Led by researchers from Newcast₽•™↕le University in the UK and James Cook Uni$↔versity in Australia, the Coral Spaw→©βning Database has for the first timβ<•σe collated important infor₽≥αmation about the timing and geographiλπγc variation of coral® spawning. This is a massive internationΩ$↔al effort involving more than 90 aut÷≤≈>hors from 60 institutions in 20 countries.
The Coral Spawning D₩≠atabase counts more than 6,000 observations of©∑• the time and date of spa↑₽© wning of more than 300 species♠≥≈ of stony corals at 101 sites<™★₽ in the tropical waters of the✔γ♥ Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.
Scientists and conservationists ca∑≤₩€n use this data to better understand environm♣β♠ental factors such as temperature, ✘∏ daylight patterns, and moon cy♥∏♥cles that affect coral spawning time"<s. By providing data going back to 19>≠α78, it can help researchers ident'¶ify long-term trends in coral spawn↕♣•ing timing and provide∞←>≥ additional evidence for distinguishing c≤λ losely related coral species. In addition t♠☆₽o this, the database will provide a™δ₹ very important baseline for assessin<≈g future changes in coral spaw£"ning timing or seasonality on a regionalπ≈' and global scale in<≈∞★ relation to climate change.
Dr James Guest, from Newcas±↔tle University's School of Natural and E ©nvironmental Scienceσ₽s, said: "Knowing the timing of cora'∑l spawning can help coastal manageme£←nt, such as stopping fis∞↑♥✘hing activities when coral spawns in large num≥≈♦∑bers. If coral spawning can be witnessed in p$ ∏erson or remotely, then There is enormous pot Ωential for scientificπ₹π outreach, education and tourism."
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