Effects of the herbicide diuron on the early life history stages of corals from the Great Barrier Reef

This research examines the effects of herbicide on the reproduction and early life stages of coral of broadcast spawning and brooding corals. Laboratory experiements were conducted to determine the potential effects of herbicide diuron on: fertilisation rates of broadcasted coral oocytes with and without symbionts, rates of metamorphosis of coral larvae, and the photosynthetic efficiency, extent of bleaching and rates of survival of coral recruits and adult colonies.Collections of mature collonies occured in 2002 and 2003: Acropora millepora and Montipora aequituberculata at Lizard Island A. millepora and P. damicornis at Magnetic IslandThe oocytes of M. aequituberculata contain parentally derived dinoflagellate symbionts, whereas oocytes from A. millepora are symbiont-free. Pocillopora damicornis larvae contain symbiotic dinoflagellates.At Lizard Island colonies were held in aquariums at the research station. After spawning in November 2002, gametes were collected and cultured. Colonies collected from Magnetic Island were held in outdoor aquariums at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville. Following spawning, the larvae were harvested from the tank. Following spawning of corals and collection of larvae, experiements were performed to examine the effects of diuron on: fertilization of broadcast spawning corals, effects of diuron on metamorphosis of broadcast spawning coral larvae metamorphosis of brooding coral larvae indoor exposure of recruits: survival and cleaching outdoor exposure of recruits: bleaching and tissue retration outdoor exposure of recuits: photosyntheyic efficency outdoor exposure of adult colonies: photosynthetic efficiency

本研究探讨了除草剂（herbicide）对排放型产卵（broadcast spawning）与抚育型产卵（brooding）珊瑚的繁殖过程以及珊瑚早期生活史阶段的影响。为明确除草剂敌草隆（diuron）的潜在生态效应，本研究开展了一系列室内实验，实验内容涵盖：有无共生体（symbiont）的排放型产卵珊瑚卵母细胞的受精率、珊瑚幼虫的变态发育率，以及珊瑚幼体与成体群落的光合效率、白化程度与存活率。

成熟珊瑚群落的样本采集工作于2002年与2003年完成：
- 蜥蜴岛（Lizard Island）采集的样本为微孔鹿角珊瑚（Acropora millepora）和平坦牡丹珊瑚（Montipora aequituberculata）
- 磁岛（Magnetic Island）采集的样本为微孔鹿角珊瑚（A. millepora）与鹿角杯形珊瑚（Pocillopora damicornis）

平坦牡丹珊瑚的卵母细胞携带母体来源的甲藻（dinoflagellate）共生体，而微孔鹿角珊瑚的卵母细胞无共生体；鹿角杯形珊瑚的幼虫则携带有共生甲藻。

采集自蜥蜴岛的珊瑚群落被饲养于该岛研究站的水族箱内。2002年11月产卵完成后，研究人员收集配子并进行培养。采集自磁岛的珊瑚群落则被饲养于澳大利亚海洋科学研究所（Australian Institute of Marine Science）汤斯维尔分部的室外水族箱中，产卵完成后从水族箱内收获幼虫。

在珊瑚产卵与幼虫采集工作完成后，本研究开展了一系列实验以探究敌草隆的影响，具体实验内容包括：
1. 排放型产卵珊瑚的受精过程
2. 敌草隆对排放型产卵珊瑚幼虫变态发育的影响
3. 敌草隆对抚育型产卵珊瑚幼虫变态发育的影响
4. 幼体室内暴露实验：存活率与白化程度
5. 幼体室外暴露实验：白化程度与组织收缩
6. 幼体室外暴露实验：光合效率
7. 成体群落室外暴露实验：光合效率