Interactive effects of copper and temperature on coral larvae fom the Great Barrier Reef

Gravid colonies of the corals Acropora millepora and Acropora tenuis were collected from Magnetic Island and transported to the outdoor aquaria at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. The gametes were collected after spawning and the azooxanthellate larvae were cultured in indoor aquaria at 27°C.Seven day old larvae were added to culture plates containing copper solutions with concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32 and 64 µg/l and incubated at 27, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34°C under light conditions set at 30 µmol quanta/m²/s. Six replicates were used for each of the 60 treatments.After incubation for 6 hours, larval metamorphosis was initiated by the addition of extracts derived from two species of crustose coralline algae, Neogoniolithon fosliei and Porolithon onkodes. After a further 18 hours, treatments were terminated and larvae fixed for later assessment of settlement and metamorphosis.
This research was undertaken to collect data to provide parameters for a model of the effects of temperature and copper contamination on larval metamorphosis.

研究人员从磁岛（Magnetic Island）采集怀卵的微孔鹿角珊瑚（Acropora millepora）与坦氏鹿角珊瑚（Acropora tenuis）群落，转运至澳大利亚海洋科学研究所（Australian Institute of Marine Science）的室外水族箱暂养。待珊瑚产卵后收集配子，并于27℃的室内水族箱中培养不含虫黄藻的幼虫。

将培养至第7天的幼虫接种至含梯度铜溶液的培养板中，铜溶液浓度设置为0、1、2、4、8、12、16、24、32及64 µg/l；随后分别在27、30、31、32、33、34℃，光照强度为30 µmol量子·米⁻²·秒⁻¹的条件下进行培养。本实验共设60个处理组，每组设置6个生物学重复。培养6小时后，通过添加新石藻（Neogoniolithon fosliei）与多孔石藻（Porolithon onkodes）两种壳状珊瑚藻（crustose coralline algae）的提取物，诱导幼虫发生变态。继续培养18小时后终止实验，固定幼虫以备后续对其附着与变态情况进行评估。

本研究旨在收集相关数据，为温度与铜污染对幼虫变态过程影响的模型提供参数支撑。