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Ecologically relevant dispersal of corals on isolated reefs: implications for managing resilience
Abstract
Coral reefs are in decline worldwide, and marine reserve networks have been advocated as a powerful management tool for maximizing the resilience of coral communities to an increasing variety, number, and severity of disturbances. However, the effective design of reserves must account for the spatial scales of larval dispersal that affect the demography of communities over ecological time frames. Ecologically relevant distances of dispersal were inferred from DNA microsatellite data in a broadcast‐spawning (Acropora tenuis) and a brooding (Seriatopora hystrix) coral at isolated reef systems off northwest Australia. Congruent with expectations based on life histories, levels of genetic subdivision among populations were markedly higher in the brooder than in the broadcast spawner. Additionally, significant subdivision for both species between systems (>100 km), and between (>10 km) or within reefs (<10 km) within systems, indicated that many reefs or reef patches are demographically independent. There was also a clear distinction in the scale of genetic structure between the different systems; at the more geographically complex of the systems, a much finer scale structure was detected in both species. This suggested that the hydrodynamics associated with these complex reefs restrict distances regularly traveled by larvae. The primary implication is that short‐term recovery of these coral communities after severe disturbance requires the input of larvae from viable communities kilometers to a few tens of kilometers away. Therefore, to be self‐sustaining, we suggest that coral reef protected areas need to be large enough to encompass these routine dispersal distances. Further, to facilitate recovery from severe disturbances, protected areas need to be replicated over these spatial scales. However, specific designs also need to account for size, complexity, and isolation of reefs, which will either restrict or enhance dispersal within this range.
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“The strong genetic population structure in this study is congruent with findings for the same species from other biogeographic regions such as Australia (van Oppen et al. 2008;Underwood et al. 2009) and Japan (Nakajima et al. 2017), as well as for other brooding corals with a similarly short PLD.”
From Population genetics of the brooding coral Seriatopora hystrix reveals patterns of strong genetic differentiation in the Western Indian Ocean (2021) · cites this paper as Underwood et al. 2009
In the citing paper
“Comparable levels of differentiation were found for S. hystrix on the Great Barrier Reef and in northern Western Australia (mean F ST = 0.20 ∼500 km, van Oppen et al. 2008), including isolation-by-distance (overall F ST = 0.198 ∼505 km, Underwood et al. 2009).”
From Population genetics of the brooding coral Seriatopora hystrix reveals patterns of strong genetic differentiation in the Western Indian Ocean (2021) · cites this paper as Underwood et al. 2009
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“Current-borne transport among sites within the reefs presumably constitutes relatively low landscape resistance, leading to connectivity among a sufficient number of sites with remaining stocks and a finite probability of successful recruitment (Gilmour et al. 2009; Underwood et al. 2009).”
BackgroundSelf-citationAcclimation potential of Acropora to mesophotic environment
Tavakoli-Kolour, P., Sinniger, F., Morita, M., & Harii, S. (2023) · Marine Pollution Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114698 · Cited by 9
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“…demographic boom-and-bust cycles that characterise previously studied susceptible corals such as pocilloporids (Thomas et al. 2017) and acroporids (Underwood 2009; Underwood et al. 2009, 2013; Rosser 2016) rather than true oceanographic resistance, then these patterns are unlikely to be…”
BackgroundJohnson, C. H., & Woollacott, R. M. (2012) · Biological Bulletin · doi:10.1086/bblv222n3p203 · Cited by 8
Gardner, M. J., Chaplin, J., POTTER, I. C., Fairclough, D. V., & Jackson, G. (2017) · Environmental Biology of Fishes · doi:10.1007/s10641-017-0652-8 · Cited by 8
Local coral connections within an atoll reef system underlie reef resilience and persistence
Grimaldi, C. M., Faubel, C., Thomas, L., Sahin, A. D., Ryan, N. M., Rayson, M. D., Green, R. H., Cuttler, M. V. W., Treml, E. A., Lowe, R. J., et al. (2024) · Limnology and Oceanography · doi:10.1002/lno.12720 · Cited by 7
“…system likely receives a negligible supply of larvae from neighboring reefs based on the strong stock – recruitment relationship and genetic data (Underwood et al. 2009; Adam et al. 2022; Zhang et al. 2022), it has been exposed to multiple disturbances over the past decade, and has displayed…”
InfluentialSelf-citationPellegrini, A. F. A., Soja, C., & Minjin, C. (2011) · Lethaia · doi:10.1111/j.1502-3931.2011.00292.x · Cited by 10
“Geographic isolation results in fewer successful colonizing events because of the dispersal limits of planktonic larvae (Underwood et al. 2009).”
BackgroundThe status of hard coral communities at Kosrae, Micronesia
Richards, Z. T. (2014) · Marine Biodiversity · doi:10.1007/s12526-014-0266-8 · Cited by 7
Montoya-Maya, P., Macdonald, A. H. H., & Schleyer, M. H. (2014) · Genetics and Molecular Research · doi:10.4238/2014.february.27.9 · Cited by 7
“This average scoring error rate is similar to the 2.7% obtained by Underwood et al. (2009) in a study of gene flow in A. tenuis using cross-amplified microsatellite markers.”
ResultInfluentialCryptic lineages in the Wolf Cardinalfish living in sympatry on remote coral atolls
Underwood, J. N., Travers, M. J., Snow, M., Puotinen, M. L., & Gouws, G. (2018) · Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution · doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2018.12.001 · Cited by 7
Self-citationHolland, L. P., Rowden, A. A., Hamilton, J. S., Clark, M. R., Chiswell, S. M., & Gardner, J. P. A. (2022) · Deep Sea Research Part I Oceanographic Research Papers · doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2022.103739 · Cited by 7
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“Studies of shallow water corals have shown populations of brooding species to be more genetically subdivided than populations of broadcasting species (Ayre and Hughes 2000; Nishikawa et al. 2003; Underwood et al. 2009).”
Berry, O., Richards, Z. T., Moore, G. I., Hernawan, U. E., Travers, M., & Gruber, B. (2019) · Marine and Freshwater Research · doi:10.1071/mf19172 · Cited by 7
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“This will further affect which species are likely to recover and predominate in the aftermath of disturbances (e.g., Underwood et al. 2009, 2020).”
Microbial disease in coral reefs: An ecosystem in transition
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“[29] observed that for some coral reefs, it may be appropriate to exclude the immigration of coral larvae.”
BackgroundDemopoulos, A. W. J., Ross, S. W., Kellogg, C. A., Morrison, C. L., Nizinski, M. S., Prouty, N. G., Bourque, J. R., Galkiewicz, J. P., Gray, M. A., Springmann, M. J., et al. (2017) · Antarctica A Keystone in a Changing World · doi:10.3133/ofr20171139 · Cited by 6
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Underwood, J. N. (2009) · Conservation Genetics Resources · doi:10.1007/s12686-009-9114-8 · Cited by 5
“…isolation of the coral systems of northwest Australia appears to confer reproductive isolation and hence demographic independence of reefs for two species of hard coral species (Underwood et al. 2007; Underwood 2009; Underwood et al. 2009), but little is known about other reef organisms.”
BackgroundSelf-citationKönigshof, P., Carmichael, S. K., Waters, J. A., Waters, W., Munkhjargal, A., Gonchigdorj, S., Crônier, C., Nazik, A., Duckett, K., Foronda, J., et al. (2024) · Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments · doi:10.1007/s12549-024-00608-3 · Cited by 4
“Underwood et al. (2009) has shown that geographic isolation may result in less successful colonisation because of the dispersal limits of planktonic larvae.”
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“Species of brooding corals release larvae that often settle close to, or within their natal reef, resulting in stronger genetic differentiation between reefs (Underwood et al. 2009; van der Ven et al. 2021).”
Depth-structured lineages in the coral Stylophora pistillata of the Northern Red Sea
Capel, K. C. C., Ayalon, I., Simon‐Blecher, N., Zweifler, A., Benichou, I. C. J., Eyal, G., Avisar, D., Roth, J., Bongaerts, P., & Levy, O. (2025) · npj Biodiversity · doi:10.1038/s44185-025-00083-9 · Cited by 4
Riginos, C. (2015) · Marine Biology · doi:10.1007/s00227-015-2638-4 · Cited by 4
“A growing number of studies have formally quantified the genetic similarity among proximate colonies (i.e., positive spatial autocorrelation, for example: Miller 1998; Costantini et al. 2007; Underwood et al. 2007; Miller and Ayre 2008; Underwood et al. 2009; Gorospe and Karl 2013; Smilansky and Lasker 2014).”
Ecological genetic connectivity between and within southeast African marginal coral reefs.
Montoya-Maya, P. H. (2014) · ResearchSpace (University of KwaZulu-Natal) · Cited by 4
Adam, C. D. L., Toonen, R. J., Carlon, D. B., Zilberberg, C., & Barbeitos, M. S. (2024) · Zoologica Scripta · doi:10.1111/zsc.12652 · Cited by 3
“Larvae of brooders are competent for settlement within hours after release (Harrison & Wallace, 1990), leading to shorter PLDs and thus philopatry and restricted gene flow among distant populations (Carlon, 1999; Thomas et al., 2015; Underwood et al., 2009; Warner et al., 2016).”
BackgroundLoures, A., Rädecker, N., Voolstra, C. R., Garrido, A. G., Zilberberg, C., Faria, S. C., Sumida, P. Y. G., & Mies, M. (2025) · Coral Reefs · doi:10.1007/s00338-025-02777-9 · Cited by 3
Pal, S., & Bhattacharyya, J. (2020) · Industrial and applied mathematics · doi:10.1007/978-981-15-0928-5_12 · Cited by 3
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Kininmonth, S., van Oppen, M. J. H., & Castine, S. A. (2012) · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cited by 3
Self-citationBoschetti, S. T. (2016) · doi:10.26686/wgtn.17014049.v1 · Cited by 2
“The dispersal of coral larvae can connect reefs at different scales, depending on the reproductive strategy of the species being considered (broadcasting versus brooding of larvae), the duration of spawning season (Underwood et al. 2009), larval abundance (Potts et al.”
BackgroundInfluentialLocal human disturbances on coral reefs negate potential climate refugia
Walker, A. S., & van Woesik, R. (2026) · Communications Earth & Environment · doi:10.1038/s43247-026-03261-0 · Cited by 3
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“Studies focusing on larval dispersing corals have identified varied patterns of genetic structure but certainly point towards opportunities for genetic divergence among species that occupy these reefs (Adams et al. 2022; Thomas et al. 2020; Underwood et al. 2006, 2009; Underwood 2009).”
Patterns of Life and the Processes That Produce Them
Wilson, B. (2013) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-409516-8.00008-4 · Cited by 2
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Santos, S. R. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-31305-4_23 · Cited by 2
Patterns of Connectivity and Isolation in Marine Populations
Salinas de León, P. (2010) · Open Access Victoria University of Wellington | Te Herenga Waka (Figshare) · doi:10.26686/wgtn.16985401.v1 · Cited by 2
Clonal distribution and spatial genetic structure of the reef-building coral Galaxea fascicularis
Nakajima, Y., Wepfer, P. H., & Mitarai, S. (2023) · Conservation Genetics · doi:10.1007/s10592-023-01591-6 · Cited by 1
“Larvae originating from sexual reproduction tend to be more mixed within local populations because of the unbiased kinship at the genet level in broadcast-spawning species (Underwood et al. 2009, 2020).”
Underwood, J. N. (2010) · Conservation Genetics Resources · doi:10.1007/s12686-010-9182-9 · Cited by 1
“Results on the genetic connectivities among the coral atolls of north–west Australia will be compared with other taxa (Underwood et al. 2007, 2009; Underwood 2009a, b) in order to build a community perspective on population connectivity in this region.”
BackgroundSelf-citationJohnston, M. W., & Larsson, A. I. (2019) · Coral reefs of the world · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-91608-8_40 · Cited by 1
Functional Connectivity in Multi-Habitat Marine SpeciesPreprint
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“First, by conserving MPA spacing and designating reserve boundaries that account for species’ dispersal distances, thereby ensuring adequate settlement and recruitment (Underwood et al. 2009, Jonsson et al. 2016, Magris et al. 2016).”
BackgroundConnectivity modelling of the coral reef ecosystem
Kininmonth, S. (2011) · doi:10.14264/243222
Connectivity of stony corals in Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Sutrisno, P., Timm, J., & Kochzius, M. (2013) · Flanders Marine Institute (Flanders Marine Institute)
Connectivity of the coral Acropora tenuis in the Spermonde Archipelago
Demierbe, T., van der Ven, R. M., Sutrisno, P., & Kochzius, M. (2014) · VUBIR (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Mathematical Modeling of Macroalgae-Borne Pathogen Transmission in Corals
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Maningas, J. A. C., Ticzon, V. S., & Rodriguez, M. V. B. (2024) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.4890422
(2022) · CSIRO Publishing eBooks · doi:10.1071/9781486315499.bk08046_ch01
Heat stress relief by tidally driven cold‐water bores on a coral reef atoll
Boden-Hawes, K., Jones, N. L., Rayson, M. D., Gilmour, J., & Foster, T. (2026) · Limnology and Oceanography · doi:10.1002/lno.70358
“However, Scott Reef is isolated both by distance and current patterns, indicating local mechanisms were signi fi cant in its recovery (Thomas et al. 2024; Underwood et al. 2009).”
Self-citationOlivares‐Rojas, J. P., Lachs, L., Cheung, M. W. M., & Mumby, P. J. (2026) · One Earth · doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2026.101752
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Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Underwood, J. N., Smith, L. D., Oppen, M. J. H. V., & Gilmour, J. P.
- Affiliations
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Underwood, Jim N.
- Venue
- Ecological Applications
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2009-01
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 18-29
- ISSN
- 1051-0761 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-5582
- OpenAlex
- W2112535325
- Cited by
- 157
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 11.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ecological Applications (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Keywords
- coral larval dispersal, coral reef resilience, marine protected area design, genetic subdivision, Acropora tenuis, Seriatopora hystrix, broadcast spawning, brooding corals, population structure, reef hydrodynamics, disturbance recovery
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Animals, Demography, Genotype, Reproduction, Genetic Variation, Ecosystem, Anthozoa
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