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Hulver AM, Carbonne C, Teixidó N, Comeau S, Kemp DW, Keister EF, Gattuso JP, Grottoli AG. Elevated heterotrophic capacity as a strategy for Mediterranean corals to cope with low pH at CO2 vents. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306725. [PMID: 39078831 PMCID: PMC11288460 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The global increase in anthropogenic CO2 is leading to ocean warming and acidification, which is threatening corals. In Ischia, Italy, two species of Mediterranean scleractinian corals-the symbiotic Cladocora caespitosa and the asymbiotic Astroides calycularis-were collected from ambient pH sites (average pHT = 8.05) and adjacent CO2 vent sites (average pHT = 7.8) to evaluate their response to ocean acidification. Coral colonies from both sites were reared in a laboratory setting for six months at present day pH (pHT ~ 8.08) or low pH (pHT ~7.72). Previous work showed that these corals were tolerant of low pH and maintained positive calcification rates throughout the experiment. We hypothesized that these corals cope with low pH by increasing their heterotrophic capacity (i.e., feeding and/or proportion of heterotrophically derived compounds incorporated in their tissues), irrespective of site of origin, which was quantified indirectly by measuring δ13C, δ15N, and sterols. To further characterize coral health, we quantified energy reserves by measuring biomass, total lipids, and lipid classes. Additional analysis for C. caespitosa included carbohydrates (an energy reserve) and chlorophyll a (an indicator of photosynthetic capacity). Isotopic evidence shows that ambient-sourced Mediterranean corals, of both species, decreased heterotrophy in response to six months of low pH. Despite maintaining energy reserves, lower net photosynthesis (C. caespitosa) and a trend of declining calcification (A. calycularis) suggest a long-term cost to low heterotrophy under ocean acidification conditions. Conversely, vent-sourced corals maintained moderate (C. caespitosa) or high (A. calycularis) heterotrophic capacity and increased photosynthesis rates (C. caespitosa) in response to six months at low pH, allowing them to sustain themselves physiologically. Provided there is sufficient zooplankton and/or organic matter to meet their heterotrophic needs, vent-sourced corals are more likely to persist this century and potentially be a source for new corals in the Mediterranean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Marie Hulver
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Chloé Carbonne
- CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Nuria Teixidó
- CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
- Department of Integrated Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia Marine Center, Ischia, Naples, Italy
| | - Steeve Comeau
- CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
| | - Dustin W. Kemp
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Elise F. Keister
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Jean-Pierre Gattuso
- CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, Sorbonne Université, Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
- Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, Sciences Po, Paris, France
| | - Andréa G. Grottoli
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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Page CE, Anderson E, Ainsworth TD. Building living systematic reviews and reporting standards for comparative microscopic analysis of white diseases in hard corals. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11616. [PMID: 38975266 PMCID: PMC11224507 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last 4 decades, coral disease research has continued to provide reports of diseases, the occurrence and severity of disease outbreaks and associated disease signs. Histology using systematic protocols is a gold standard for the microscopic assessment of diseases in veterinary and medical research, while also providing valuable information on host condition. However, uptake of histological analysis for coral disease remains limited. Increasing disease outbreaks on coral reefs as human impacts intensify highlights a need to understand the use of histology to date in coral disease research. Here, we apply a systematic approach to collating, mapping and reviewing histological methods used to study coral diseases with 'white' signs (i.e., white diseases) in hard coral taxa and map research effort in this field spanning study design, sample processing and analysis in the 33 publications identified between 1984 and 2022. We find that studies to date have not uniformly detailed methodologies, and terminology associated with reporting and disease description is inconsistent between studies. Combined these limitations reduce study repeatability, limiting the capacity for researchers to compare disease reports. A primary outcome of this study is the provision of transparent and repeatable protocols for systematically reviewing literature associated with white diseases of hard coral taxa, and development of recommendations for standardised reporting procedures with the aim of increasing uptake of histology in addition to allowing for ongoing comparative analysis through living systematic reviews for the coral disease field.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. E. Page
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)University of New South Wales (UNSW)KensingtonNew South WalesAustralia
| | - E. Anderson
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - T. D. Ainsworth
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES)University of New South Wales (UNSW)KensingtonNew South WalesAustralia
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3
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Bartels N, Matthews JL, Lawson CA, Possell M, Hughes DJ, Raina JB, Suggett DJ. Paired metabolomics and volatilomics provides insight into transient high light stress response mechanisms of the coral Montipora mollis. Metabolomics 2024; 20:66. [PMID: 38886248 PMCID: PMC11182861 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-024-02136-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The coral holobiont is underpinned by complex metabolic exchanges between different symbiotic partners, which are impacted by environmental stressors. The chemical diversity of the compounds produced by the holobiont is high and includes primary and secondary metabolites, as well as volatiles. However, metabolites and volatiles have only been characterised in isolation so far. Here, we applied a paired metabolomic-volatilomic approach to characterise holistically the chemical response of the holobiont under stress. Montipora mollis fragments were subjected to high-light stress (8-fold higher than the controls) for 30 min. Photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency values were 7-fold higher in control versus treatment corals immediately following high-light exposure, but returned to pre-stress levels after 30 min of recovery. Under high-light stress, we identified an increase in carbohydrates (> 5-fold increase in arabinose and fructose) and saturated fatty acids (7-fold increase in myristic and oleic acid), together with a decrease in fatty acid derivatives in both metabolites and volatiles (e.g., 80% decrease in oleamide and nonanal), and other antioxidants (~ 85% decrease in sorbitol and galactitol). These changes suggest short-term light stress induces oxidative stress. Correlation analysis between volatiles and metabolites identified positive links between sorbitol, galactitol, six other metabolites and 11 volatiles, with four of these compounds previously identified as antioxidants. This suggests that these 19 compounds may be related and share similar functions. Taken together, our findings demonstrate how paired metabolomics-volatilomics may illuminate broader metabolic shifts occurring under stress and identify linkages between uncharacterised compounds to putatively determine their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Bartels
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
| | - Jennifer L Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Caitlin A Lawson
- Heron Island Research Station, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, Gladstone, 4680, Australia
| | - Malcolm Possell
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Hughes
- National Sea Simulator, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- KAUST Reefscape Restoration Initiative (KRRI) and Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Helgoe J, Davy SK, Weis VM, Rodriguez-Lanetty M. Triggers, cascades, and endpoints: connecting the dots of coral bleaching mechanisms. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:715-752. [PMID: 38217089 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The intracellular coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis is the engine that underpins the success of coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. However, the breakdown of the symbiosis and the loss of the microalgal symbiont (i.e. coral bleaching) due to environmental changes are resulting in the rapid degradation of coral reefs globally. There is an urgent need to understand the cellular physiology of coral bleaching at the mechanistic level to help develop solutions to mitigate the coral reef crisis. Here, at an unprecedented scope, we present novel models that integrate putative mechanisms of coral bleaching within a common framework according to the triggers (initiators of bleaching, e.g. heat, cold, light stress, hypoxia, hyposalinity), cascades (cellular pathways, e.g. photoinhibition, unfolded protein response, nitric oxide), and endpoints (mechanisms of symbiont loss, e.g. apoptosis, necrosis, exocytosis/vomocytosis). The models are supported by direct evidence from cnidarian systems, and indirectly through comparative evolutionary analyses from non-cnidarian systems. With this approach, new putative mechanisms have been established within and between cascades initiated by different bleaching triggers. In particular, the models provide new insights into the poorly understood connections between bleaching cascades and endpoints and highlight the role of a new mechanism of symbiont loss, i.e. 'symbiolysosomal digestion', which is different from symbiophagy. This review also increases the approachability of bleaching physiology for specialists and non-specialists by mapping the vast landscape of bleaching mechanisms in an atlas of comprehensible and detailed mechanistic models. We then discuss major knowledge gaps and how future research may improve the understanding of the connections between the diverse cascade of cellular pathways and the mechanisms of symbiont loss (endpoints).
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Helgoe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 167, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, 2701 SW Campus Way, 2403 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, OE 167, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, USA
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5
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Aji LP, Maas DL, Capriati A, Ahmad A, de Leeuw C, Becking LE. Shifts in dominance of benthic communities along a gradient of water temperature and turbidity in tropical coastal ecosystems. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17132. [PMID: 38666078 PMCID: PMC11044884 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tropical coastal benthic communities will change in species composition and relative dominance due to global (e.g., increasing water temperature) and local (e.g., increasing terrestrial influence due to land-based activity) stressors. This study aimed to gain insight into possible trajectories of coastal benthic assemblages in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, by studying coral reefs at varying distances from human activities and marine lakes with high turbidity in three temperature categories (<31 °C, 31-32 °C, and >32 °C). The benthic community diversity and relative coverage of major benthic groups were quantified via replicate photo transects. The composition of benthic assemblages varied significantly among the reef and marine lake habitats. The marine lakes <31 °C contained hard coral, crustose coralline algae (CCA), and turf algae with coverages similar to those found in the coral reefs (17.4-18.8% hard coral, 3.5-26.3% CCA, and 15-15.5% turf algae, respectively), while the higher temperature marine lakes (31-32 °C and >32 °C) did not harbor hard coral or CCA. Benthic composition in the reefs was significantly influenced by geographic distance among sites but not by human activity or depth. Benthic composition in the marine lakes appeared to be structured by temperature, salinity, and degree of connection to the adjacent sea. Our results suggest that beyond a certain temperature (>31 °C), benthic communities shift away from coral dominance, but new outcomes of assemblages can be highly distinct, with a possible varied dominance of macroalgae, benthic cyanobacterial mats, or filter feeders such as bivalves and tubeworms. This study illustrates the possible use of marine lake model systems to gain insight into shifts in the benthic community structure of tropical coastal ecosystems if hard corals are no longer dominant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludi Parwadani Aji
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Research Center for Oceanography, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | | | | | | | | | - Leontine Elisabeth Becking
- Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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6
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Williams A. Multiomics data integration, limitations, and prospects to reveal the metabolic activity of the coral holobiont. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2024; 100:fiae058. [PMID: 38653719 PMCID: PMC11067971 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiae058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Since their radiation in the Middle Triassic period ∼240 million years ago, stony corals have survived past climate fluctuations and five mass extinctions. Their long-term survival underscores the inherent resilience of corals, particularly when considering the nutrient-poor marine environments in which they have thrived. However, coral bleaching has emerged as a global threat to coral survival, requiring rapid advancements in coral research to understand holobiont stress responses and allow for interventions before extensive bleaching occurs. This review encompasses the potential, as well as the limits, of multiomics data applications when applied to the coral holobiont. Synopses for how different omics tools have been applied to date and their current restrictions are discussed, in addition to ways these restrictions may be overcome, such as recruiting new technology to studies, utilizing novel bioinformatics approaches, and generally integrating omics data. Lastly, this review presents considerations for the design of holobiont multiomics studies to support lab-to-field advancements of coral stress marker monitoring systems. Although much of the bleaching mechanism has eluded investigation to date, multiomic studies have already produced key findings regarding the holobiont's stress response, and have the potential to advance the field further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Williams
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, 76 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, 76 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States
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7
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Selmoni O, Bay LK, Exposito-Alonso M, Cleves PA. Finding genes and pathways that underlie coral adaptation. Trends Genet 2024; 40:213-227. [PMID: 38320882 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Mass coral bleaching is one of the clearest threats of climate change to the persistence of marine biodiversity. Despite the negative impacts of bleaching on coral health and survival, some corals may be able to rapidly adapt to warming ocean temperatures. Thus, a significant focus in coral research is identifying the genes and pathways underlying coral heat adaptation. Here, we review state-of-the-art methods that may enable the discovery of heat-adaptive loci in corals and identify four main knowledge gaps. To fill these gaps, we describe an experimental approach combining seascape genomics with CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to discover and validate heat-adaptive loci. Finally, we discuss how information on adaptive genotypes could be used in coral reef conservation and management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Selmoni
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Line K Bay
- Reef Recovery, Adaptation, and Restoration, Australian Institute of Marine Science; Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - Moises Exposito-Alonso
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Phillip A Cleves
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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Klepac CN, Petrik CG, Karabelas E, Owens J, Hall ER, Muller EM. Assessing acute thermal assays as a rapid screening tool for coral restoration. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1898. [PMID: 38253660 PMCID: PMC10803358 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51944-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Escalating environmental threats to coral reefs coincides with global advancements in coral restoration programs. To improve long-term efficacy, practitioners must consider incorporating genotypes resilient to ocean warming and disease while maintaining genetic diversity. Identifying such genotypes typically occurs under long-term exposures that mimic natural stressors, but these experiments can be time-consuming, costly, and introduce tank effects, hindering scalability for hundreds of nursery genotypes used for outplanting. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of the acute Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System (CBASS) against long-term exposures on the bleaching response of Acropora cervicornis, the dominant restoration species in Florida's Coral Reef. Comparing bleaching metrics, Fv/Fm, chlorophyll, and host protein, we observed similar responses between the long-term heat and the CBASS treatment of 34.3 °C, which was also the calculated bleaching threshold. This suggests the potential of CBASS as a rapid screening tool, with 90% of restoration genotypes exhibiting similar bleaching tolerances. However, variations in acute bleaching phenotypes arose from measurement timing and experiment heat accumulation, cautioning against generalizations solely based on metrics like Fv/Fm. These findings identify the need to better refine the tools necessary to quickly and effectively screen coral restoration genotypes and determine their relative tolerance for restoration interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C N Klepac
- Mote Marine Laboratory, International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA.
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | - C G Petrik
- Mote Marine Laboratory, International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
- National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
| | - E Karabelas
- Mote Marine Laboratory, International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - J Owens
- Mote Marine Laboratory, International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
- Tufts University, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - E R Hall
- Mote Marine Laboratory, International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - E M Muller
- Mote Marine Laboratory, International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
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Banister RB, Viehman TS, Schopmeyer S, van Woesik R. Environmental predictors for the restoration of a critically endangered coral, Acropora palmata, along the Florida reef tract. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296485. [PMID: 38166125 PMCID: PMC10760844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The population decline and lack of natural recovery of multiple coral species along the Florida reef tract have instigated the expanding application of coral restoration and conservation efforts. Few studies, however, have determined the optimal locations for the survival of outplanted coral colonies from restoration nurseries. This study predicts the optimal locations for Acropora palmata colonies along the Florida reef tract using a boosted-regression-tree model to examine the relationships between the occurrence of wild A. palmata and ten environmental variables. Our model results predicted A. palmata was most likely to occur in shallow reef habitats with (i) generally low mean chlorophyll-a concentrations (< 1 mg m-3), (ii) moderate fetch (3 kJ m-2), (iii) salinities between 20 and 37.5 ppt, (iv) temperatures between 20 and 32°C, (vi) low mean concentrations of total nitrogen (0.16 ppm), and (iv) irradiance between 26.5 and 53.5 mol m-2 s-1. The most suitable habitats for A. palmata were disproportionately allocated to reefs in Biscayne Bay, the Upper Keys, the western-lower Florida Keys, the Marquesas, and the Dry Tortugas. The middle Florida Keys had unfavorable environmental conditions for A. palmata habitat. Results from this study inform where A. palmata, outplanted as part of restoration and conservation efforts, would have suitable environmental conditions to persist over time. This study also provides decision-making support for management focused on the conservation and restoration of the endangered species A. palmata along the Florida reef tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond B. Banister
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States of America
| | - T. Shay Viehman
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Beaufort, NC, United States of America
| | - Stephanie Schopmeyer
- Florida Fish and Wildlife, Fish and Wildlife Research Initiative, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
| | - Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States of America
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Khen A, Wall CB, Smith JE. Standardization of in situ coral bleaching measurements highlights the variability in responses across genera, morphologies, and regions. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16100. [PMID: 37810774 PMCID: PMC10552771 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine heatwaves and regional coral bleaching events have become more frequent and severe across the world's oceans over the last several decades due to global climate change. Observational studies have documented spatiotemporal variation in the responses of reef-building corals to thermal stress within and among taxa across geographic scales. Although many tools exist for predicting, detecting, and quantifying coral bleaching, it remains difficult to compare bleaching severity (e.g., percent cover of bleached surface areas) among studies and across species or regions. For this review, we compiled over 2,100 in situ coral bleaching observations representing 87 reef-building coral genera and 250 species of common morphological groups from a total of 74 peer-reviewed scientific articles, encompassing three broad geographic regions (Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans). While bleaching severity was found to vary by region, genus, and morphology, we found that both genera and morphologies responded differently to thermal stress across regions. These patterns were complicated by (i) inconsistent methods and response metrics across studies; (ii) differing ecological scales of observations (i.e., individual colony-level vs. population or community-level); and (iii) temporal variability in surveys with respect to the onset of thermal stress and the chronology of bleaching episodes. To improve cross-study comparisons, we recommend that future surveys prioritize measuring bleaching in the same individual coral colonies over time and incorporate the severity and timing of warming into their analyses. By reevaluating and standardizing the ways in which coral bleaching is quantified, researchers will be able to track responses to marine heatwaves with increased rigor, precision, and accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Khen
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher B. Wall
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Jennifer E. Smith
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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11
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Price JT, McLachlan RH, Jury CP, Toonen RJ, Wilkins MJ, Grottoli AG. Long-term coral microbial community acclimatization is associated with coral survival in a changing climate. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291503. [PMID: 37738222 PMCID: PMC10516427 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The plasticity of some coral-associated microbial communities under stressors like warming and ocean acidification suggests the microbiome has a role in the acclimatization of corals to future ocean conditions. Here, we evaluated the acclimatization potential of coral-associated microbial communities of four Hawaiian coral species (Porites compressa, Porites lobata, Montipora capitata, and Pocillopora acuta) over 22-month mesocosm experiment. The corals were exposed to one of four treatments: control, ocean acidification, ocean warming, or combined future ocean conditions. Over the 22-month study, 33-67% of corals died or experienced a loss of most live tissue coverage in the ocean warming and future ocean treatments while only 0-10% died in the ocean acidification and control. Among the survivors, coral-associated microbial communities responded to the chronic future ocean treatment in one of two ways: (1) microbial communities differed between the control and future ocean treatment, suggesting the potential capacity for acclimatization, or (2) microbial communities did not significantly differ between the control and future ocean treatment. The first strategy was observed in both Porites species and was associated with higher survivorship compared to M. capitata and P. acuta which exhibited the second strategy. Interestingly, the microbial community responses to chronic stressors were independent of coral physiology. These findings indicate acclimatization of microbial communities may confer resilience in some species of corals to chronic warming associated with climate change. However, M. capitata genets that survived the future ocean treatment hosted significantly different microbial communities from those that died, suggesting the microbial communities of the survivors conferred some resilience. Thus, even among coral species with inflexible microbial communities, some individuals may already be tolerant to future ocean conditions. These findings suggest that coral-associated microbial communities could play an important role in the persistence of some corals and underlie climate change-driven shifts in coral community composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T. Price
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Rowan H. McLachlan
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Christopher P. Jury
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Wilkins
- Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Andréa G. Grottoli
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
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12
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Williams A, Stephens TG, Shumaker A, Bhattacharya D. Peeling back the layers of coral holobiont multi-omics data. iScience 2023; 26:107623. [PMID: 37694134 PMCID: PMC10482995 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The integration of multiple 'omics' datasets is a promising avenue for answering many important and challenging questions in biology, particularly those relating to complex ecological systems. Although multi-omics was developed using data from model organisms with significant prior knowledge and resources, its application to non-model organisms, such as coral holobionts, is less clear-cut. We explore, in the emerging rice coral model Montipora capitata, the intersection of holobiont transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and microbiome amplicon data and investigate how well they correlate under high temperature treatment. Using a typical thermal stress regime, we show that transcriptomic and proteomic data broadly capture the stress response of the coral, whereas the metabolome and microbiome datasets show patterns that likely reflect stochastic and homeostatic processes associated with each sample. These results provide a framework for interpreting multi-omics data generated from non-model systems, particularly those with complex biotic interactions among microbial partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Williams
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Timothy G. Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Alexander Shumaker
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
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13
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Richards TJ, McGuigan K, Aguirre JD, Humanes A, Bozec YM, Mumby PJ, Riginos C. Moving beyond heritability in the search for coral adaptive potential. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:3869-3882. [PMID: 37310164 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global environmental change is happening at unprecedented rates. Coral reefs are among the ecosystems most threatened by global change. For wild populations to persist, they must adapt. Knowledge shortfalls about corals' complex ecological and evolutionary dynamics, however, stymie predictions about potential adaptation to future conditions. Here, we review adaptation through the lens of quantitative genetics. We argue that coral adaptation studies can benefit greatly from "wild" quantitative genetic methods, where traits are studied in wild populations undergoing natural selection, genomic relationship matrices can replace breeding experiments, and analyses can be extended to examine genetic constraints among traits. In addition, individuals with advantageous genotypes for anticipated future conditions can be identified. Finally, genomic genotyping supports simultaneous consideration of how genetic diversity is arrayed across geographic and environmental distances, providing greater context for predictions of phenotypic evolution at a metapopulation scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Richards
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Katrina McGuigan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - J David Aguirre
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Adriana Humanes
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Yves-Marie Bozec
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Peter J Mumby
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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14
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de Souza MR, Caruso C, Ruiz-Jones L, Drury C, Gates RD, Toonen RJ. Importance of depth and temperature variability as drivers of coral symbiont composition despite a mass bleaching event. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8957. [PMID: 37268692 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35425-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are iconic examples of climate change impacts because climate-induced heat stress causes the breakdown of the coral-algal symbiosis leading to a spectacular loss of color, termed 'coral bleaching'. To examine the fine-scale dynamics of this process, we re-sampled 600 individually marked Montipora capitata colonies from across Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawai'i and compared the algal symbiont composition before and after the 2019 bleaching event. The relative proportion of the heat-tolerant symbiont Durusdinium in corals increased in most parts of the bay following the bleaching event. Despite this widespread increase in abundance of Durusdinium, the overall algal symbiont community composition was largely unchanged, and hydrodynamically defined regions of the bay retained their distinct pre-bleaching compositions. We explain ~ 21% of the total variation, of which depth and temperature variability were the most significant environmental drivers of Symbiodiniaceae community composition by site regardless of bleaching intensity or change in relative proportion of Durusdinium. We hypothesize that the plasticity of symbiont composition in corals may be constrained to adaptively match the long-term environmental conditions surrounding the holobiont, despite an individual coral's stress and bleaching response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Rocha de Souza
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA.
| | - Carlo Caruso
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Lupita Ruiz-Jones
- Chaminade University of Honolulu, 3140 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96816, USA
| | - Crawford Drury
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
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15
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Hazraty-Kari S, Morita M, Tavakoli-Kolour P, Harii S. Response of resistant larvae of the coral Acropora tenuis to future thermal stress. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 192:115060. [PMID: 37207392 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Seawater temperatures are rising rapidly and severely due to climate change, negatively affecting coral reef communities. The persistence of coral populations depends on their success during the early life stages. Thermal conditioning during the larval stage can increase coral larvae's ability to tolerate high temperatures in subsequent stages. We studied the response of resistant larvae of Acropora tenuis to thermal stress to increase their thermal tolerance during the juvenile stage. Larvae were exposed to ambient (∼26 °C) and thermal stress (∼31 °C) temperatures. Then, settlement success on preconditioned tiles was determined. After 28 days at ambient temperature, the juveniles were exposed to thermal stress for 14 days, and their survival was assessed. Our results showed that thermal stress in the larval stage did not alter the thermal tolerance of juveniles, and they could not acclimate to heat stress. As a result, the summer's heat waves could potentially threaten their resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Hazraty-Kari
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Masaya Morita
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | | | - Saki Harii
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
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16
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Haydon TD, Matthews JL, Seymour JR, Raina JB, Seymour JE, Chartrand K, Camp EF, Suggett DJ. Metabolomic signatures of corals thriving across extreme reef habitats reveal strategies of heat stress tolerance. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20221877. [PMID: 36750192 PMCID: PMC9904954 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic stressors continue to escalate worldwide, driving unprecedented declines in reef environmental conditions and coral health. One approach to better understand how corals can function in the future is to examine coral populations that thrive within present day naturally extreme habitats. We applied untargeted metabolomics (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)) to contrast metabolite profiles of Pocillopora acuta colonies from hot, acidic and deoxygenated mangrove environments versus those from adjacent reefs. Under ambient temperatures, P. acuta predominantly associated with endosymbionts of the genera Cladocopium (reef) or Durusdinium (mangrove), exhibiting elevated metabolism in mangrove through energy-generating and biosynthesis pathways compared to reef populations. Under transient heat stress, P. acuta endosymbiont associations were unchanged. Reef corals bleached and exhibited extensive shifts in symbiont metabolic profiles (whereas host metabolite profiles were unchanged). By contrast, mangrove populations did not bleach and solely the host metabolite profiles were altered, including cellular responses in inter-partner signalling, antioxidant capacity and energy storage. Thus mangrove P. acuta populations resist periodically high-temperature exposure via association with thermally tolerant endosymbionts coupled with host metabolic plasticity. Our findings highlight specific metabolites that may be biomarkers of heat tolerance, providing novel insight into adaptive coral resilience to elevated temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trent D. Haydon
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Jennifer L. Matthews
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Justin R. Seymour
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Jean-Baptiste Raina
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Jamie E. Seymour
- Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Kathryn Chartrand
- Centre for tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - David J. Suggett
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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17
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Walker NS, Nestor V, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR. Coral bleaching resistance variation is linked to differential mortality and skeletal growth during recovery. Evol Appl 2023; 16:504-517. [PMID: 36793702 PMCID: PMC9923480 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of global coral bleaching has focused much attention on the possibility of interventions to increase heat resistance. However, if high heat resistance is linked to fitness tradeoffs that may disadvantage corals in other areas, then a more holistic view of heat resilience may be beneficial. In particular, overall resilience of a species to heat stress is likely to be the product of both resistance to heat and recovery from heat stress. Here, we investigate heat resistance and recovery among individual Acropora hyacinthus colonies in Palau. We divided corals into low, moderate, and high heat resistance categories based on the number of days (4-9) needed to reach significant pigmentation loss due to experimental heat stress. Afterward, we deployed corals back onto a reef in a common garden 6-month recovery experiment that monitored chlorophyll a, mortality, and skeletal growth. Heat resistance was negatively correlated with mortality during early recovery (0-1 month) but not late recovery (4-6 months), and chlorophyll a concentration recovered in heat-stressed corals by 1-month postbleaching. However, moderate-resistance corals had significantly greater skeletal growth than high-resistance corals by 4 months of recovery. High- and low-resistance corals on average did not exhibit skeletal growth within the observed recovery period. These data suggest complex tradeoffs may exist between coral heat resistance and recovery and highlight the importance of incorporating multiple aspects of resilience into future reef management programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nia S Walker
- Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA.,Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe Hawaii USA
| | | | | | - Stephen R Palumbi
- Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA
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18
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Marzonie MR, Bay LK, Bourne DG, Hoey AS, Matthews S, Nielsen JJV, Harrison HB. The effects of marine heatwaves on acute heat tolerance in corals. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:404-416. [PMID: 36285622 PMCID: PMC10092175 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian coral populations are increasingly exposed to conditions above their upper thermal limits due to marine heatwaves, contributing to global declines of coral reef ecosystem health. However, historic mass bleaching events indicate there is considerable inter- and intra-specific variation in thermal tolerance whereby species, individual coral colonies and populations show differential susceptibility to exposure to elevated temperatures. Despite this, we lack a clear understanding of how heat tolerance varies across large contemporary and historical environmental gradients, or the selective pressures that underpin this variation. Here we conducted standardised acute heat stress experiments to identify variation in heat tolerance among species and isolated reefs spanning a large environmental gradient across the Coral Sea Marine Park. We quantified the photochemical yield (Fv /Fm ) of coral samples in three coral species, Acropora cf humilis, Pocillopora meandrina, and Pocillopora verrucosa, following exposure to four temperature treatments (local ambient temperatures, and + 3°C, +6°C and + 9°C above local maximum monthly mean). We quantified the temperature at which Fv /Fm decreased by 50% (termed ED50) and used derived values to directly compare acute heat tolerance across reefs and species. The ED50 for Acropora was 0.4-0.7°C lower than either Pocillopora species, with a 0.3°C difference between the two Pocillopora species. We also recorded 0.9°C to 1.9°C phenotypic variation in heat tolerance among reefs within species, indicating spatial heterogeneity in heat tolerance across broad environmental gradients. Acute heat tolerance had a strong positive relationship to mild heatwave exposure over the past 35 years (since 1986) but was negatively related to recent severe heatwaves (2016-2020). Phenotypic variation associated with mild thermal history in local environments provides supportive evidence that marine heatwaves are selecting for tolerant individuals and populations; however, this adaptive potential may be compromised by the exposure to recent severe heatwaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magena R. Marzonie
- Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- AIMS@JCUTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- AIMS@JCUTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - David G. Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Andrew S. Hoey
- Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Samuel Matthews
- Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Josephine J. V. Nielsen
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- AIMS@JCUTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary SciencesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Hugo B. Harrison
- Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- AIMS@JCUTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
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19
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Vega Thurber R, Schmeltzer ER, Grottoli AG, van Woesik R, Toonen RJ, Warner M, Dobson KL, McLachlan RH, Barott K, Barshis DJ, Baumann J, Chapron L, Combosch DJ, Correa AMS, DeCarlo TM, Hagedorn M, Hédouin L, Hoadley K, Felis T, Ferrier-Pagès C, Kenkel C, Kuffner IB, Matthews J, Medina M, Meyer C, Oster C, Price J, Putnam HM, Sawall Y. Unified methods in collecting, preserving, and archiving coral bleaching and restoration specimens to increase sample utility and interdisciplinary collaboration. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14176. [PMID: 36345483 PMCID: PMC9636870 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining worldwide primarily because of bleaching and subsequent mortality resulting from thermal stress. Currently, extensive efforts to engage in more holistic research and restoration endeavors have considerably expanded the techniques applied to examine coral samples. Despite such advances, coral bleaching and restoration studies are often conducted within a specific disciplinary focus, where specimens are collected, preserved, and archived in ways that are not always conducive to further downstream analyses by specialists in other disciplines. This approach may prevent the full utilization of unexpended specimens, leading to siloed research, duplicative efforts, unnecessary loss of additional corals to research endeavors, and overall increased costs. A recent US National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop set out to consolidate our collective knowledge across the disciplines of Omics, Physiology, and Microscopy and Imaging regarding the methods used for coral sample collection, preservation, and archiving. Here, we highlight knowledge gaps and propose some simple steps for collecting, preserving, and archiving coral-bleaching specimens that can increase the impact of individual coral bleaching and restoration studies, as well as foster additional analyses and future discoveries through collaboration. Rapid freezing of samples in liquid nitrogen or placing at -80 °C to -20 °C is optimal for most Omics and Physiology studies with a few exceptions; however, freezing samples removes the potential for many Microscopy and Imaging-based analyses due to the alteration of tissue integrity during freezing. For Microscopy and Imaging, samples are best stored in aldehydes. The use of sterile gloves and receptacles during collection supports the downstream analysis of host-associated bacterial and viral communities which are particularly germane to disease and restoration efforts. Across all disciplines, the use of aseptic techniques during collection, preservation, and archiving maximizes the research potential of coral specimens and allows for the greatest number of possible downstream analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Vega Thurber
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Emily R. Schmeltzer
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Andréa G. Grottoli
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fl, United States
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States
| | - Mark Warner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Kerri L. Dobson
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Rowan H. McLachlan
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States,School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Katie Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Daniel J. Barshis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Justin Baumann
- Biology Department, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
| | - Leila Chapron
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | | | | | - Thomas M. DeCarlo
- College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawai’i Pacific University, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Mary Hagedorn
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States,Conservation Biology Institute, Smithsonian, Kāne’ohe, HI, United States
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l’Environnement, Chargée de Recherches CNRS, Papetō’ai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Kenneth Hoadley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Thomas Felis
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Carly Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | | | - Jennifer Matthews
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Christopher Meyer
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian, Washington DC, United States
| | - Corinna Oster
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - James Price
- School of Earth Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Yvonne Sawall
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George’s, St. George’s, Bermuda
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20
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Doucette VE, Rodriguez Bravo LM, Altieri AH, Johnson MD. Negative effects of a zoanthid competitor limit coral calcification more than ocean acidification. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220760. [PMID: 36425521 PMCID: PMC9682307 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) threatens the persistence of reef-building corals and the habitat they provide. While species-specific effects of OA on marine organisms could have cascading effects on ecological interactions like competition, few studies have identified how benthic reef competitors respond to OA. We explored how two common Caribbean competitors, branching Porites and a colonial zoanthid (Zoanthus), respond to the factorial combination of OA and competition. In the laboratory, we exposed corals, zoanthids and interacting corals and zoanthids to ambient (8.01 ± 0.03) and OA (7.68 ± 0.07) conditions for 60 days. The OA treatment had no measured effect on zoanthids or coral calcification but decreased Porites maximum PSII efficiency. Conversely, the competitive interaction significantly decreased Porites calcification but had minimal-to-no countereffects on the zoanthid. Although this interaction was not exacerbated by the 60-day OA exposure, environmental changes that enhance zoanthid performance could add to the dominance of zoanthids over corals. The lack of effects of OA on coral calcification indicates that near-term competitive interactions may have more immediate consequences for some corals than future global change scenarios. Disparate consequences of competition have implications for community structure and should be accounted for when evaluating local coral reef trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucia M. Rodriguez Bravo
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Maggie D. Johnson
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Tenenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, MD, USA
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21
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Harman TE, Barshis DJ, Hauff Salas B, Hamsher SE, Strychar KB. Indications of symbiotic state influencing melanin-synthesis immune response in the facultative coral Astrangia poculata. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2022; 151:63-74. [PMID: 36173117 DOI: 10.3354/dao03695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Increased ocean warming is causing detrimental impacts to tropical corals worldwide. Compounding the effects of heat stress, incidences of tropical coral disease have risen concurrently. While tropical coral responses to these impacts are well studied, temperate coral responses remain largely unknown. The present study focused on the immune response of the temperate coral Astrangia poculata to increased temperature and disease. Symbiotic and aposymbiotic A. poculata were collected from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island (USA) in summer and winter seasons and exposed to control (18°C) versus elevated temperatures (26°C) in the presence of an immune stimulant (i.e. lipopolysaccharide) for a 12 h period. Prophenoloxidase (PPO) and melanin concentrations from the melanin-synthesis pathway were assessed via spectrophotometry to examine immune responses. While PPO measurements were higher on average in symbiotic corals compared with aposymbiotic corals, temperature and season did not significantly affect this metric. Melanin was significantly higher in symbiotic compared to aposymbiotic corals, implying that symbiotic state may be important for melanin-synthesis response. Conversely, melanin as an immune response may be of less importance in aposymbiotic A. poculata due to the potential capacity of other immune responses in this species. In addition, differences in resource allocation to immune investment as a result of symbiosis is plausible given melanin production observed within the present study. However, thermal stressors may reduce the overall influence of symbiosis on melanin production. Future studies should build upon these results to further understand the entirety of innate immunity responses in temperate coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler E Harman
- Annis Water Resources Institute, Grand Valley State University, 740 West Shoreline Dr, Muskegon, MI 49441, USA
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22
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Walker NS, Cornwell BH, Nestor V, Armstrong KC, Golbuu Y, Palumbi SR. Persistence of phenotypic responses to short-term heat stress in the tabletop coral Acropora hyacinthus. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269206. [PMID: 36084033 PMCID: PMC9462741 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread mapping of coral thermal resilience is essential for developing effective management strategies and requires replicable and rapid multi-location assays of heat resistance and recovery. One- or two-day short-term heat stress experiments have been previously employed to assess heat resistance, followed by single assays of bleaching condition. We tested the reliability of short-term heat stress resistance, and linked resistance and recovery assays, by monitoring the phenotypic response of fragments from 101 Acropora hyacinthus colonies located in Palau (Micronesia) to short-term heat stress. Following short-term heat stress, bleaching and mortality were recorded after 16 hours, daily for seven days, and after one and two months of recovery. To follow corals over time, we utilized a qualitative, non-destructive visual bleaching score metric that correlated with standard symbiont retention assays. The bleaching state of coral fragments 16 hours post-heat stress was highly indicative of their state over the next 7 days, suggesting that symbiont population sizes within corals may quickly stabilize post-heat stress. Bleaching 16 hours post-heat stress predicted likelihood of mortality over the subsequent 3–5 days, after which there was little additional mortality. Together, bleaching and mortality suggested that rapid assays of the phenotypic response following short-term heat stress were good metrics of the total heat treatment effect. Additionally, our data confirm geographic patterns of intraspecific variation in Palau and show that bleaching severity among colonies was highly correlated with mortality over the first week post-stress. We found high survival (98%) and visible recovery (100%) two months after heat stress among coral fragments that survived the first week post-stress. These findings help simplify rapid, widespread surveys of heat sensitivity in Acropora hyacinthus by showing that standardized short-term experiments can be confidently assayed after 16 hours, and that bleaching sensitivity may be linked to subsequent survival using experimental assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nia S. Walker
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Brendan H. Cornwell
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
| | | | - Katrina C. Armstrong
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
| | | | - Stephen R. Palumbi
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, United States of America
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23
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Vicente J, Timmers MA, Webb MK, Bahr KD, Jury CP, Toonen RJ. Ecological succession of the sponge cryptofauna in Hawaiian reefs add new insights to detritus production by pioneering species. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15093. [PMID: 36064734 PMCID: PMC9445044 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18856-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Successional theory proposes that fast growing and well dispersed opportunistic species are the first to occupy available space. However, these pioneering species have relatively short life cycles and are eventually outcompeted by species that tend to be longer-lived and have lower dispersal capabilities. Using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) as standardized habitats, we examine the assembly and stages of ecological succession among sponge species with distinctive life history traits and physiologies found on cryptic coral reef habitats of Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawaiʻi. Sponge recruitment was monitored bimonthly over 2 years on ARMS deployed within a natural coral reef habitat resembling the surrounding climax community and on ARMS placed in unestablished mesocosms receiving unfiltered seawater directly from the natural reef deployment site. Fast growing haplosclerid and calcareous sponges initially recruited to and dominated the mesocosm ARMS. In contrast, only slow growing long-lived species initially recruited to the reef ARMS, suggesting that despite available space, the stage of ecological succession in the surrounding habitat influences sponge community development in uninhabited space. Sponge composition and diversity between early summer and winter months within mesocosm ARMS shifted significantly as the initially recruited short-lived calcareous and haplosclerid species initially recruit and then died off. The particulate organic carbon contribution of dead sponge tissue from this high degree of competition-free community turnover suggests a possible new component to the sponge loop hypothesis which remains to be tested among these pioneering species. This source of detritus could be significant in early community development of young coastal habitats but less so on established coral reefs where the community is dominated by long-lived colonial sponges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Vicente
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA.
| | - Molly A Timmers
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA.,Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, 20036, USA
| | - Maryann K Webb
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Keisha D Bahr
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, 78412, USA
| | - Christopher P Jury
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
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24
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Pei JY, Yu WF, Zhang JJ, Kuo TH, Chung HH, Hu JJ, Hsu CC, Yu KF. Mass spectrometry-based metabolomic signatures of coral bleaching under thermal stress. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:7635-7646. [PMID: 36059041 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-04294-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Coral bleaching caused by climate change has resulted in large-scale coral reef decline worldwide. However, the knowledge of physiological response mechanisms of scleractinian corals under high-temperature stress is still challenging. Here, untargeted mass spectrometry-based metabolomics combining with Global Natural Product Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) was utilized to investigate the physiological response of the coral species Pavona decussata under thermal stress. A wide variety of metabolites (including lipids, fatty acids, amino acids, peptides, osmolytes) were identified as the potential biomarkers and subjected to metabolic pathway enrichment analysis. We discovered that, in the thermal-stressed P. decussata coral holobiont, (1) numerous metabolites in classes of lipids and amino acids significantly decreased, indicating an enhanced lipid hydrolysis and aminolysis that contributed to up-regulation in gluconeogenesis to meet energy demand for basic survival; (2) pantothenate and panthenol, two essential intermediates in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, were up-regulated, implying enhanced efficiency in energy production; (3) small peptides (e.g., Glu-Leu and Glu-Glu-Glu-Glu) and lyso-platelet-activating factor (lysoPAF) possibly implicated a strengthened coral immune response; (4) the down-regulation of betaine and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), known as osmolyte compounds for maintaining holobiont homeostasis, might be the result of disruption of coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Ying Pei
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Feng Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Jing Zhang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Hao Kuo
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hsiang Chung
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Jun-Jie Hu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Chih Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ke-Fu Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory On the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530000, People's Republic of China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519080, People's Republic of China.
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25
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Meng Z, Williams A, Liau P, Stephens TG, Drury C, Chiles EN, Su X, Javanmard M, Bhattacharya D. Development of a portable toolkit to diagnose coral thermal stress. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14398. [PMID: 36002502 PMCID: PMC9402530 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18653-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral bleaching, precipitated by the expulsion of the algal symbionts that provide colonies with fixed carbon is a global threat to reef survival. To protect corals from anthropogenic stress, portable tools are needed to detect and diagnose stress syndromes and assess population health prior to extensive bleaching. Here, medical grade Urinalysis strips, used to detect an array of disease markers in humans, were tested on the lab stressed Hawaiian coral species, Montipora capitata (stress resistant) and Pocillopora acuta (stress sensitive), as well as samples from nature that also included Porites compressa. Of the 10 diagnostic reagent tests on these strips, two appear most applicable to corals: ketone and leukocytes. The test strip results from M. capitata were explored using existing transcriptomic data from the same samples and provided evidence of the stress syndromes detected by the strips. We designed a 3D printed smartphone holder and image processing software for field analysis of test strips (TestStripDX) and devised a simple strategy to generate color scores for corals (reflecting extent of bleaching) using a smartphone camera (CoralDX). Our approaches provide field deployable methods, that can be improved in the future (e.g., coral-specific stress test strips) to assess reef health using inexpensive tools and freely available software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuolun Meng
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Amanda Williams
- Microbial Biology Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Pinky Liau
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Timothy G Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Crawford Drury
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Eric N Chiles
- Metabolomics Shared Resource, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Su
- Metabolomics Shared Resource, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA
| | - Mehdi Javanmard
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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26
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Knapp IS, Forsman ZH, Greene A, Johnston EC, Bardin CE, Chan N, Wolke C, Gulko D, Toonen RJ. Coral micro-fragmentation assays for optimizing active reef restoration efforts. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13653. [PMID: 35873907 PMCID: PMC9302430 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The global decline of coral reefs has driven considerable interest in active coral restoration. Despite their importance and dominance on mature reefs, relatively few coral restoration projects use slower growth forms like massive and encrusting coral species. Micro-fragmentation can increase coral cover by orders of magnitude faster than natural growth, which now allows cultivation of slow growing massive forms and shows promise and flexibility for active reef restoration. However, the major causes of variation in growth and survival of outplanted colonies remain poorly understood. Here, we report simple outplanting assays to aid in active reef restoration of slower growing species and increase the likelihood of restoration success. We used two different micro-fragmentation assays. Pyramid assays were used to examine variation associated with fragment size (ranging from ≈1-9 cm2), nursery residence time (for both in-situ and ex-situ nurseries), and 2D vs. 3D measurements of growth. Block assays were used to examine spatial variation among individual performance at outplanting sites in the field. We found 2D and 3D measurements correlated well, so measured survivorship and growth using top-down planar images for two of the main Hawaiian reef building corals, the plating Montipora capitata and the massive Porites compressa. Pyramid assays housed and outplanted from the in-situ nursery showed no effect of residence time or size on overall survivorship or growth for either species. Results from the ex-situ nursery, however, varied by species, with P. compressa again showing no effect of nursery residence time or size on survivorship or growth. In contrast, nursery culture resulted in improved survivorship of small M. capitata fragments, but net growth showed a weak positive effect of nursery time for medium fragments. Small fragments still suffered higher mortality than either medium or large fragments. Due to their lower mortality, medium fragments (≈3 cm2) appear to be the best compromise between growth and survivorship for outplanting. Likewise, given weak positive gains relative to the investment, our results suggest that it could be more cost-effective to simply outplant medium fragments as soon as possible, without intermediate culture in a nursery. Furthermore, the block assay revealed significant differences in survivorship and growth among sites for individuals of both species, emphasizing the importance of considering spatial variation in coral survival and growth following outplanting. These results highlight the value of using short-term micro-fragmentation assays prior to outplanting to assess size, and location specific performance, optimizing the efficiency of active reef restoration activities and maximizing the probability of success for active coral restoration projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid S.S. Knapp
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Moku o Lóe, Kānéohe, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Zac H. Forsman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Moku o Lóe, Kānéohe, Hawai'i, USA,Environmental Science and Monitoring, The Red Sea Development Company, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Austin Greene
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Moku o Lóe, Kānéohe, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Erika C. Johnston
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Moku o Lóe, Kānéohe, Hawai'i, USA,Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States
| | - Claire E. Bardin
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Moku o Lóe, Kānéohe, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Norton Chan
- Hawai'i Coral Restoration Nursery, Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Chelsea Wolke
- Hawai'i Coral Restoration Nursery, Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - David Gulko
- Hawai'i Coral Restoration Nursery, Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean & Earth Sciences & Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Moku o Lóe, Kānéohe, Hawai'i, USA
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27
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van Woesik R, Shlesinger T, Grottoli AG, Toonen RJ, Vega Thurber R, Warner ME, Marie Hulver A, Chapron L, McLachlan RH, Albright R, Crandall E, DeCarlo TM, Donovan MK, Eirin‐Lopez J, Harrison HB, Heron SF, Huang D, Humanes A, Krueger T, Madin JS, Manzello D, McManus LC, Matz M, Muller EM, Rodriguez‐Lanetty M, Vega‐Rodriguez M, Voolstra CR, Zaneveld J. Coral-bleaching responses to climate change across biological scales. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4229-4250. [PMID: 35475552 PMCID: PMC9545801 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The global impacts of climate change are evident in every marine ecosystem. On coral reefs, mass coral bleaching and mortality have emerged as ubiquitous responses to ocean warming, yet one of the greatest challenges of this epiphenomenon is linking information across scientific disciplines and spatial and temporal scales. Here we review some of the seminal and recent coral-bleaching discoveries from an ecological, physiological, and molecular perspective. We also evaluate which data and processes can improve predictive models and provide a conceptual framework that integrates measurements across biological scales. Taking an integrative approach across biological and spatial scales, using for example hierarchical models to estimate major coral-reef processes, will not only rapidly advance coral-reef science but will also provide necessary information to guide decision-making and conservation efforts. To conserve reefs, we encourage implementing mesoscale sanctuaries (thousands of km2 ) that transcend national boundaries. Such networks of protected reefs will provide reef connectivity, through larval dispersal that transverse thermal environments, and genotypic repositories that may become essential units of selection for environmentally diverse locations. Together, multinational networks may be the best chance corals have to persist through climate change, while humanity struggles to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global EcologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyMelbourneFloridaUSA
| | - Tom Shlesinger
- Institute for Global EcologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyMelbourneFloridaUSA
| | | | - Rob J. Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, KāneʻoheUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | | | - Mark E. Warner
- School of Marine Science and PolicyUniversity of DelawareLewesDelawareUSA
| | - Ann Marie Hulver
- School of Earth SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Leila Chapron
- School of Earth SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Rowan H. McLachlan
- School of Earth SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Department of MicrobiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Eric Crandall
- Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Mary K. Donovan
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science and School of Geographical Sciences and Urban PlanningArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - Jose Eirin‐Lopez
- Institute of EnvironmentFlorida International UniversityMiamiFloridaUSA
| | - Hugo B. Harrison
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Scott F. Heron
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Physics and Marine Geophysical LaboratoryJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological SciencesNational University of SingaporeSingapore
| | - Adriana Humanes
- School of Natural and Environmental SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas Krueger
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Joshua S. Madin
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, KāneʻoheUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Derek Manzello
- Center for Satellite Applications and ResearchSatellite Oceanography & Climate DivisionNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationCollege ParkMarylandUSA
| | - Lisa C. McManus
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, KāneʻoheUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Mikhail Matz
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Jesse Zaneveld
- Division of Biological SciencesUniversity of WashingtonBothellWashingtonUSA
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28
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terHorst CP, Coffroth MA. Individual variation in growth and physiology of symbionts in response to temperature. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9000. [PMID: 35784077 PMCID: PMC9173866 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In many cases, understanding species’ responses to climate change requires understanding variation among individuals in response to such change. For species with strong symbiotic relationships, such as many coral reef species, genetic variation in symbiont responses to temperature may affect the response to increased ocean temperatures. To assess variation among symbiont genotypes, we examined the population dynamics and physiological responses of genotypes of Breviolum antillogorgium in response to increased temperature. We found broad temperature tolerance across genotypes, with all genotypes showing positive growth at 26, 30, and 32°C. Genotypes differed in the magnitude of the response of growth rate and carrying capacity to increasing temperature, suggesting that natural selection could favor different genotypes at different temperatures. However, the historical temperature at which genotypes were reared (26 or 30°C) was not a good predictor of contemporary temperature response. We found increased photosynthetic rates and decreased respiration rates with increasing contemporary temperature, and differences in physiology among genotypes, but found no significant differences in the response of these traits to temperature among genotypes. In species with such broad thermal tolerance, selection experiments on symbionts outside of the host may not yield results sufficient for evolutionary rescue from climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey P. terHorst
- Department of Biology California State University, Northridge Northridge California USA
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29
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Jury CP, Boeing BM, Trapido-Rosenthal H, Gates RD, Toonen RJ. Nitric oxide production rather than oxidative stress and cell death is associated with the onset of coral bleaching in Pocillopora acuta. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13321. [PMID: 35669951 PMCID: PMC9166681 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Elevated seawater temperatures associated with climate change lead to coral bleaching. While the ultimate causes of bleaching are well understood, the proximate physiological mechanisms underlying the bleaching response are not as well defined. Here we measured nitric oxide synthase activity, oxidative stress, and cell death in algal symbionts (Symbiodinaceae) freshly isolated from the reef-building coral Pocillopora acuta collected in the field under natural non-bleaching conditions and from corals experimentally exposed to elevated temperatures. Nitric oxide synthase activity in the algal symbionts was >3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the host and increased dramatically with increasing temperature and time of exposure (up to 72 h), consistent with the onset of bleaching for these corals. Oxidative stress and cell death among the algal symbionts were highest in coral holobionts exposed to intermediate as opposed to maximal temperatures, suggesting that these mechanisms are not proximal triggers for bleaching in this species. Our results point to nitric oxide production by the algal symbionts, rather than symbiont dysfunction, as a more important driver of coral bleaching under acute thermal stress in this coral.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian M. Boeing
- Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, Kāneʻohe, HI, United States
| | | | - Ruth D. Gates
- Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, Kāneʻohe, HI, United States
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, Kāneʻohe, HI, United States
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30
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Galanto N, Sartor C, Moscato V, Lizama M, Lemer S. Effects of elevated temperature on reproduction and larval settlement in Leptastrea purpurea. CORAL REEFS (ONLINE) 2022; 41:293-302. [PMID: 35368716 PMCID: PMC8958488 DOI: 10.1007/s00338-022-02241-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED As global ocean temperatures continue to rise, severe declines in coral reef health and diversity are reported on a global scale. Recovery of coral reefs relies on reproduction and increased rates of successful recruitment, which can vary tremendously across coral species. We investigated the effects of increased temperatures in the environment of parental colonies on larval production, size, settlement and survival, in the heat-resistant coral Leptastrea purpurea in Guam. Thanks to two tank experiments (eleven and four weeks, respectively) conducted over two consecutive years we found that larvae released by heat-treated parents (30 °C) were significantly smaller in size but greater in number, had normal settlement behavior and increased post-settlement survival rates compared to those released by control parent colonies (28 °C). We conclude that changes in the environment of parental L. purpurea colonies trigger an anticipatory maternal effect which leads to the release of preconditioned larvae with an increased chance of survival. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00338-022-02241-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikko Galanto
- University of Guam Marine Laboratory, Mangilao, GU 96923 USA
| | | | | | - Mykel Lizama
- University of Guam Marine Laboratory, Mangilao, GU 96923 USA
| | - Sarah Lemer
- University of Guam Marine Laboratory, Mangilao, GU 96923 USA
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31
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Carlot J, Rouzé H, Barneche DR, Mercière A, Espiau B, Cardini U, Brandl SJ, Casey JM, Pérez‐Rosales G, Adjeroud M, Hédouin L, Parravicini V. Scaling up calcification, respiration, and photosynthesis rates of six prominent coral taxa. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8613. [PMID: 35342609 PMCID: PMC8933251 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Carlot
- PSL Université Paris USR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- CESAB ‐ FRB Montpellier France
| | - Héloïse Rouzé
- PSL Université Paris USR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
| | - Diego R. Barneche
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Crawley Western Australia Australia
- Oceans Institute The University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia Australia
| | - Alexandre Mercière
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS USR 3278 CRIOBE Papetoai French Polynesia
| | - Benoit Espiau
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS USR 3278 CRIOBE Papetoai French Polynesia
| | - Ulisse Cardini
- Integrative Marine Ecology Department Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn National Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology Napoli Italy
- Marine Research Institute University of Klaipeda Klaipeda Lithuania
| | - Simon J. Brandl
- PSL Université Paris USR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- CESAB ‐ FRB Montpellier France
- Department of Marine Science The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute Port Aransas Texas USA
| | - Jordan M. Casey
- PSL Université Paris USR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- Department of Marine Science The University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute Port Aransas Texas USA
| | - Gonzalo Pérez‐Rosales
- PSL Université Paris USR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS USR 3278 CRIOBE Papetoai French Polynesia
| | - Mehdi Adjeroud
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- CESAB ‐ FRB Montpellier France
- ENTROPIE, IRD Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle‐Calédonie CNRS, Ifremer Perpignan France
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS USR 3278 CRIOBE Papetoai French Polynesia
| | - Valeriano Parravicini
- PSL Université Paris USR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRS Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL” Paris France
- CESAB ‐ FRB Montpellier France
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32
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McLachlan RH, Price JT, Muñoz-Garcia A, Weisleder NL, Levas SJ, Jury CP, Toonen RJ, Grottoli AG. Physiological acclimatization in Hawaiian corals following a 22-month shift in baseline seawater temperature and pH. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3712. [PMID: 35273199 PMCID: PMC8913750 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06896-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change poses a major threat to coral reefs. We conducted an outdoor 22-month experiment to investigate if coral could not just survive, but also physiologically cope, with chronic ocean warming and acidification conditions expected later this century under the Paris Climate Agreement. We recorded survivorship and measured eleven phenotypic traits to evaluate the holobiont responses of Hawaiian coral: color, Symbiodiniaceae density, calcification, photosynthesis, respiration, total organic carbon flux, carbon budget, biomass, lipids, protein, and maximum Artemia capture rate. Survivorship was lowest in Montipora capitata and only some survivors were able to meet metabolic demand and physiologically cope with future ocean conditions. Most M. capitata survivors bleached through loss of chlorophyll pigments and simultaneously experienced increased respiration rates and negative carbon budgets due to a 236% increase in total organic carbon losses under combined future ocean conditions. Porites compressa and Porites lobata had the highest survivorship and coped well under future ocean conditions with positive calcification and increased biomass, maintenance of lipids, and the capacity to exceed their metabolic demand through photosynthesis and heterotrophy. Thus, our findings show that significant biological diversity within resilient corals like Porites, and some genotypes of sensitive species, will persist this century provided atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are controlled. Since Porites corals are ubiquitous throughout the world’s oceans and often major reef builders, the persistence of this resilient genus provides hope for future reef ecosystem function globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan H McLachlan
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA. .,Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 2820 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
| | - James T Price
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Agustí Muñoz-Garcia
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University at Mansfield, 1760 University Dr., Mansfield, OH, 44906, USA
| | - Noah L Weisleder
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The Ohio State University, 473 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Stephen J Levas
- Geography, Geology and Environmental Science, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, 800 W. Main Street, Whitewater, WI, 53190, USA
| | - Christopher P Jury
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Andréa G Grottoli
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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33
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Weeriyanun P, Collins RB, Macadam A, Kiff H, Randle JL, Quigley KM. Predicting selection-response gradients of heat tolerance in a widespread reef-building coral. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274382. [PMID: 35258617 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Ocean temperatures continue to rise owing to climate change, but it is unclear whether heat tolerance of marine organisms will keep pace with warming. Understanding how tolerance scales from individuals to species and quantifying adaptive potentials is essential to forecasting responses to warming. We reproductively crossed corals from a globally distributed species (Acropora tenuis) on the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) from three thermally distinct reefs to create 85 offspring lineages. Individuals were experimentally exposed to temperatures (27.5, 31 and 35.5°C) in adult and two critical early life stages (larval and settlement) to assess acquired heat tolerance via outcrossing of offspring phenotypes by comparing five physiological responses (photosynthetic yields, bleaching, necrosis, settlement and survival). Adaptive potentials and physiological reaction norms were calculated across three stages to integrate heat tolerance at different biological scales. Selective breeding improved larval survival to heat by 1.5-2.5× but did not result in substantial enhancement of settlement, although population crosses were significantly different. Under heat stress, adults were less variable compared with larval responses in warmer reefs than in the cooler reef. Adults and offspring also differed in their mean population responses, likely underpinned by heat stress imposing strong divergent selection on adults. These results have implications for downstream selection during reproduction, evidenced by variability in a conserved heat tolerance response across offspring lineages. These results inform our ability to forecast the impacts of climate change on wild populations of corals and will aid in developing novel conservation tools such as the assisted evolution of at-risk species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ponchanok Weeriyanun
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia.,Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 33, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Rachael B Collins
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia.,University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Alex Macadam
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia
| | - Hugo Kiff
- Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
| | - Janna L Randle
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia
| | - Kate M Quigley
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Australia
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34
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Bleaching physiology: who's the 'weakest link' - host vs. symbiont? Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:17-32. [PMID: 35179208 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Environmental stress, such as an increase in the sea surface temperature, triggers coral bleaching, a profound dysfunction of the mutualist symbiosis between the host cnidarians and their photosynthetic dinoflagellates of the Family Symbiodiniaceae. Because of climate change, mass coral bleaching events will increase in frequency and severity in the future, threatening the persistence of this iconic marine ecosystem at global scale. Strategies adapted to coral reefs preservation and restoration may stem from the identification of the succession of events and of the different molecular and cellular contributors to the bleaching phenomenon. To date, studies aiming to decipher the cellular cascade leading to temperature-related bleaching, emphasized the involvement of reactive species originating from compromised bioenergetic pathways (e.g. cellular respiration and photosynthesis). These molecules are responsible for damage to various cellular components causing the dysregulation of cellular homeostasis and the breakdown of symbiosis. In this review, we synthesize the current knowledge available in the literature on the cellular mechanisms caused by thermal stress, which can initiate or participate in the cell cascade leading to the loss of symbionts, with a particular emphasis on the role of each partner in the initiating processes.
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35
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Tuttle LJ, Donahue MJ. Effects of sediment exposure on corals: a systematic review of experimental studies. ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE 2022; 11:4. [PMID: 35154667 PMCID: PMC8818373 DOI: 10.1186/s13750-022-00256-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Management actions that address local-scale stressors on coral reefs can rapidly improve water quality and reef ecosystem condition. In response to reef managers who need actionable thresholds for coastal runoff and dredging, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies that explore the effects of sediment on corals. We identified exposure levels that 'adversely' affect corals while accounting for sediment bearing (deposited vs. suspended), coral life-history stage, and species, thus providing empirically based estimates of stressor thresholds on vulnerable coral reefs. METHODS We searched online databases and grey literature to obtain a list of potential studies, assess their eligibility, and critically appraise them for validity and risk of bias. Data were extracted from eligible studies and grouped by sediment bearing and coral response to identify thresholds in terms of the lowest exposure levels that induced an adverse physiological and/or lethal effect. Meta-regression estimated the dose-response relationship between exposure level and the magnitude of a coral's response, with random-effects structures to estimate the proportion of variance explained by factors such as study and coral species. REVIEW FINDINGS After critical appraisal of over 15,000 records, our systematic review of corals' responses to sediment identified 86 studies to be included in meta-analyses (45 studies for deposited sediment and 42 studies for suspended sediment). The lowest sediment exposure levels that caused adverse effects in corals were well below the levels previously described as 'normal' on reefs: for deposited sediment, adverse effects occurred as low as 1 mg/cm2/day for larvae (limited settlement rates) and 4.9 mg/cm2/day for adults (tissue mortality); for suspended sediment, adverse effects occurred as low as 10 mg/L for juveniles (reduced growth rates) and 3.2 mg/L for adults (bleaching and tissue mortality). Corals take at least 10 times longer to experience tissue mortality from exposure to suspended sediment than to comparable concentrations of deposited sediment, though physiological changes manifest 10 times faster in response to suspended sediment than to deposited sediment. Threshold estimates derived from continuous response variables (magnitude of adverse effect) largely matched the lowest-observed adverse-effect levels from a summary of studies, or otherwise helped us to identify research gaps that should be addressed to better quantify the dose-response relationship between sediment exposure and coral health. CONCLUSIONS We compiled a global dataset that spans three oceans, over 140 coral species, decades of research, and a range of field- and lab-based approaches. Our review and meta-analysis inform the no-observed and lowest-observed adverse-effect levels (NOAEL, LOAEL) that are used in management consultations by U.S. federal agencies. In the absence of more location- or species-specific data to inform decisions, our results provide the best available information to protect vulnerable reef-building corals from sediment stress. Based on gaps and limitations identified by our review, we make recommendations to improve future studies and recommend future synthesis to disentangle the potentially synergistic effects of multiple coral-reef stressors. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13750-022-00256-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian J. Tuttle
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744 USA
- NOAA NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, Honolulu, HI 96860 USA
| | - Megan J. Donahue
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744 USA
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36
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Machine-Learning-Based Proteomic Predictive Modeling with Thermally-Challenged Caribbean Reef Corals. DIVERSITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/d14010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Coral health is currently diagnosed retroactively; colonies are deemed “stressed” upon succumbing to bleaching or disease. Ideally, health inferences would instead be made on a pre-death timescale that would enable, for instance, environmental mitigation that could promote coral resilience. To this end, diverse Caribbean coral (Orbicella faveolata) genotypes of varying resilience to high temperatures along the Florida Reef Tract were exposed herein to elevated temperatures in the laboratory, and a proteomic analysis was taken with a subset of 20 samples via iTRAQ labeling followed by nano-liquid chromatography + mass spectrometry; 46 host coral and 40 Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellate proteins passed all stringent quality control criteria, and the partial proteomes of biopsies of (1) healthy controls, (2) sub-lethally stressed samples, and (3) actively bleaching corals differed significantly from one another. The proteomic data were then used to train predictive models of coral colony bleaching susceptibility, and both generalized regression and machine-learning-based neural networks were capable of accurately forecasting the bleaching susceptibility of coral samples based on their protein signatures. Successful future testing of the predictive power of these models in situ could establish the capacity to proactively monitor coral health.
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37
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Johnson MD, Swaminathan SD, Nixon EN, Paul VJ, Altieri AH. Differential susceptibility of reef-building corals to deoxygenation reveals remarkable hypoxia tolerance. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23168. [PMID: 34848743 PMCID: PMC8632909 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean deoxygenation threatens the persistence of coastal ecosystems worldwide. Despite an increasing awareness that coastal deoxygenation impacts tropical habitats, there remains a paucity of empirical data on the effects of oxygen limitation on reef-building corals. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted laboratory experiments with ecologically important Caribbean corals Acropora cervicornis and Orbicella faveolata. We tested the effects of continuous exposure to conditions ranging from extreme deoxygenation to normoxia (~ 1.0 to 6.25 mg L-1 dissolved oxygen) on coral bleaching, photophysiology, and survival. Coral species demonstrated markedly different temporal resistance to deoxygenation, and within a species there were minimal genotype-specific treatment effects. Acropora cervicornis suffered tissue loss and mortality within a day of exposure to severe deoxygenation (~ 1.0 mg L-1), whereas O. faveolata remained unaffected after 11 days of continuous exposure to 1.0 mg L-1. Intermediate deoxygenation treatments (~ 2.25 mg L-1, ~ 4.25 mg L-1) elicited minimal responses in both species, indicating a low oxygen threshold for coral mortality and coral resilience to oxygen concentrations that are lethal for other marine organisms. These findings demonstrate the potential for variability in species-specific hypoxia thresholds, which has important implications for our ability to predict how coral reefs may be affected as ocean deoxygenation intensifies. With deoxygenation emerging as a critical threat to tropical habitats, there is an urgent need to incorporate deoxygenation into coral reef research, management, and action plans to facilitate better stewardship of coral reefs in an era of rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie D. Johnson
- grid.452909.30000 0001 0479 0204Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL USA ,grid.1214.60000 0000 8716 3312Tenenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, MD USA ,grid.56466.370000 0004 0504 7510Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA ,grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Present Address: Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sara D. Swaminathan
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Emily N. Nixon
- grid.452909.30000 0001 0479 0204Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL USA
| | - Valerie J. Paul
- grid.452909.30000 0001 0479 0204Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL USA
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
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38
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Bollati E, Rosenberg Y, Simon-Blecher N, Tamir R, Levy O, Huang D. Untangling the molecular basis of coral response to sedimentation. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:884-901. [PMID: 34738686 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Urbanized coral reefs are often chronically affected by sedimentation and reduced light levels, yet many species of corals appear to be able to thrive under these highly disturbed conditions. Recently, these marginal ecosystems have gained attention as potential climate change refugia due to the shading effect of suspended sediment, as well as potential reservoirs for stress-tolerant species. However, little research exists on the impact of sedimentation on coral physiology, particularly at the molecular level. Here, we investigated the transcriptomic response to sediment stress in corals of the family Merulinidae from a chronically turbid reef (one genet each of Goniastrea pectinata and Mycedium elephantotus from Singapore) and a clear-water reef (multiple genets of G. pectinata from the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat). In two ex-situ experiments, we exposed corals to either natural sediment or artificial sediment enriched with organic matter and used whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA sequencing) to quantify gene expression. Analysis revealed a shared basis for the coral transcriptomic response to sediment stress, which involves the expression of genes broadly related to energy metabolism and immune response. In particular, sediment exposure induced upregulation of anaerobic glycolysis and glyoxylate bypass enzymes, as well as genes involved in hydrogen sulphide metabolism and in pathogen pattern recognition. Our results point towards hypoxia as a probable driver of this transcriptomic response, providing a molecular basis to previous work that identified hypoxia as a primary cause of tissue necrosis in sediment-stressed corals. Potential metabolic and immunity trade-offs of corals living under chronic sedimentation should be considered in future studies on the ecology and conservation of turbid reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bollati
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Yaeli Rosenberg
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Noa Simon-Blecher
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Raz Tamir
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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39
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Ziegler M, Anton A, Klein SG, Rädecker N, Geraldi NR, Schmidt-Roach S, Saderne V, Mumby PJ, Cziesielski MJ, Martin C, Frölicher TL, Pandolfi JM, Suggett DJ, Aranda M, Duarte CM, Voolstra CR. Integrating environmental variability to broaden the research on coral responses to future ocean conditions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:5532-5546. [PMID: 34391212 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the response of reef-building corals to changes in their physical environment is largely based on laboratory experiments, analysis of long-term field data, and model projections. Experimental data provide unique insights into how organisms respond to variation of environmental drivers. However, an assessment of how well experimental conditions cover the breadth of environmental conditions and variability where corals live successfully is missing. Here, we compiled and analyzed a globally distributed dataset of in-situ seasonal and diurnal variability of key environmental drivers (temperature, pCO2 , and O2 ) critical for the growth and livelihood of reef-building corals. Using a meta-analysis approach, we compared the variability of environmental conditions assayed in coral experimental studies to current and projected conditions in their natural habitats. We found that annual temperature profiles projected for the end of the 21st century were characterized by distributional shifts in temperatures with warmer winters and longer warm periods in the summer, not just peak temperatures. Furthermore, short-term hourly fluctuations of temperature and pCO2 may regularly expose corals to conditions beyond the projected average increases for the end of the 21st century. Coral reef sites varied in the degree of coupling between temperature, pCO2 , and dissolved O2 , which warrants site-specific, differentiated experimental approaches depending on the local hydrography and influence of biological processes on the carbonate system and O2 availability. Our analysis highlights that a large portion of the natural environmental variability at short and long timescales is underexplored in experimental designs, which may provide a path to extend our understanding on the response of corals to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Andrea Anton
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Esporles (Illes Balears), Spain
| | - Shannon G Klein
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Nils Rädecker
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathan R Geraldi
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Sebastian Schmidt-Roach
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Vincent Saderne
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Maha J Cziesielski
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Cecilia Martin
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Thomas L Frölicher
- Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - John M Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - David J Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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40
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Cunning R, Parker KE, Johnson-Sapp K, Karp RF, Wen AD, Williamson OM, Bartels E, D'Alessandro M, Gilliam DS, Hanson G, Levy J, Lirman D, Maxwell K, Million WC, Moulding AL, Moura A, Muller EM, Nedimyer K, Reckenbeil B, van Hooidonk R, Dahlgren C, Kenkel C, Parkinson JE, Baker AC. Census of heat tolerance among Florida's threatened staghorn corals finds resilient individuals throughout existing nursery populations. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211613. [PMID: 34666521 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid loss of reef-building corals owing to ocean warming is driving the development of interventions such as coral propagation and restoration, selective breeding and assisted gene flow. Many of these interventions target naturally heat-tolerant individuals to boost climate resilience, but the challenges of quickly and reliably quantifying heat tolerance and identifying thermotolerant individuals have hampered implementation. Here, we used coral bleaching automated stress systems to perform rapid, standardized heat tolerance assays on 229 colonies of Acropora cervicornis across six coral nurseries spanning Florida's Coral Reef, USA. Analysis of heat stress dose-response curves for each colony revealed a broad range in thermal tolerance among individuals (approx. 2.5°C range in Fv/Fm ED50), with highly reproducible rankings across independent tests (r = 0.76). Most phenotypic variation occurred within nurseries rather than between them, pointing to a potentially dominant role of fixed genetic effects in setting thermal tolerance and widespread distribution of tolerant individuals throughout the population. The identification of tolerant individuals provides immediately actionable information to optimize nursery and restoration programmes for Florida's threatened staghorn corals. This work further provides a blueprint for future efforts to identify and source thermally tolerant corals for conservation interventions worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Katherine E Parker
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kelsey Johnson-Sapp
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Richard F Karp
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alexandra D Wen
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Olivia M Williamson
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Erich Bartels
- Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration, Mote Marine Laboratory, Summerland Key, FL, USA
| | | | - David S Gilliam
- Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
| | - Grace Hanson
- Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
| | - Jessica Levy
- Coral Restoration Foundation, Key Largo, FL, USA
| | - Diego Lirman
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Kerry Maxwell
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Marathon, FL, USA
| | - Wyatt C Million
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alison L Moulding
- Protected Resources Division, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, St Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Amelia Moura
- Coral Restoration Foundation, Key Largo, FL, USA
| | - Erinn M Muller
- Coral Health and Disease Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | | | | | - Ruben van Hooidonk
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.,Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystems Division, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Carly Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John E Parkinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Andrew C Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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Voolstra CR, Valenzuela JJ, Turkarslan S, Cárdenas A, Hume BCC, Perna G, Buitrago-López C, Rowe K, Orellana MV, Baliga NS, Paranjape S, Banc-Prandi G, Bellworthy J, Fine M, Frias-Torres S, Barshis DJ. Contrasting heat stress response patterns of coral holobionts across the Red Sea suggest distinct mechanisms of thermal tolerance. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4466-4480. [PMID: 34342082 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Corals from the northern Red Sea, in particular the Gulf of Aqaba (GoA), have exceptionally high bleaching thresholds approaching >5℃ above their maximum monthly mean (MMM) temperatures. These elevated thresholds are thought to be due to historical selection, as corals passed through the warmer Southern Red Sea during recolonization from the Arabian Sea. To test this hypothesis, we determined thermal tolerance thresholds of GoA versus central Red Sea (CRS) Stylophora pistillata corals using multi-temperature acute thermal stress assays to determine thermal thresholds. Relative thermal thresholds of GoA and CRS corals were indeed similar and exceptionally high (~7℃ above MMM). However, absolute thermal thresholds of CRS corals were on average 3℃ above those of GoA corals. To explore the molecular underpinnings, we determined gene expression and microbiome response of the coral holobiont. Transcriptomic responses differed markedly, with a strong response to the thermal stress in GoA corals and their symbiotic algae versus a remarkably muted response in CRS colonies. Concomitant to this, coral and algal genes showed temperature-induced expression in GoA corals, while exhibiting fixed high expression (front-loading) in CRS corals. Bacterial community composition of GoA corals changed dramatically under heat stress, whereas CRS corals displayed stable assemblages. We interpret the response of GoA corals as that of a resilient population approaching a tipping point in contrast to a pattern of consistently elevated thermal resistance in CRS corals that cannot further attune. Such response differences suggest distinct thermal tolerance mechanisms that may affect the response of coral populations to ocean warming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Anny Cárdenas
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Gabriela Perna
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Katherine Rowe
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Monica V Orellana
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, USA.,Polar Science Center, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Nitin S Baliga
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, USA.,Departments of Biology and Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.,Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.,Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - Guilhem Banc-Prandi
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI), Eilat, Israel.,The Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Jessica Bellworthy
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI), Eilat, Israel.,The Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Maoz Fine
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences (IUI), Eilat, Israel.,The Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | | | - Daniel J Barshis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, USA
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42
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The Effects of Temperature, Light, and Feeding on the Physiology of Pocillopora damicornis, Stylophora pistillata, and Turbinaria reniformis Corals. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13152048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Evidence has shown that individually feeding or reduced light can mitigate the negative effects of elevated temperature on coral physiology. We aimed to evaluate if simultaneous low light and feeding would mitigate, minimize, or exacerbate negative effects of elevated temperature on coral physiology and carbon budgets. Pocillopora damicornis, Stylophora pistillata, and Turbinaria reniformis were grown for 28 days under a fully factorial experiment including two seawater temperatures (ambient temperature of 25 °C, elevated temperature of 30 °C), two light levels (high light of 300 μmol photons m−2 s−1, low light of 150 μmol photons m−2 s−1), and either fed (Artemia nauplii) or unfed. Coral physiology was significantly affected by temperature in all species, but the way in which low light and feeding altered their physiological responses was species-specific. All three species photo-acclimated to low light by increasing chlorophyll a. Pocillopora damicornis required feeding to meet metabolic demand irrespective of temperature but was unable to maintain calcification under low light when fed. In T. reniformis, low light mitigated the negative effect of elevated temperature on total lipids, while feeding mitigated the negative effects of elevated temperature on metabolic demand. In S. pistillata, low light compounded the negative effects of elevated temperature on metabolic demand, while feeding minimized this negative effect but was not sufficient to provide 100% metabolic demand. Overall, low light and feeding did not act synergistically, nor additively, to mitigate the negative effects of elevated temperature on P. damicornis, S. pistillata, or T. reniformis. However, feeding alone was critical to the maintenance of metabolic demand at elevated temperature, suggesting that sufficient supply of heterotrophic food sources is likely essential for corals during thermal stress (bleaching) events.
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