Successfully settling coral larvae is a cornerstone of any restoration program that uses sexually produced corals. While we have successfully settled acroporid corals for many years, the Great Barrier Reef is composed of a great diversity of species, and this diversity must be captured in restoration programs.
Using AIMS long-term monitoring data, 8 coral species were selected based on their significant contribution to coral cover on the Reef. These import reef-building corals will be the focus of research to rest a broad range of settlement cues across species, which likely respond uniquely to these chemical inducers.
We also aim to test the larval settlement ability through time, to determine their competency windows and identify optimal settlement periods for use in future restoration programs.
