FUNGIID CORAL REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES

Reef corals sexually reproduce as gonochores (having separate sexes) and as hermaphrodites (having both sexes). However, as the production of gametes is energetically costly, energetic constraints may dictate the energy allocation for reproduction, growth, and maintenance. The main objective of this project is to compare sex allocation and reproductive strategies in mushroom corals in the coral reefs of Eilat (Red Sea) and Singapore. We are expecting to provide quantitative tools to estimate reproductive success in mushroom coral populations given that understanding the environmental and physiological drivers on coral reproductive strategies remains crucial in an era of global climate change.