Spawning coral release quintillions of eggs each year: new research
The first estimate of coral egg numbers across the Indo-Pacific shows which species can help rebuild devastated reefs.
Most coral species spawn once a year, releasing an immense quantity of eggs and sperm into the ocean via synchronized, moon-synchronized events. This creates vast slicks of tiny pinkish spheres, equivalent to hundreds of thousands of Olympic-sized swimming pools, all released simultaneously. A study published in Ecology and Evolution estimated that corals across the Indo-Pacific region release roughly 3.5 quintillion eggs (3,500,000,000,000,000,000) during each spawning event.
This number is vital for understanding and preserving coral species, as it provides essential baseline data for ecosystem health and regeneration. The research, conducted across hundreds of coral species, revealed that branching Acropora, Porites, and Montipora corals contribute to half of the total egg supply. Estimating such vast amounts is challenging, as direct egg counts are only available for a few species.
The study used related species' patterns and species-level measurements to fill data gaps. Understanding coral egg production is crucial for reef conservation, as damaged reefs need healthy coral spawn to recover after severe marine heatwaves.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
