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Occasional loss of fecundity in peripheral coral populations
Author(s) -
Suzuki Go,
Kadota Tatsuru,
Yatsuya Kousuke,
Muko Soyoka,
Arakaki Seiji,
Kiyomoto Setuo,
Yoshimura Taku
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
ecological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1440-1703
pISSN - 0912-3814
DOI - 10.1111/1440-1703.12177
Subject(s) - fecundity , coral , acropora , biology , ecology , temperate climate , population , demography , sociology
Abstract Reproductive ecology of scleractinian corals remains poorly known, particularly at the periphery of their distribution in temperate regions. However, understanding the reproductive mechanisms of these peripheral populations is important for assessing distributional changes such as poleward expansion in corals. Here, the reproductive status of two dominant Acropora coral species ( Acropora cf. glauca and A. solitaryensis ) was recorded over 8 years (2012–2019) to clarify annual changes in the fecundity of colonies and the timing of maturation at the periphery of their distribution. In addition, the hypothesis that the subsurface seawater temperature (S 3 T) affects the fecundity of Acropora corals was tested by examining the changes in ambient S 3 T and its effect on fecundity. As a result, the significant positive correlation between the average winter S 3 T (December–March) and fecundity was identified using a generalized linear model. The findings showed that temperate Acropora corals refrained from gametogenesis in the summer if average S 3 T during the previous winter was approximately 1°C lower than the long‐term average during 2006–2019 (i.e., <15°C), potentially limiting the distribution of coral populations.