Larval longevity and competency patterns of Caribbean reef-building corals
The potential for long-distance larval dispersal depends on the longevity of planktonic, free-swimming larvae and their capacity to successfully recruit to reef habitat. We present multi-year laboratory observations of the persistence of planular larvae a...
What drives phenotypic divergence among coral clonemates of Acropora palmata?
Evolutionary rescue of populations depends on their ability to produce phenotypic variation that is heritable and adaptive. DNA mutations are the best understood mechanisms to create phenotypic variation, but other, less well‐studied mechanisms exist. Mar...
Synchronous spawning of nursery-raised elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) outplanted to reefs in the Florida Keys (United States)
Here, we provide the first reports of spawning activity by Acropora palmata colonies outplanted to reefs in Florida, USA. In 2020, we observed light spawning from A. palmata colonies five years after they had been outplanted on two Florida reefs. In 2021 ...
Neighboring colonies influence uptake of thermotolerant endosymbionts in threatened Caribbean coral recruits
Intervention strategies to enhance coral resilience include manipulating associations with algal endosymbionts. While hosting thermotolerant Durusdinium trenchii can increase bleaching thresholds in Caribbean coral adults, its effects remain largely unkno...
Disease Resistance of Acropora spp. in Florida Nursery Stocks
Lethal disease remains a major hurdle to species recovery and to long term sustainabily of population enhancement efforts for Caribbean Acropora spp. This dataset gives results of field-based direct contact challenge assays to discern relative disease re...
Demographic Monitoring of juvenile Acropora spp. in the Florida Keys 2002
Caribbean acroporid species have undergone extreme declines in abundance since the 1980s. Population-level recovery will depend on re-colonization by juveniles (fragments or sexual recruits), which are particularly vulnerable to threats such as predation...
Elkhorn coral fragment stabilization protocol an evaluation of 2 methods
The following protocol is intended to guide the salvage and restoration of small (<50cm) fragments from Acropora palmata colonies. The guidelines here are based on the results of an in situ field experiment comparing 2 different attachment methods. Addi-t...
CRCP-Water temperature data from loggers deployed at various reef sites off the upper Florida Keys
Temperature loggers were deployed at various monitoring sites off the upper Florida Keys where other ecological studies were underway, most focused on aspects of Acropora spp. status or ecology. Hobo Pendant loggers were secured to the substrate at a site...
Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
The success of coral restoration for the critically endangered Acropora palmata is understudied. Here, we examined how habitat and coral microbiomes influenced survivorship in four genets of A. palmata outplanted in three reefs. A. palmata microbiomes wer...
Opportunistic consumption of coral spawn by the ruby brittle star (Ophioderma rubicundum)
Many reef invertebrates reproduce through simultaneous broadcast spawning, with an apparent advantage of overwhelming potential predators and maximizing propagule survival. Although reef fish have been observed to consume coral gamete bundles during spawn...
Larval longevity and competency patterns of Caribbean reef-building corals
Demographic Monitoring of juvenile Acropora spp. in the Florida Keys 2002
CRCP-Water temperature data from loggers deployed at various reef sites off the upper Florida Keys
Temperature loggers were deployed at various monitoring sites off the upper Florida Keys where other ecological studies were underway, most focused on aspects of Acropora spp. status or ecology. Hobo Pendant loggers were secured to the substrate at a site...