In 2012 and 2013, two of the strongest typhoons Palau has ever seen passed over the island. Typhoon Bopha and Haiyan destroyed 60% of the reefs on the east coast (despedal). Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) is conducting an ongoing study, looking into the recovery potential of the eastern reefs.
[restrict]
One of the study being conducted on reef recovery is the study of coral reproduction. To determine the reproductive cycle of corals, PICRC researchers are checking corals every month on the east coast of Palau to determine when are they ready to reproduce.
It is crucial we understand exactly when the corals are reproducing to determine where coral babies go after spawning events. This combination of data, on the timing of spawning with hydrodynamic current modeling, will help us understand the first process in the reef recovery: larval dispersal. With this study, we will be able to answer the question of whether the eastern reef is receiving enough baby corals necessary to recover from the damage of the typhoons. [/restrict]