Summer 2002 Spawning best guesses

[Alina M. Szmant]

Dear All:

I have received multiple inquiries these past few days about coral spawning
dates for the summer of 2002.  For the Florida Keys (and nearshore
waters...) my best estimate is as follows:

Full moon is on August 22 at 22:30 hr (very unambiguous full moon date).

Acropora has spawned for us in the past 2 to 4 days after the full moon (but
last year 5 days after full moon):  August 24 to 26

Montastraea usually spawns 6 to 8 nights after the full moon (best night, 7
nights after the full moon):  Aug 28 to 30.

As usual, the corals have full authority to do it whenever they wish, and I
make no guarantees that these are accurate predictions, just our best guess
based on experience.

Towards the lower Caribbean I would expect spawning to be a month later or
maybe both months since it is so late in August.  For the mid-Caribbean
(e.g. Puerto Rico) and Bahamas, I expect the corals to use the August spawn
period.  Bermuda corals might spawn in late July as well as in August.

Please let me know what you see out there next summer.  the more
observations we collect, the more we can refine our estimates (maybe...).

Best wishes,

Alina Szmant

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Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Coral Reef Research Group
Professor of Biology
Center for Marine Science
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
5600  Marvin K. Moss Lane
Wilmington  NC  28409-5928
tel:  (910)962-2362  fax:  (910)962-2410
email:  szmanta at uncwil.edu
http://www.uncwil.edu/people/szmanta/
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