It’s almost D-day for the global event to observe the synchronized spawning of Porites rus corals, organized by the Tama no te Tairoto association. This project, called “Connected by the Reef – Te firi a’au”, will mobilize 150 observers in 33 countries around the world, including French Polynesia. And it’s happening this Saturday. Meet in the water at 7 a.m. in French Polynesia to observe the phenomenon which we can then follow in the other participating countries.
It is an exceptional participatory science event, « unique » even for this kind of observation according to Vetea Liao, the founder and manager of the Tama no te tairoto association, and the initiator of the project. Called “Connected by the Reef – Te firi a’au”, the project will mobilize 150 observers in 33 countries around the world, including French Polynesia. This involves observing the synchronized spawning of Porites rus, one of the rare corals that expels its gametes, called larvae, during the day. And not just any time, at very precise times that the Tama no te tairoto association managed to predict as it observed. Vetea Liao now wants to go further and find out if the phenomenon is well synchronized in all countries of the world, hence the organization of this event which we have been talking about for several months. “The first objective which is truly scientific is to know, on a single event on the same day, how far the synchronization of the phenomenon goes, it is also to highlight these corals which reproduce during the day which is important. It’s still incredible to know that such a small animal can synchronize over such great distances. And how do they do it? How are they actually connected? »
The data collected on an application created for the event will then be analyzed and Vetea Liao hopes to present results officially in early June, at the same time as the association’s annual exhibition. And a follow-up is already planned to Saturday’s observation, with an invitation extended to all participants to return to the water next month, the month after and so on to really understand when the phenomenon begins and ends around the world. If we know that in French Polynesia, egg-laying takes place during the hot season, the dates have not yet been formally established for other countries in the world. The event planned for Saturday is a participatory science meeting exceptional in its scale: “For this type of phenomenon, it is unique, I think it has never been done, and it is exceptional with the extent of the countries which have been affected and we will see the final figure of how many people have really were able to get into the water and saw the phenomenon. It’s still very special, especially coming from a small association not very well known elsewhere. It is still a challenge to succeed in mobilizing people. »
-Vetea Liao says he is stressed and excited at the same time. He is of course eager to have the first results. And the public will even be able to follow the “Connected by the reef – Te firi a’au” mobilization live because after going into the water on Saturday morning, the association is organizing a day at the Intercontinental with Te Mana o te moana and support from Ifrecor Polynesia with exhibitions, immersive videos, information posters and regular updates on the project in other countries around the world.
- Saturday from 7 a.m. in the water, then from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Intercontinental.
