HOT STUFF FOR SPAWNING CORAL
R E P R O D U C T I V E c o r a l colonies from the northern Great Barrier Reef have settled into the Australian Institute of Marine Science National Sea Simulator.
Scientists are assisting the propagation of more than 450kg of coral affected by bleaching, hoping to increase the heat tolerance of local coral populations.
Senior research scientist Dr Line Bay said the corals were flown to Townsville to give th them th the b best chance at spawning and survival.
“They are now kept in SeaSim under temperatures that simulate exact water conditions of the warm northern Great Barrier Reef,” she said.
“These surviving corals from the worst heat- affected region of the GBR are expected to spawn in the SeaSim during the week following the December 5 full moon.”
Researchers will watch and collect data on the underwater miracle.
“We will collect the sperm and eggs from spawning colonies and cross them with colonies from cooler reefs off the coast of Townsville,” Dr Bay said.
Scientists would test whether surviving corals from recent bleaching naturally adapted to warmer reef temperatures and if they could produce more heattolerant young.
AIMS coral biologist Neal Cantin said far northern corals, which had lived through two bleaching events, were key to understanding how to grow new reefs.