ABSTRACT: Reef restoration via direct outplanting of sexually propagated juvenile corals is a key strategy in preserving coral reef ecosystem function in the face of global and local stressors (e.g. ocean warming). To advance our capacity to scale and maximize the efficiency of restoration initiatives, we examined how abiotic conditions (i.e. larval rearing temperature, substrate condition, light intensity, and flow rate) interact to enhance post-settlement survival and growth of sexually propagated juvenile Montipora capitata. Larvae were reared at 3 temperatures (high: 28.9°C, ambient: 27.2°C, low: 24.5°C) for 72 h during larval development, and were subsequently settled on aragonite plugs conditioned in seawater (1 or 10 wk) and raised in different light and flow regimes. These juvenile corals underwent a natural bleaching event in Kāne‘ohe Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i (USA), in summer 2019, allowing us to opportunistically measure bleaching response in addition to survivorship and growth. This study demonstrates how leveraging light and flow can increase the survivorship and growth of juvenile M. capitata. In contrast, larval preconditioning and substrate conditioning had little overall effect on survivorship, growth, or bleaching response. Importantly, there was no optimal combination of abiotic conditions that maximized survival and growth in addition to bleaching tolerances. This study highlights the ability to tailor sexual reproduction for specific restoration goals by addressing knowledge gaps and incorporating practices that could improve resilience in propagated stocks.

中文翻译：

---

海洋期货的珊瑚养殖：利用非生物因素来提高幼体Montipora capitata的存活率，生长率和适应力

摘要：面对全球和当地压力（例如海洋变暖），通过有性繁殖的幼体珊瑚的直接外植来恢复珊瑚礁是维护珊瑚礁生态系统功能的关键策略。为了提高扩展规模和最大程度提高修复计划的能力，我们检查了非生物条件（即幼体饲养温度，底物条件，光照强度和流速）如何相互作用，以提高性繁殖的幼体Montipora capitata的定居后存活和生长。。在幼体发育期间，将幼体在3个温度下（高温：28.9°C，环境温度：27.2°C，低温：24.5°C）饲养72小时，然后定居在以海水（1或10周）为条件的文石塞上并饲养在不同的光照和流动状态下。这些幼小珊瑚于2019年夏季在美国夏威夷瓦胡岛的卡内奥赫湾经历了一次自然漂白事件，这使我们除了生存和增长外，还可以机会性地衡量漂白反应。这项研究表明，利用光和流量可以如何提高幼体M. capitata的存活率和生长率。相反，幼体预处理和底物预处理对存活率，生长或漂白反应的总体影响很小。重要的是，除漂白耐受性外，没有非生物条件的最佳组合可以最大化生存和生长。这项研究强调了通过解决知识鸿沟并采用可以提高繁殖种群适应力的做法，为特定的恢复目标量身定制性繁殖的能力。