News Animals

Acidification may halve coral class of 2050

Experiments suggest big drop in egg fertilization and larval settlement

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

By midcentury, growing acidification of the world’s oceans may undermine sexual reproduction in elkhorn coral badly enough to halve the supply of youngsters settling down to build reef.

NIGHT SPAWN On one night after an autumn full moon, elkhorn corals across much of the Caribbean simultaneously release sperm-and-egg bundles that mingle and then break apart as sperm finds eggs from different parents.