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So what if scientists could use sexual reproduction in coral restoration projects?
Corals often synchronize these mass spawning events with full moons, when tides are exceptionally high.
Coral sex in the lab
Coral reefs are so enormous theyre visible from space.
But watching them spawn is surprisingly tricky.
The CORALIUM Laboratory of the National Autonomous University of Mexico is part of aCaribbean-wide networkof dedicated coral spawning experts.
Javier Iturrieta, Akumal Dive Center & Thomas Vogt.
Scientists here collect coral sperm and eggs from multiple Caribbean reefs so that fertilize them in the lab.
The team waits for the full moon to signal when corals are likely to spawn.
These larvae are very sensitive to water quality, temperature, and pathogens, so they need constant care.
In the ocean, these surfaces are often dead coral skeletons.
The resulting population has a stronger gene pool that can help it withstand new diseases and other threats.
The colonies that remain are now relatively isolated, reducing the chances of them being able to crossbreed.
On our fifth consecutive night dive, we saw the synchronized spawning of multiple colonies of Elkorn corals.
In 2018, we built a beachside coral spawning laboratory on a shoestring budget.
The lab was just about up and running in time for that years lunar eclipse.
Running a coral spawning site has been the most rewarding experience of my career so far.
It is everything that research should be: cutting edge, dynamic, and challenging.
Its what I signed up for when I became a marine scientist.
