Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effects Of 17 Β-Estradiol And Progesterone On Acropora Cervicornis And Porites Astreoides Growth And Reproduction, Joshua L. Stocker

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Reef-building coral populations throughout the world are being threatened by numerous stressors and continue to decline. As potent endocrine-disrupting compounds, exogenous sex steroid contamination has been a largely overlooked stressor to corals. Previous research indicates these compounds are prevalent in marine environments, fluctuate annually along with reproductive cycles, can bioaccumulate, and have had variable effects on growth and reproduction in several cnidarian species. This project had three primary objectives: (1) establish environmental estradiol and progesterone concentrations in Broward County and lower Florida Keys reef environments, (2) conduct 17 β-estradiol and progesterone larval assays on P. astreoides larvae to determine the …