Students working with marine scientists in Florida documented the first known case of farmed Atlantic-Caribbean staghorn coral reproducing naturally. Small fragments of staghorn coral were planted in a nursery in 2006 and then transplanted to Molasses Reef in 2007, where they had grown to about two feet in diameter. Last weekend, students authenticated and collected gametes broadcast from the farmed coral, which will be used for laboratory fertilization projects with the aim of eventually transplanting offspring to help rebuild threatened coral reefs. This shows that cultured coral can survive and reach sexual maturity to naturally aid in restoration efforts.

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Aug 10, 2009 2:26 pm US/Eastern
Students, Scientists Document Coral Reproduction
KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) ― Students working with marine scientists in the Florida Keys have documented what experts said is the first known case where Atlantic-Caribbean, farm-raised
staghorn coral have reproduced to serve as a foundation for future reefs.
The discovery is significant because it shows that cultured staghorn corals can not only survive, but also reach sexual maturity and naturally help with coral restoration, marine scientists said on
Monday.
"This is real exciting because this is the future of trying to rebuild these reefs," said Ken Nedimyer, president of the Coral Restoration Foundation. "What we're trying to do is to put the girls and
the boys back together in the same room so they'll make babies."
Both staghorn, as well as elkhorn corals, are classified as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and historically are primary reef-building corals in Florida and the Caribbean,
said Billy Causey, southeast regional director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine sanctuaries.
Students, who are part of the SCUBAnauts International education group, which includes 21 Tampa Bay-area secondary school students, authenticated and collected some of the gametes
broadcasted from farmed coral at Molasses Reef off Key Largo last weekend.
Harvested staghorn gametes were taken to a shoreside laboratory for further research and they'll be used for laboratory fertilization projects with the aim of eventually transplanting offspring.
"This is very much like a great big circle of life," said Dr. David Palandro, a research scientist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and head of the SCUBAnauts program.
Under several federal research permits, Nedimyer harvested small inch-long fragments of live staghorn and planted them in a special nursery off the Upper Keys in the spring of 2006. Working
with a different group of students in July 2007, the more mature clippings were transplanted in a section of sand at Molasses Reef where they have grown to about two feet in diameter.
"We're growing a lot of corals in our nursery and we can replant them on some reefs, but we could never replant all corals on all the reefs," said Nedimyer. "The goal is to get them reproducing
successfully, so they can do what they used to do.
Nedimyer said that coral larvae are carried by ocean currents after they spawn, which in the northern hemisphere is usually a few days after the full moon in August or September.
For students participating in the project in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the experience provided more than a scientific lecture.
"All we see on land is how animals reproduce, but we don't really no what goes on underwater," said Nick Johnson, a high school senior from Dunedin, "It was awesome."
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On the Net
Coral Restoration Foundation: http://www.coralrestoration.org
SCUBAnauts" International: http://www.scubanautsintl.org
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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