Margaret Miller

2015

ESA listed and candidate spp are observed to have high variation in success (including frequent failure) in early life stages such as spawning, fertilization, larval maturation, and settlement. This project will evaluate potential contribution of environmental (e.g., water quality threat) versus genetic risk factors (demographic depensatory threat) to reproductive failure. Recent work in Puerto Rico (Baums et al. 2013) indicates that for Acropora palmata, co­occuring parental genotypes are not mutually compatible in forming viable larvae. There is also strong evidence that larval phases are sensitive to environmental stressors so water quality may also be a strong determinant of larval success. This project will draw on field/larval culture expertise at SEFSC and molecular expertise at NCCOS (Woodley group) together with academic collaborator (Baums, Penn State Univ) for a suite of studies to help characterize the potential contribution of genetic/depensatory factors on one hand and environmental factors on the other to these observed biological effects. Component 1 (Genetic): The potential genetic incompatibility of co­occuring genotypes, as recently shown in A.palmata, has catastrophic implications for all proposed recovery actions related to population enhancement. Therefore, we propose to conduct similar experiments with focus on M.faveolata and nursery stocks of A.cervicornis. Briefly, spawned gametes will be collected and equal volumes mixed from 4 known parental genotypes. Resulting larval cohorts will be genotyped to quantify the genetic contribution of each parent. These 4­parent batch­cross experiments will be replicated over different parents and likely different years. Component 2 (Environmental): Environmental factors will be investigated via both molecular assays and laboratory survivorship and settlement experiments. The genomic integrity of spawned gametes from different sites and genets will be assessed by evaluating double stranded DNA breaks (COMET assay) and single­strand DNA­abasic site lesions to assess the degree of DNA damage for A.palmata, A.cervicornis, and/or Montastraea faveolata (high­ranking ESA candidate species). Concurrently, gametes will be fertilized and resulting larvae reared in different ‘stock water’ treatments obtained from different environments ranging from relative pristine (e.g. Dry Tortugas) to high visitation reef sites, and hopefully waters from a local sewer outfall. The DNA damage assays as well as standard survivorship will be performed over time on larvae from these different exposures to examine potential impairment from water quality. Another associated new project proposal ‘Impact of land based sources of pollution on Acropora spawning in FKNMS’ (Withall) will leverage results on spawning observations from this project.Additional project partners include several of the regional A.cervicornis nursery operators (Coral Restoration Foundation, Nova Southeastern Univ. and Univ. Miami) who will enhance the likelihood of successful execution of the A.cerv crossing experiments.

1) Clear demonstration whether specific genets of A.cervicornis currently being cultured in a widescalerecovery effort are in fact capable of producing viable larvae (a major premise of this recovery strategy). This result canguide adaptive management for the nursery/recovery effort such as focusing culture effort on more fertile genetsand designing outplants to include only compatible genets. If no incompatibilities are found, the current approach(genets in current stocks outplanted in the most diverse arrays possible) can be pursued with confidence.2) Improved understanding of genetic compatibility of ESA candidate Montastraea spp.3) First step to demonstrate potential direct impairment of reproductive success by water quality from LBSP suchas high recreational visitation or sewer outfall.

• Florida

Other Domestic or Global Project

Closed

Completed

https://www.coris.noaa.gov/search/rest/find/document?searchText=projectNumber%3A797%20OR%20projectTitle%3A"Gamete%2Flarval%20fitness%20of%20ESA%20and%20candidate%20corals"&start=1&max=10&f=searchPage