Adaptive variation for reef resilience

Larval biophysical dispersal modelling was used to estimate levels of natural connectivity in warm-adapted northern corals and investigate if barriers for larval dispersal exist between the warmer northern GBR and the cooler central and southern regions. These models were run using:

single larval release site

multiple reefs with similar biophysical parameters

Biophysical larval dispersal models were run in Connie2 using the Great Barrier Reef larval connectivity model at 1 m depth (version date range: 02/11/2008–30/03/2009).

Larval connectivity was modelled during peak spawning times (both days and month), with simulated larvae released from November 15 19:00 to November 15 20:50, 2008 over 25 replicate runs originating from Tijou Reef. Larval dispersal time was set at 96 days.

For multiple release sites, 10 reefs were selected that had similar biophysical characteristics using the eReefs Hydrodynamic models (for a total of 15 release sites). An additional site was selected at Wilkie Reef, along with three reefs identified as robust sources of larvae in the Far North (Hock 1, 2 & 3).

See Quigley et al. (2019) for more details.