Coral connectivity in Micronesia
Using microsatellite markers that we developed for Acropora millepora and Acropora hyacinthus, we are studying the patterns of genetic exchange between reefs in Micronesia, including Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, and Marshall Islands. The goal of this study is to determine how much the reefs across this vast area of the Pacific depend on each other in replenishing their coral populations, and which reefs are the most important providers or stepping stones. The map above shows reefs sampled at one of the locations, Chuuk.
This project is a collaboration between Matzlab, the lab of Tim Keitt (UT Austin) and the lab of Stephen R. Palumbi at the Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University. It is funded by the Coral Conservation program of NOAA, through the Hawaiian Undersea Research Laboratory (HURL).
matzLABRESEARCH
