronous is crucial to restoring coral reefs.

Project Timeline

This project consists of data collection, statistical analysis, and outreach. Necessary supplies will be purchased, and training will be completed before conducting fieldwork at Bocas del Toro, Panama in September 2024. Post-fieldwork, I will complete statistical analysis within six months to present my findings at a scientific conference.

Aug 14, 2024

Project Launched

Sep 13, 2025

Prepare instrumentation (calibration, cleaning, packing, etc.)

Oct 01, 2025

Conduct spawning observations of corals and measure light, turbidity, and sound in Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Mar 01, 2026

Conduct data processing and statistical analyses

Jun 01, 2026

Present findings at a scientific meeting

Meet the Team

Krista Laforest
Krista Laforest
PhD Student

Team Bio

Dr. Nikki Fogarty has been studying coral reproduction for nearly 25 years with extensive experience in field based coral spawning. Dr. Osku Backstrom is a coastal geologist and environmental marine scientist using remote sensing to map coral reefs. Dr. Rob Whitehead is a chemical oceanographer working extensively with coral reef biologists. Chris LaClair is a Research Specialist collecting soundscapes to monitor marine environments.

Krista Laforest

I have been actively involved in coral reef ecology, reproduction, and restoration for 5 years. I recently completed my master's thesis examining the spawning asynchrony of the critically endangered staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis in Fort Lauderdale. Currently, I am a PhD student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in the Coral Reproduction and Evolutionary Ecology-Fogarty Laboratory. My PhD research topic will continue the work I began during my Masters degree, examining how climate change, development, and pollution may influence spawning synchrony and the implications for coral reef restoration and management. I currently conduct fieldwork in two reef systems: Florida's Coral Reef and a fringing reef system near Bocas del Toro, Panama.

Lab Notes

Nothing posted yet.

Additional Information

If funding is not available before this year's field season, the funds will be used to purchase supplies for subsequent years of field work.


Project Backers

  • 4Backers
  • 100%Funded
  • $4,537Total Donations
  • $1,134.25Average Donation
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