Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T13:03:07.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of suspended sediment on fertilization success in the scleractinian coral Pectinia lactuca

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2012

Paul L.A. Erftemeijer ,
Mary Hagedorn ,
Michael Laterveer ,
Jamie Craggs  and
James R. Guest
Paul L.A. Erftemeijer
Affiliation:
Deltares (formerly Delft Hydraulics), PO Box 177, 2600 MH Delft, The Netherlands
Mary Hagedorn
Affiliation:
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744
Michael Laterveer
Affiliation:
Rotterdam Zoo, PO Box 532, 3000 AM Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Jamie Craggs
Affiliation:
Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQUnited Kingdom
James R. Guest*
Affiliation:
Marine Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore117543
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J.R. Guest, Marine Biology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore117543 email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The effect of increased levels of suspended sediment on fertilization success in the scleractinian coral Pectinia lactuca was investigated in a laboratory experiment following a mass coral spawning event on reefs off Singapore. Egg–sperm bundles were collected from tank-spawned coral colonies collected from the field several days prior to the anticipated mass spawning. Eggs and sperm from each colony were separated and distributed systematically across replicated treatments (N = 9) with three concentrations of fine suspended sediment. Spawning and embryo development in Pectinia lactuca followed a pattern similar to other scleractinian coral species. There was a significant effect of increased suspended sediment concentration on fertilization success (P < 0.05). Both high- (169 mg l−1) and medium- (43 mg l−1) suspended sediment treatments decreased fertilization success compared to controls. These results imply that increased turbidity levels (whether chronic, such as in the waters around Singapore, or short-term, caused by a dredging operation)—when coinciding with the coral spawning season—may affect the reproductive success of corals and compromise coral recruitment and recovery of degraded reefs.

Keywords

Pectinia lactucacoral spawningfertilization successturbiditysuspended sedimentdredging
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 92 , Issue 4: Coral Reefs, the Aquarium Trade and the Maritime Industry , June 2012 , pp. 741 - 745
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Babcock, R. and Davies, P. (1991) Effects of sedimentation on settlement of Acropora millepora. Coral Reefs 9, 205–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Babcock, R. and Smith, L. (2000) Effects of sedimentation on coral settlement and survivorship. In Moosa, M.K., Soemodihardjo, S., Soegiarto, A., Romimohtarto, K., Nontji, A., Soekarno, and Suharsono, (eds) Proceedings 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, Indonesia 23–27 October 2000, 1, pp. 245–248.Google Scholar
Babcock, R.C., Bull, G.D., Harrison, P.L., Heyward, A.J., Oliver, J.K., Wallace, C.C. and Willis, B.L. (1986) Synchronous spawnings of 105 scleractinian coral species on the Great Barrier Reef. Marine Biology 90, 379–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baird, A.H., Guest, J.R. and Willis, B.L. (2009) Systematic and biogeographical patterns in the reproductive biology of scleractinian corals. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 40, 551–571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chou, L.M. (1996) Response of Singapore reefs to land reclamation. Galaxea 13, 85–92.Google Scholar
Fabricius, K.E. (2005) Effects of terrestrial runoff on the ecology of corals and coral reefs: review and synthesis. Marine Pollution Bulletin 50, 125–146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Galbraith, R.V., MacIsaac, E.A., Macdonald, J.S. and Farrell, A.P. (2006) The effect of suspended sediment on fertilization success in sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) salmon. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63, 2487–2494.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilmour, J. (1999) Experimental investigation into the effects of suspended sediment on fertilization, larval survival and settlement in a scleractinian coral. Marine Biology 135, 451–462.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilmour, J., Cooper, T.F., Fabricius, K.E. and Smith, L.D. (2006) Early warning indicators of change in the condition of corals and coral communities in response to key anthropogenic stressors in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Technical Report, 94 pp.Google Scholar
Goh, B.P.L. and Lee, C.S. (2008) A study of the effect of sediment accumulation on the settlement of coral larvae using conditioned tiles. In Proceedings 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7–11 July 2008, 2, pp. 1240–1244.Google Scholar
Griffin, F.J., Smith, E.H., Vines, C.A. and Cherr, G.N. (2008) Impacts of suspended sediments on fertilization, embryonic development, and early larval life stages of the Pacific Herring, Clupea pallasi. Biological Bulletin. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole 216, 175–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guest, J.R., Baird, A.H., Goh, B.P.L. and Chou, L.M. (2005) Seasonal reproduction in equatorial reef corals. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development 48, 207–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guest, J.R., Baird, A.H., Clifton, K.E. and Heyward, A.J. (2008) From molecules to moonbeams: spawning synchrony in coral reef organisms. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development 51, 145–149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, D., Tun, K.P.P., Chou, L.M. and Todd, P.A. (2009) An inventory of zooxanthellate scleractinian corals in Singapore, including 33 new records. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 22, 69–80.Google Scholar
Humphrey, C., Weber, M., Lott, C., Cooper, T. and Fabricius, K. (2008) Effects of suspended sediments, dissolved inorganic nutrients and salinity on fertilisation and embryo development in the coral Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834). Coral Reefs 27, 837–850.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kojis, B.L. and Quinn, N.J. (1984) Seasonal and depth variation in fecundity of Acropora palifera at two reefs in Papua New Guinea. Coral Reefs 3, 165–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Low, J.K.Y. and Chou, L.M. (1994) Sedimenation rates in Singapore waters. In Sudara, S., Wilkinson, C.R. and Chou, L.M. (eds) 3rd ASEAN–Australian Symposium on Living Coastal Resources. Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand 2, 697–701.Google Scholar
Negri, A.P. and Heyward, A.J. (2000) Inhibition of fertilisation and larval metamorphosis of the coral Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834) by petroleum products. Marine Pollution Bulletin 41, 420–427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Negri, A.P. and Heyward, A.J. (2001) Inhibition of coral fertilisation and larval metamorphosis by tributyltin and copper. Marine Environmental Research 51, 17–27.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Okubo, N. and Motokawa, T. (2007) Embryogenesis in the reef-building coral Acropora spp. Zoological Science 24, 1169–1177CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Orpin, A.R., Ridd, P.V., Thomas, S., Anthony, K.R.N., Marshall, P. and Oliver, J. (2004) Natural turbidity variability and weather forecasts in risk management of anthropogenic sediment discharge near sensitive environments. Marine Pollution Bulletin 49, 602–612.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Petersen, D., Laterveer, M., Van Bergen, D., Hatta, H., Hebbinghaus, R., Janse, M., Jones, R., Richter, U., Ziegler, T., Visser, G. and Schuhmacher, H. (2006) The application of sexual coral recruits for sustainable management of ex situ populations in public aquariums—SECORE Project. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 16, 167–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PIANC (2010) Dredging and port construction around coral reefs. The World Association of Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC), PIANC EnviCom Report No. 108, 75 pp.Google Scholar
Rice, S.A. and Hunter, C.L. (1992) Effects of suspended sediment and burial on scleractinian corals from west central Florida patch reefs. Bulletin of Marine Science 51, 429–442.Google Scholar
Richmond, R.H. and Hunter, C.L. (1990) Reproduction and recruitment of corals: comparisons among the Caribbean, the Tropical Pacific, and the Red Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 60, 185–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riegl, B. (1995) Effects of sand deposition on scleractinian and alcyonacean corals. Marine Biology 121, 517–526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rogers, C.S. (1990) Responses of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation. Marine Ecology Progress Series 62, 185–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheppard, A., Fenner, D., Edwards, A., Abrar, M. and Ochavillo, D. (2008) Pectinia lactuca. In IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. <www.iucnredlist.com> (accessed 9 December 2010).+(accessed+9+December+2010).>Google Scholar
Tomascik, T. and Sander, F. (1987) Effects of eutrophication on reef building corals. III. Reproduction of the reef-building coral Porites porites. Marine Biology 94, 77–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Veron, J.E.N. (2000) Corals of the world. Townsville, QL: Australian Institute of Marine Science.Google Scholar
Ward, S. and Harrison, P. (2000) Changes in gametogenesis and fecundity of acroporid corals that were exposed to elevated nitrogen and phosphorus during the ENCORE experiment. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 246, 179–221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wolanski, E., Fabricius, K., Spagnol, S. and Brinkman, R. (2005) Fine sediment budget on an inner-shelf coral-fringed island, Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 65, 153–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar