Coma R, Lasker H R
Biol Bull. 1997 Aug;193(1):20-29. doi: 10.2307/1542733.
In situ fertilization was examined in the gorgonian Pseudoplexaura porosa during 1994 and 1995 spawning events in the San Blas Islands, Panama, to assess spatial and temporal variation in fertilization success and to determine whether in situ fertilization was sperm limited. Fertilization rates did not differ significantly between years (60% vs. 55%), but monthly means were significantly different, ranging from 22% to 66%. Fertilization rate varied among days, ranging from 0 to 85%; 80% of this variability was explained by daily variation in the number of colonies that spawned. A weighted average of in situ fertilization rates suggests that 67% or more of spawned eggs are fertilized in nature. Sperm limitation did not occur on the nights when most of the colonies synchronously spawned and when most of the eggs were released. Eggs collected downstream of the population often had higher fertilization rates than eggs collected either adjacent to their source colony or eggs collected in the middle of the population, which indicates that in dense populations, eggs may have multiple opportunities to be fertilized. Traits such as highly synchronous spawning, high fecundity, large egg size, large polyps, and large colonies directly and indirectly enhance P. porosa gamete production and fertilization. These life-history traits reduce the effects of gamete dilution during spawning events and thus decrease the importance of sperm limitation in the population dynamics of P. porosa.
1994年和1995年巴拿马圣布拉斯群岛的多孔拟软珊瑚产卵期间，对其进行了原位受精研究，以评估受精成功率的时空变化，并确定原位受精是否受精子限制。两年间的受精率无显著差异（分别为60%和55%），但月平均值差异显著，范围在22%至66%之间。受精率在不同日期有所变化，范围从0至85%；其中80%的变化可由产卵群体数量的日变化来解释。原位受精率的加权平均值表明，在自然环境中67%或更多的产出卵会受精。在大多数群体同步产卵以及大多数卵被释放的夜晚，未出现精子限制情况。在群体下游收集的卵的受精率通常高于在其来源群体附近收集的卵或在群体中部收集的卵，这表明在密集群体中，卵可能有多次受精机会。高度同步产卵、高繁殖力、大卵尺寸、大息肉和大群体等特征直接或间接地提高了多孔拟软珊瑚的配子产量和受精率。这些生活史特征减少了产卵期间配子稀释的影响，从而降低了精子限制在多孔拟软珊瑚种群动态中的重要性。
