CORAL SPAWNING DELAYED

According to the Taiwanese Coral Reef Society, the coral on the reefs in the Kenting area, may delay its spawning one month later this year, because of the recent weather changes.

This brown specimen is crispy crust coral, while this white, branched one is Montipora stellata.

This footage of the coral releasing white and pink gametes was captured by a Taiwanese Coral Reef Society researcher off the eastern side of the No. 3 Nuclear Power Plant's drainage outlet at Houbihu.

According to the researcher, only a few types of coral have begun spawning, and the quantity of gametes has been relatively low. In the past, peak coral spawning took place in cyclical order in Kenting at the end of April.

Scholars say, however, that not only has mass spawning not taken place this year, but the spawning order is also in disarray.

Kenting National Park Headquarters officials attribute the abnormalities to the effect of weather conditions on water temperatures.

Coral spawning is affected by wind and waves, tides, oceanic conditions, and the length of day and night, and this year's mass spawning period likely won't take place until late May or early June.

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