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Dryad

Data from: Reproductive resilience: Pathways to gametogenic success in Montipora capitata after bleaching

Timmins-Schiffman, Emma1; Duselis, Elizabeth2; Brown, Tanya3; Axworthy, Jeremy1; Backstrom, Callum1; Riffle, Mike1; Dilworth, Jenna4; Kenkel, Carly4; Rodrigues, Lisa5; Nunn, Brook1; Padilla-Gamino, Jacqueline1

Published Jan 10, 2025 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x3ffbg7t8

Data files

Abstract

Thermal bleaching, or the loss of symbiotic algae that provide most energetic resources for the coral host, is an increasing threat to reefs worldwide and is projected to worsen with climate change. While this threat to coral persistence is well recognized, the impact on the essential process of reproduction in corals that survive bleaching is not well resolved despite being central to coral resilience. Montipora capitata can survive thermal bleaching while completing a full gametogenic cycle, offering an ideal system to study gametogenic resilience and associated physiological tradeoffs. We experimentally bleached fragments of M. capitata colonies and followed their gametogenic cycle and physiological responses for 10 months at six time points. All bleached colonies produced gametes at the same time as controls, suggesting that reproductive processes were energetically prioritized. However, proteomic analysis across the gametogenic cycle revealed tradeoffs and delays in activating key physiological processes earlier in gametogenesis in areas such as skeletal growth and reproductive hormone synthesis. Tradeoffs during the gametogenic cycle, likely a direct response to thermal bleaching, resulted in smaller oocytes from bleached colonies than controls, potentially indicating decreased transfer of parental resources to the gametes. While gametogenesis is likely to continue in this species, it remains to be seen how the viability and success of future offspring may be impacted by continued future bleaching events.