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Prediction of Coral Spawning in the Caribbean to Help Managers Reduce Human Impacts to Coral Recruitment
A comprehensive review of coral reproduction literature was undertaken by the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR)-sponsored National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) to identify predicted coral spawning and larval duration times in the Caribbean and to help identify gaps in scientific knowledge in an effort to provide information to managers to help them reduce human impacts during the critical coral spawning window. Modification of the type or timing of activities that introduce nutrients, toxic chemicals, and suspended particles may lead to enhanced fertilization and coral recruitment success. For many of the main reef-building species, information on coral spawning times is known and can be predicted. However, in most locations this information has not been widely available or previously considered during planning and implementation of human activities. Compilation of this information by species and by region will give managers the information they need to help protect corals during a sensitive phase of their life history. This project directly supports the Coral Spawning Resolution passed by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. Full text of the resolution can be found at: http://www.coralreef.gov/taskforce/pdf/res%2012-1.pdf. The NCRI funding is administered by the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, and is a core component of NOAAís Coral Reef Conservation Program. For more information, please contact David.Hilmer@noaa.gov