Ready, set and go! - WS Mexico 2014
This week researchers, aquarists, students and those that just care came together for something that seems so small but in reality is one of the most vital events that occurs in our oceans. Witnessing the spawning of Acopora palmata and teams working together is something that none of us will forget. Each day heading out the boats are filled with enthusiasm and anticipation of what the night will bring. Arriving before the sun sets gives us an opportunity to get in the water as the light fades and some would say, when a coral reef truly becomes alive.
The first spawning was seen Thursday and Friday at El Bajto, in Cancun and a spectacular spawning at Bocana Desore in Puerto Morelos. A late spawning at Punta Venado in Xcaret followed last night with divers collecting approximately two hundred thousand eggs, the team hopes for a massive spawn tonight. On returning to the University National Autonomo de Mexico everyone was eagerly caring for over half a million eggs collected at two sites in Puerto Morelos. Working with little room to move we were still able to gracefully work together and place the fertilized eggs in kreisels. Despite the lack of sleep and a very long night it was all smiles and everyone will be “ready, set and go” for the next day.
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Spawning observation data
DAFM= Days After Full Moon, 10th of August
2DAFM
El Bajito: 1 A. palmata spawned, set at 21:45 and spawned at around 22:00
3DAFM
El Bajito: 4 A. palmata spawned, set at 21:55 spawned at 22:05,
Limones: A. palmata mass spawning with around 330,000 eggs collected and fertilized
4DAFM
El Bajito: 4 colonies of A. palmata spawned, set at 21:55 and spawned at 22:00
Bocana desovo: A. palmata mass spawning with ~300,000 eggs collected and fertilized
5DAFM
La Bocana Chica: little A. palmata spawning
no O. faveolata spawning observed.
6DAFM
Punta Venado: 2 colonies of A. palmata spawned, yielding 212,000 eggs collected (low fertilization rate at 47.3%)
La Bocana Chica: 4 A. palmata colonies spawned.
7DAFM
Punta Venado: 4 A. palmata colonies spawned, set at 21:15 and spawned at 21:55, only around 100,000 eggs collected.
8DAFM
Punta Venado: A. palmata spawned, set at 21:20 and spawned at 21:40, only around 300,000 eggs collected.
