Life-history traits explain variation in the larval dispersal potential of corals
- 1University of Oxford
Abstract
1. Protecting and restoring corals is critical to conserve marine biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Anthropocene. Knowledge of coral larval dispersal dynamics can be used to identify important sites for coral metapopulation connectivity and to spatially optimise coral conservation efforts. However, we know little regarding the larval dispersal of many coral species and our understanding of the relationships between coral larval dispersal and life-history traits (e.g., reproductive mode, colony morphology), phylogenetic relationships, and biogeography is incomplete. These knowledge gaps impede coral conservation. 2. In this research, we systematically reviewed the species, regions, and methodologies of studies of coral larval dispersal. Additionally, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the heterogeneity in reported coral larval duration values and identified the roles of life-history traits in driving that heterogeneity. 3. We found that various methods (experimental, biophysical modelling, and population genetics) were used to study 221 coral species across many regions. Soft and temperate corals received comparatively lower research attention. Our meta-analysis reveals that reproductive mode and colony morphology explain significant heterogeneity in larval settlement times, and that closely-related species have more similar larval settlement times. 4. Our findings suggest that reproductive mode and colony morphology could be used to predict larval duration in under-studied coral species, and that larval duration could be approximated from closely-related corals when trait data is unavailable. Our results support strategies focused on modelling differing larval durations across corals with different life-history traits to predict realised dispersal in under-studied coral species and identify conservation priority sites.
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BibTeX
@misc{morecroft2026lifehistory,
title = {{Life-history traits explain variation in the larval dispersal potential of corals}},
author = {M. J. Morecroft and A. Greiner and L. L. Faber and K. J. Davis},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.29.755390},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.755390v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Life-history traits explain variation in the larval dispersal potential of corals
AU - M. J. Morecroft
AU - A. Greiner
AU - L. L. Faber
AU - K. J. Davis
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/29
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.09.29.755390
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.29.755390v1
AB - 1. Protecting and restoring corals is critical to conserve marine biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Anthropocene. Knowledge of coral larval dispersal dynamics can be used to identify important sites for coral metapopulation connectivity and to spatially optimise coral conservation efforts. However, we know little regarding the larval dispersal of many coral species and our understanding of the relationships between coral larval dispersal and life-history traits (e.g., reproductive mode, colony morphology), phylogenetic relationships, and biogeography is incomplete. These knowledge gaps impede coral conservation. 2. In this research, we systematically reviewed the species, regions, and methodologies of studies of coral larval dispersal. Additionally, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the heterogeneity in reported coral larval duration values and identified the roles of life-history traits in driving that heterogeneity. 3. We found that various methods (experimental, biophysical modelling, and population genetics) were used to study 221 coral species across many regions. Soft and temperate corals received comparatively lower research attention. Our meta-analysis reveals that reproductive mode and colony morphology explain significant heterogeneity in larval settlement times, and that closely-related species have more similar larval settlement times. 4. Our findings suggest that reproductive mode and colony morphology could be used to predict larval duration in under-studied coral species, and that larval duration could be approximated from closely-related corals when trait data is unavailable. Our results support strategies focused on modelling differing larval durations across corals with different life-history traits to predict realised dispersal in under-studied coral species and identify conservation priority sites.
ER -