Dr. Straub (L) at the Curacao Sea Aquarium dive site.  Organizer Mike Brittsan (R) and a stand of Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata)

Dr. Straub attended the SECORE Foundation coral propagation/restoration workshop in Curacao from August 9-19th, 2014.  The purpose of the workshop is to develop and disseminate techniques for coral reef restoration based on the use of highly genetically diverse sexual propagules.  Traditional methods of restoration involve fragmentation of a few genotypes of coral and can potentially reduce genotypic variation over time.  The primary focus of the workshop was the broadcast spawning Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral) which is a Endangered Species Act "threatened species" (proposed for endangered category) in the Caribbean.  On successive night dives after the full moon, participants collected egg and sperm packets in nets placed over spawning corals.  Coral spawn was mixed and fertilized in the lab and development proceeded in special nursery containers (Kreisels) in flow through seawater tanks.  Planula larvae were introduced to preconditioned ceramic tile substrates for settling and grow out.  In addition, techniques for brooder spawning corals were demonstrated.  The highlights of the week can be seen at the workshop blogsite- SECORE newsroom.  

Night dive with spawning capture nets on A. palmata

Fertilized eggs/embryos A. palmata entering the flow through culture system.

Embryos (20x)

 Cultured larvae introduced to settling tiles.