Beakers versus breakers: how fertilisation in the laboratory differs from fertilisation in nature

The fertilisation of free-spawning invertebrates, mainly sea urchins, has been studied extensively during the last hundred years. However, results obtained from in vitro experiments do not always reflect what happens in the real world. Organisms in their natural habitats have a complex set of challenges, cues and behaviours to contend with during fertilisation and early development, factors that are normally not considered in the laboratory setting. This review examines recent work on fertilisation ecology and discusses the relevance of these results to the findings gleaned from laboratory research. Emphasis is placed on stresses associated with fertilisation in situ, and how responses to environmental stresses (such as from turbulence, oxidative stress, ultraviolet radiation and pathogens) might affect the fertilisation process.