Numerical models show coral reefs can be self-seeding

Numerical models are used to simulate 3-dimensional circulation and dispersal of material, such as larvae of marine organisms, on Davies Reef in the central section of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Residence times on and around this reef are determined for well-mixed material and for material which resides at the surface, sea bed and at mid-depth. Results indicate order-of-magnitude differences in the residence times of material at different levels in the water column. They confirm previous 2-dimensional modelling which indicated that residence times are often comparable to the duration of the planktonic larval life of many coral reef species. Results reveal a potential for the maintenance of local populations of various coral reef organisms by self-seeding, and allow reinterpretation of the connectedness of the coral reef ecosystem.