Coral Reproduction Flashcards
How do Coral usually reproduce?
Asexually, Sometimes Sexually
What are the risks of asexual reproduction?
Convenient, but risky during environmental changes
Selfing perpetuates, but its rare
How does Coral asexually reproduce?
Fission Budding Fragmentation Planula Larvae Polyp Bail-out
How does Coral reproduce by fission?
Two mouths form and separate
How does Coral reproduce by Budding?
New mouth on the side develops
How does Coral reproduce by Fragmentation?
Usually accidental, the broken pieces can create a new Coral
How does Coral reproduce by Planula Larvae?
The Coral broods the Polyp inside the Celenteron
They have to survive as plankton and avoid being eaten.
How does Coral reproduce by Polyp Bailout?
If water conditions are terrible, they eject out of their calyx and hope for a better relocation
They participate in larval dispersal through rafting: They board floating debris like driftwood and pumice.
They settle under overhangs and caves growing outwards after.
What are the pros and cons of sexual reproduction?
Making eggs use a lot of energy
Gotta be simultaneous
How do simultaneous hermaphrodites reproduce?
They release a package of both gametes into the water column
What is Broadcast Spawning?
Shoot everything out into the open hoping they meet
Why do Coral do broadcast spawning at night?
To avoid predators and not get fried by the sun
When does broadcast spawning fail?
If the tide doesn’t take the gametes out of the existing reef area. They use up O2 and block the light for the existing coral
