Effects of macroalgae on coral fecundity in a degraded coral reef system

Abstract

Global declines in live coral cover and the proliferation of macroalgae on coral reefs is leading to increased coral-macroalgal interactions that impact reef recovery. However, the effects of macroalgae on coral sexual reproduction—a fundamental life-history process for maintaining population abundances—have rarely been quantified. Here, we examined the direct effects of macroalgae contact on the fecundity (eggs mesentery−1) of two coral species, Echinopora lamellosa and Merulina ampliata, across three degraded reefs in Singapore. Increasing macroalgae contact from 5% to 25% significantly reduced fecundity in colonies of both species by 67–82%, and also reduced M. ampliata egg sizes by 11.4%. These results suggest the diversion of energy from reproduction towards other processes such as repair and defence, and also reveal potential differential energy allocation strategies among coral taxa. While corals on Singapore's impacted reefs continue to produce eggs, increasing macroalgae that suppresses coral fecundity may constrain future reef recovery.