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Ito M, Guy-Haim T, Sawall Y, Franz M, Buchholz B, Hansen T, Neitzel P, Pansch C, Steinhoff T, Wahl M, Weinberger F, Scotti M. Responses at various levels of ecological hierarchy indicate acclimation to sequential sublethal heatwaves in a temperate benthic ecosystem. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230171. [PMID: 39034694 PMCID: PMC11293849 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0171] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Marine heatwaves have caused massive mortality in coastal benthic ecosystems, altering community composition. Here, we aim to understand the effects of single and sequential sublethal heatwaves in a temperate benthic ecosystem, investigating their disturbance on various levels of ecological hierarchy, i.e. individual physiology, trophic groups' biomass and ecosystem carbon fluxes. To do so, we performed a near-natural experiment using outdoor benthic mesocosms along spring/summer, where communities were exposed to different thermal regimes: without heatwaves (0HW), with one heatwave (1HW) and with three heatwaves (3HWs). Gastropods were negatively impacted by one single heatwave treatment, but the exposure to three sequential heatwaves caused no response, indicating ecological stress memory. The magnitude of ecosystem carbon fluxes mostly decreased after 1HW, with a marked negative impact on mesograzers' feeding, while the overall intensity of carbon fluxes increased after 3HWs. Consumers' acclimation after the exposure to sequential heatwaves increased grazing activity, representing a threat for the macroalgae biomass. The evaluation of physiological responses and ecological interactions is crucial to interpret variations in community composition and to detect early signs of stress. Our results reveal the spread of heatwave effects along the ecological hierarchical levels, helping to predict the trajectories of ecosystem development.This article is part of the theme issue 'Connected interactions: enriching food web research by spatial and social interactions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maysa Ito
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Tamar Guy-Haim
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Tel Shikmona, P.O.B. 2336, Haifa3102201, Israel
| | - Yvonne Sawall
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), 17 Ferry Reach, St George’sGE01, Bermuda
| | - Markus Franz
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Björn Buchholz
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Thomas Hansen
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Philipp Neitzel
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Christian Pansch
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku/Åbo20500, Finland
| | - Tobias Steinhoff
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Martin Wahl
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Florian Weinberger
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
| | - Marco Scotti
- Marine Ecology Research Division, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstraße 1-3, Kiel24148, Germany
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino50019, Italy
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2
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Bell JJ, Micaroni V, Strano F, Ryan KG, Mitchell K, Mitchell P, Wilkinson S, Thomas T, Batchiar R, Smith RO. Marine heatwave-driven mass mortality and microbial community reorganisation in an ecologically important temperate sponge. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17417. [PMID: 39105285 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17417] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity, disrupting global marine ecosystems. While most reported impacts have been in tropical areas, New Zealand experienced its strongest and longest MHW in 2022, profoundly affecting marine sponges. Sponges are vital to rocky benthic marine communities, with their abundance influencing ecosystem functioning. This study examines the impact of this MHW on the photosynthetic sponge Cymbastella lamellata in Fiordland, New Zealand. We describe the extent, physiological responses, mortality, microbial community changes and ecological impact of this MHW on C. lamellata. The Fiordland MHW reached a maximum temperature of 4.4°C above average, lasting for 259 days. Bleaching occurred in >90% of the C. lamellata Fiordland population. The population size exceeded 66 million from 5 to 25 m, making this the largest bleaching event of its kind ever recorded. We identified the photosynthetic symbiont as a diatom, and bleached sponges had reduced photosynthetic efficiency. Post-MHW surveys in 2023 found that over 50% of sponges at sampling sites had died but that the remaining sponges had mostly recovered from earlier bleaching. Using a simulated MHW experiment, we found that temperature stress was a driver of necrosis rather than bleaching, despite necrosis only rarely being observed in the field (<2% of sponges). This suggests that bleaching may not be the cause of the mortality directly. We also identified a microbial community shift in surviving sponges, which we propose represents a microbial-mediated adaptive response to MHWs. We also found that C. lamellata are key contributors of dissolved organic carbon to the water column, with their loss likely impacting ecosystem function. We demonstrate the potential for MHWs to disrupt key marine phyla in temperate regions, highlighting how susceptible temperate sponges globally might be to MHWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Valerio Micaroni
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Francesca Strano
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Ken G Ryan
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ramadian Batchiar
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Robert O Smith
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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3
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Roik A, Wall M, Dobelmann M, Nietzer S, Brefeld D, Fiesinger A, Reverter M, Schupp PJ, Jackson M, Rutsch M, Strahl J. Trade-offs in a reef-building coral after six years of thermal acclimation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:174589. [PMID: 38981551 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that reef-building corals can acclimate to novel and challenging thermal conditions. However, potential trade-offs that accompany acclimation remain largely unexplored. We investigated physiological trade-offs in colonies of a globally abundant coral species (Pocillopora acuta) that were acclimated ex situ to an elevated temperature of 31 °C (i.e., 1 °C above their bleaching threshold) for six years. By comparing them to conspecifics maintained at a cooler temperature, we found that the energy storage of corals was prioritized over skeletal growth at the elevated temperature. This was associated with the formation of higher density skeletons, lower calcification rates and consequently lower skeletal extension rates, which entails ramifications for future reef-building processes, structural complexity and reef community composition. Furthermore, symbionts were physiologically compromised at 31 °C and had overall lower energy reserves, likely due to increased exploitation by their host, resulting in an overall lower stress resilience of the holobiont. Our study shows how biological trade-offs of thermal acclimation unfold, helping to refine our picture of future coral reef trajectories. Importantly, our observations in this six-year study do not align with observations of short-term studies, where elevated temperatures were often associated with the depletion of energy reserves, highlighting the importance of studying acclimation of organisms at relevant biological scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Roik
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Marlene Wall
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany; GEOMAR, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
| | - Melina Dobelmann
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Samuel Nietzer
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - David Brefeld
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Anna Fiesinger
- GEOMAR, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Miriam Reverter
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Peter J Schupp
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany; Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Matthew Jackson
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Marie Rutsch
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany; Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Julia Strahl
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
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Guerrero L, Bay R. Patterns of methylation and transcriptional plasticity during thermal acclimation in a reef-building coral. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13757. [PMID: 39027686 PMCID: PMC11254580 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13757] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity can buffer organisms against short-term environmental fluctuations. For example, previous exposure to increased temperatures can increase thermal tolerance in many species. Prior studies have found that acclimation to higher temperature can influence the magnitude of transcriptional response to subsequent acute thermal stress (hereafter, "transcriptional response modulation"). However, mechanisms mediating this gene expression response and, ultimately, phenotypic plasticity remain largely unknown. Epigenetic modifications are good candidates for modulating transcriptional response, as they broadly correlate with gene expression. Here, we investigate changes in DNA methylation as a possible mechanism controlling shifts in gene expression plasticity and thermal acclimation in the reef-building coral Acropora nana. We find that gene expression response to acute stress is altered in corals acclimated to different temperatures, with many genes exhibiting a dampened response to heat stress in corals pre-conditioned to higher temperatures. At the same time, we observe shifts in methylation during both acclimation (11 days) and acute heat stress (24 h). We observed that the acute heat stress results in shifts in gene-level methylation and elicits an acute transcriptional response in distinct gene sets. Further, acclimation-induced shifts in gene expression plasticity and differential methylation also largely occur in separate sets of genes. Counter to our initial hypothesis no overall correlation between the magnitude of differential methylation and the change in gene expression plasticity. We do find a small but statistically significant overlap in genes exhibiting both dampened expression response and shifts in methylation (14 genes), which could be candidates for further inquiry. Overall, our results suggest transcriptional response modulation occurs independently from methylation changes induced by thermal acclimation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachael Bay
- University of California, DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
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5
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Strand EL, Wong KH, Farraj A, Gray S, McMenamin A, Putnam HM. Coral species-specific loss and physiological legacy effects are elicited by an extended marine heatwave. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246812. [PMID: 38774956 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246812] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity, with potentially catastrophic consequences for marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. An extended heatwave and recovery time-series that incorporates multiple stressors and is environmentally realistic can provide enhanced predictive capacity for performance under climate change conditions. We exposed common reef-building corals in Hawai'i, Montipora capitata and Pocillopora acuta, to a 2-month period of high temperature and high PCO2 conditions or ambient conditions in a factorial design, followed by 2 months of ambient conditions. High temperature, rather than high PCO2, drove multivariate physiology shifts through time in both species, including decreases in respiration rates and endosymbiont densities. Pocillopora acuta exhibited more significantly negatively altered physiology, and substantially higher bleaching and mortality than M. capitata. The sensitivity of P. acuta appears to be driven by higher baseline rates of photosynthesis paired with lower host antioxidant capacity, creating an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. Thermal tolerance of M. capitata may be partly due to harboring a mixture of Cladocopium and Durusdinium spp., whereas P. acuta was dominated by other distinct Cladocopium spp. Only M. capitata survived the experiment, but physiological state in heatwave-exposed M. capitata remained significantly diverged at the end of recovery relative to individuals that experienced ambient conditions. In future climate scenarios, particularly marine heatwaves, our results indicate a species-specific loss of corals that is driven by baseline host and symbiont physiological differences as well as Symbiodiniaceae community compositions, with the surviving species experiencing physiological legacies that are likely to influence future stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Strand
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
| | - Kevin H Wong
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Alexa Farraj
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Sierra Gray
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8P 5C2
| | - Ana McMenamin
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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6
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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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7
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Li H, Huang X, Zhan A. Context-dependent antioxidant defense system (ADS)-based stress memory in response to recurrent environmental challenges in congeneric invasive species. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:315-330. [PMID: 38827126 PMCID: PMC11136907 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-024-00228-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Marine ecosystems are facing escalating environmental fluctuations owing to climate change and human activities, imposing pressures on marine species. To withstand recurring environmental challenges, marine organisms, especially benthic species lacking behavioral choices to select optimal habitats, have to utilize well-established strategies such as the antioxidant defense system (ADS) to ensure their survival. Therefore, understanding of the mechanisms governing the ADS-based response is essential for gaining insights into adaptive strategies for managing environmental challenges. Here we conducted a comparative analysis of the physiological and transcriptional responses based on the ADS during two rounds of 'hypersalinity-recovery' challenges in two model congeneric invasive ascidians, Ciona robusta and C. savignyi. Our results demonstrated that C. savignyi exhibited higher tolerance and resistance to salinity stresses at the physiological level, while C. robusta demonstrated heightened responses at the transcriptional level. We observed distinct transcriptional responses, particularly in the utilization of two superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms. Both Ciona species developed physiological stress memory with elevated total SOD (T-SOD) and glutathione (GSH) responses, while only C. robusta demonstrated transcriptional stress memory. The regulatory distinctions within the Nrf2-Keap1 signalling pathway likely explain the formation disparity of transcriptional stress memory between both Ciona species. These findings support the 'context-dependent stress memory hypothesis', emphasizing the emergence of species-specific stress memory at diverse regulatory levels in response to recurrent environmental challenges. Our results enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of environmental challenge management in marine species, particularly those related to the ADS. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00228-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxi Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 China
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
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8
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Jiang L, Zhang P, Huang LT, Yu XL, Liu CY, Yuan XC, Liu S, Huang H. Life-stage specificity and temporal variations in transcriptomes and DNA methylomes of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis in response to thermal acclimation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171098. [PMID: 38387572 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the acclimation capacity of reef corals across generations to thermal stress and its underlying molecular underpinnings could provide insights into their resilience and adaptive responses to future climate change. Here, we acclimated adult brooding coral Pocillopora damicornis to high temperature (32 °C vs. 29 °C) for three weeks and analyzed the changes in phenotypes, transcriptomes and DNA methylomes of adult corals and their brooded larvae. Results showed that although adult corals did not show noticeable bleaching after thermal exposure, they released fewer but larger larvae. Interestingly, larval cohorts from two consecutive lunar days exhibited contrasting physiological resistance to thermal stress, as evidenced by the divergent responses of area-normalized symbiont densities and photochemical efficiency to thermal stress. RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed that adult and larval corals mounted distinct transcriptional and DNA methylation changes in response to thermal stress. Remarkably, larval transcriptomes and DNA methylomes also varied greatly among lunar days and thermal treatments, aligning well with their physiological metrics. Overall, our study shows that changes in transcriptomes and DNA methylomes in response to thermal acclimation can be highly life stage-specific. More importantly, thermally-acclimated adult corals could produce larval offspring with temporally contrasting photochemical performance and thermal resilience, and such variations in larval phenotypes are associated with differential transcriptomes and DNA methylomes, and are likely to increase the likelihood of reproductive success and plasticity of larval propagules under thermal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Pan Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lin-Tao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Cheng-Yue Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Xiang-Cheng Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.
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9
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Alessi C, Lemonnier H, Camp EF, Wabete N, Payri C, Rodolfo Metalpa R. Algal symbiont diversity in Acropora muricata from the extreme reef of Bouraké associated with resistance to coral bleaching. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296902. [PMID: 38416713 PMCID: PMC10901360 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Widespread coral bleaching has generally been linked to high water temperatures at larger geographic scales. However, the bleaching response can be highly variable among individual of the same species, between different species, and across localities; what causes this variability remains unresolved. Here, we tracked bleached and non-bleached colonies of Acropora muricata to see if they recovered or died following a stress event inside the semi-enclosed lagoon of Bouraké (New Caledonia), where corals are long-term acclimatized to extreme conditions of temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen, and at a nearby control reef where conditions are more benign. We describe Symbiodiniaceae community changes based on next-generation sequencing of the ITS2 marker, metabolic responses, and energetic reserve measures (12 physiological traits evaluated) during the La Niña warm and rainy summer in 2021. Widespread coral bleaching (score 1 and 2 on the coral colour health chart) was observed only in Bouraké, likely due to the combination of the high temperatures (up to 32°C) and heavy rain. All colonies (i.e., Bouraké and reference site) associated predominantly with Symbiodinaceae from the genera Cladocopium. Unbleached colonies in Bouraké had a specific ITS2-type profile (proxies for Symbiodiniaceae genotypes), while the bleached colonies in Bouraké had the same ITS2-type profile of the reef control colonies during the stress event. After four months, the few bleached colonies that survived in Bouraké (B2) acquired the same ITS2 type profiles of the unbleached colonies in Bouraké. In terms of physiological performances, all bleached corals showed metabolic depression (e.g., Pgross and Rdark). In contrast, unbleached colonies in Bouraké maintained higher metabolic rates and energetic reserves compared to control corals. Our study suggests that Acropora muricata enhanced their resistance to bleaching thanks to specific Symbiodiniaceae associations, while energetic reserves may increase their resilience after stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Alessi
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, ENTROPIE (UMR9220), IRD, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Hugues Lemonnier
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, ENTROPIE (UMR9220), IRD, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Emma F Camp
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Nelly Wabete
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Claude Payri
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, ENTROPIE (UMR9220), IRD, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Riccardo Rodolfo Metalpa
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, ENTROPIE (UMR9220), IRD, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Labex ICONA International CO2 Natural Analogues Network, Shimoda, Japan
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10
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Zhai X, Zhang Y, Zhou J, Li H, Wang A, Liu L. Physiological and microbiome adaptation of coral Turbinaria peltata in response to marine heatwaves. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10869. [PMID: 38322002 PMCID: PMC10844694 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Against the backdrop of global warming, marine heatwaves are projected to become increasingly intense and frequent. This trend poses a potential threat to the survival of corals and the maintenance of entire coral reef ecosystems. Despite extensive evidence for the resilience of corals to heat stress, their ability to withstand repeated heatwave events has not been determined. In this study, we examined the responses and resilience of Turbinaria peltata to repeated exposure to marine heatwaves, with a focus on physiological parameters and symbiotic microorganisms. In the first heatwave, from a physiological perspective, T. peltata showed decreases in the Chl a content and endosymbiont density and significant increases in GST, caspase-3, CAT, and SOD levels (p < .05), while the effects of repeated exposure on heatwaves were weaker than those of the initial exposure. In terms of bacteria, the abundance of Leptospira, with the potential for pathogenicity and intracellular parasitism, increased significantly during the initial exposure. Beneficial bacteria, such as Achromobacter arsenitoxydans and Halomonas desiderata increased significantly during re-exposure to the heatwave. Overall, these results indicate that T. peltata might adapt to marine heatwaves through physiological regulation and microbial community alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhai
- College of FisheriesGuangdong Ocean UniversityZhanjiangChina
| | - YanPing Zhang
- College of FisheriesGuangdong Ocean UniversityZhanjiangChina
- Guangdong Laboratory of Southern Ocean Science and EngineeringZhanjiangChina
| | - Jie Zhou
- College of FisheriesGuangdong Ocean UniversityZhanjiangChina
| | - Hao Li
- College of FisheriesGuangdong Ocean UniversityZhanjiangChina
| | - Ao Wang
- College of FisheriesGuangdong Ocean UniversityZhanjiangChina
| | - Li Liu
- College of FisheriesGuangdong Ocean UniversityZhanjiangChina
- Guangdong Laboratory of Southern Ocean Science and EngineeringZhanjiangChina
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11
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Vompe AD, Epstein HE, Speare KE, Schmeltzer ER, Adam TC, Burkepile DE, Sharpton TJ, Vega Thurber R. Microbiome ecological memory and responses to repeated marine heatwaves clarify variation in coral bleaching and mortality. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17088. [PMID: 38273492 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17088] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Microbiomes are essential features of holobionts, providing their hosts with key metabolic and functional traits like resistance to environmental disturbances and diseases. In scleractinian corals, questions remain about the microbiome's role in resistance and resilience to factors contributing to the ongoing global coral decline and whether microbes serve as a form of holobiont ecological memory. To test if and how coral microbiomes affect host health outcomes during repeated disturbances, we conducted a large-scale (32 exclosures, 200 colonies, and 3 coral species sampled) and long-term (28 months, 2018-2020) manipulative experiment on the forereef of Mo'orea, French Polynesia. In 2019 and 2020, this reef experienced the two most severe marine heatwaves on record for the site. Our experiment and these events afforded us the opportunity to test microbiome dynamics and roles in the context of coral bleaching and mortality resulting from these successive and severe heatwaves. We report unique microbiome responses to repeated heatwaves in Acropora retusa, Porites lobata, and Pocillopora spp., which included: microbiome acclimatization in A. retusa, and both microbiome resilience to the first marine heatwave and microbiome resistance to the second marine heatwave in Pocillopora spp. Moreover, observed microbiome dynamics significantly correlated with coral species-specific phenotypes. For example, bleaching and mortality in A. retusa both significantly increased with greater microbiome beta dispersion and greater Shannon Diversity, while P. lobata colonies had different microbiomes across mortality prevalence. Compositional microbiome changes, such as changes to proportions of differentially abundant putatively beneficial to putatively detrimental taxa to coral health outcomes during repeated heat stress, also correlated with host mortality, with higher proportions of detrimental taxa yielding higher mortality in A. retusa. This study reveals evidence for coral species-specific microbial responses to repeated heatwaves and, importantly, suggests that host-dependent microbiome dynamics may provide a form of holobiont ecological memory to repeated heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex D Vompe
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Hannah E Epstein
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
- School of Life Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK
| | - Kelly E Speare
- School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Emily R Schmeltzer
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Thomas C Adam
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Deron E Burkepile
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Thomas J Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
- Department of Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
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12
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Brown KT, Lenz EA, Glass BH, Kruse E, McClintock R, Drury C, Nelson CE, Putnam HM, Barott KL. Divergent bleaching and recovery trajectories in reef-building corals following a decade of successive marine heatwaves. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2312104120. [PMID: 38113265 PMCID: PMC10756270 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312104120] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasingly frequent marine heatwaves are devastating coral reefs. Corals that survive these extreme events must rapidly recover if they are to withstand subsequent events, and long-term survival in the face of rising ocean temperatures may hinge on recovery capacity and acclimatory gains in heat tolerance over an individual's lifespan. To better understand coral recovery trajectories in the face of successive marine heatwaves, we monitored the responses of bleaching-susceptible and bleaching-resistant individuals of two dominant coral species in Hawai'i, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa, over a decade that included three marine heatwaves. Bleaching-susceptible colonies of P. compressa exhibited beneficial acclimatization to heat stress (i.e., less bleaching) following repeat heatwaves, becoming indistinguishable from bleaching-resistant conspecifics during the third heatwave. In contrast, bleaching-susceptible M. capitata repeatedly bleached during all successive heatwaves and exhibited seasonal bleaching and substantial mortality for up to 3 y following the third heatwave. Encouragingly, bleaching-resistant individuals of both species remained pigmented across the entire time series; however, pigmentation did not necessarily indicate physiological resilience. Specifically, M. capitata displayed incremental yet only partial recovery of symbiont density and tissue biomass across both bleaching phenotypes up to 35 mo following the third heatwave as well as considerable partial mortality. Conversely, P. compressa appeared to recover across most physiological metrics within 2 y and experienced little to no mortality. Ultimately, these results indicate that even some visually robust, bleaching-resistant corals can carry the cost of recurring heatwaves over multiple years, leading to divergent recovery trajectories that may erode coral reef resilience in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T. Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Elizabeth A. Lenz
- University of Hawai’i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
| | - Benjamin H. Glass
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Elisa Kruse
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Rayna McClintock
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
| | - Crawford Drury
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI96744
| | - Craig E. Nelson
- University of Hawai’i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI02881
| | - Katie L. Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
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13
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Glass BH, Jones KG, Ye AC, Dworetzky AG, Barott KL. Acute heat priming promotes short-term climate resilience of early life stages in a model sea anemone. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16574. [PMID: 38077426 PMCID: PMC10704996 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Across diverse taxa, sublethal exposure to abiotic stressors early in life can lead to benefits such as increased stress tolerance upon repeat exposure. This phenomenon, known as hormetic priming, is largely unexplored in early life stages of marine invertebrates, which are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic climate change. To investigate this phenomenon, larvae of the sea anemone and model marine invertebrate Nematostella vectensis were exposed to control (18 °C) or elevated (24 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C, or 39 °C) temperatures for 1 h at 3 days post-fertilization (DPF), followed by return to control temperatures (18 °C). The animals were then assessed for growth, development, metabolic rates, and heat tolerance at 4, 7, and 11 DPF. Priming at intermediately elevated temperatures (24 °C, 30 °C, or 35 °C) augmented growth and development compared to controls or priming at 39 °C. Indeed, priming at 39 °C hampered developmental progression, with around 40% of larvae still in the planula stage at 11 DPF, in contrast to 0% for all other groups. Total protein content, a proxy for biomass, and respiration rates were not significantly affected by priming, suggesting metabolic resilience. Heat tolerance was quantified with acute heat stress exposures, and was significantly higher for animals primed at intermediate temperatures (24 °C, 30 °C, or 35 °C) compared to controls or those primed at 39 °C at all time points. To investigate a possible molecular mechanism for the observed changes in heat tolerance, the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was quantified at 11 DPF. Expression of HSP70 significantly increased with increasing priming temperature, with the presence of a doublet band for larvae primed at 39 °C, suggesting persistent negative effects of priming on protein homeostasis. Interestingly, primed larvae in a second cohort cultured to 6 weeks post-fertilization continued to display hormetic growth responses, whereas benefits for heat tolerance were lost; in contrast, negative effects of short-term exposure to extreme heat stress (39 °C) persisted. These results demonstrate that some dose-dependent effects of priming waned over time while others persisted, resulting in heterogeneity in organismal performance across ontogeny following priming. Overall, these findings suggest that heat priming may augment the climate resilience of marine invertebrate early life stages via the modulation of key developmental and physiological phenotypes, while also affirming the need to limit further anthropogenic ocean warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin H. Glass
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Katelyn G. Jones
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Angela C. Ye
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Anna G. Dworetzky
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Katie L. Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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14
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Brown KT, Genin A, Mello‐Athayde MA, Bergstrom E, Campili A, Chai A, Dove SG, Ho M, Rowell D, Sampayo EM, Radice VZ. Marine heatwaves modulate the genotypic and physiological responses of reef-building corals to subsequent heat stress. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10798. [PMID: 38099138 PMCID: PMC10719612 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Back-to-back marine heatwaves in 2016 and 2017 resulted in severe coral bleaching and mortality across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Encouragingly, some corals that survived these events exhibit increased bleaching resistance and may represent thermally tolerant populations that can better cope with ocean warming. Using the GBR as a natural laboratory, we investigated whether a history of minimal (Heron Island) or severe (Lizard Island) coral bleaching in 2016 and 2017 equates to stress tolerance in a successive heatwave (2020). We examined the genetic diversity, physiological performance, and trophic plasticity of juvenile (<10 cm) and adult (>25 cm) corals of two common genera (Pocillopora and Stylophora). Despite enduring greater cumulative heat stress (6.3°C week-1 vs. 5.6°C week-1), corals that experienced the third marine heatwave in 5 years (Lizard) exhibited twice as high survival and visual bleaching thresholds compared to corals that had not experienced significant bleaching in >10 years (Heron). Surprisingly, only one shared host-Symbiodiniaceae association was uncovered between locations (Stylophora pistillata-Cladocopium "C8 group") and there was no genetic overlap in Pocillopora-Cladocopium partnerships, suggesting turnover in species composition from recent marine heatwaves. Corals within the species complex Pocillopora that survived the 2016 and 2017 marine heatwaves at Lizard Island were the most resilient, exhibiting three times greater calcification rates than conspecifics at Heron Island. Further, surviving corals (Lizard) had distinct isotopic niches, lower host carbon, and greater host protein, while conspecifics that had not experienced recent bleaching (Heron) had two times greater symbiont carbon content, suggesting divergent trophic strategies that influenced survival (i.e., greater reliance on heterotrophy vs. symbiont autotrophy, respectively). Ultimately, while corals may experience less bleaching and survive repeated thermal stress events, species-specific trade-offs do occur, leaving open many questions related to the long-term health and recovery of coral reef ecosystems in the face of intensifying marine heatwaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Amatzia Genin
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of EilatThe Hebrew University of JerusalemEilatIsrael
| | | | | | - Adriana Campili
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville Mail CentreTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Aaron Chai
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityEast LismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Sophie G. Dove
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | | | - Devin Rowell
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Veronica Z. Radice
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of Biological SciencesOld Dominion UniversityNorfolkVirginiaUSA
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15
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Vilas Bhagwat P, Ravindran C, Irudayarajan L. Characterization of the defense properties of healthy and diseased coral mucus. J Invertebr Pathol 2023; 201:108001. [PMID: 37838065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108001] [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: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
The surface mucus layer of corals aids in feeding, silt removal, and defense against pathogens. However, first line of defense of secreted mucus of corals against tissue damage generated through pathogen or environmental factors is poorly understood. Hence, we used various methods such as a well diffusion assay and tests for quorum quenching, free radical scavenging, antioxidant enzyme expression and phenoloxidase (PO) activity to determine the mucus defense properties using mucus of healthy and diseased Porites sp. and Acropora sp. Interestingly the coral mucus showed antimicrobial activity against coral pathogens such as bacteria and protozoan ciliates. Inhibition of the N-Acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecule suggests quorum quenching. Free radical scavenging of mucus was screened using hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) methods, which was found significantly more in diseased corals (p < 0.05). Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and peroxidase activity were observed in both the diseased and healthy coral mucus. The presence of serine and metalloproteases was also detected in coral mucus. Further, phenoloxidase (PO) activity was highest in diseased coral mucus affected by pink line syndrome and white patch Acropora sp. disease than the healthy coral mucus. Thus, the present study of antimicrobial properties, antioxidant enzymes, and quorum quenching properties in coral mucus may aid in understanding the corals defense and survival against pathogens and any abiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phartade Vilas Bhagwat
- Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula-403004, Goa, India; Department of Biotechnology, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403206, India
| | - Chinnarajan Ravindran
- Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula-403004, Goa, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
| | - Lawrance Irudayarajan
- Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula-403004, Goa, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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16
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Dellaert Z, Putnam HM. Reconciling the variability in the biological response of marine invertebrates to climate change. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245834. [PMID: 37655544 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
As climate change increases the rate of environmental change and the frequency and intensity of disturbance events, selective forces intensify. However, given the complicated interplay between plasticity and selection for ecological - and thus evolutionary - outcomes, understanding the proximate signals, molecular mechanisms and the role of environmental history becomes increasingly critical for eco-evolutionary forecasting. To enhance the accuracy of our forecasting, we must characterize environmental signals at a level of resolution that is relevant to the organism, such as the microhabitat it inhabits and its intracellular conditions, while also quantifying the biological responses to these signals in the appropriate cells and tissues. In this Commentary, we provide historical context to some of the long-standing challenges in global change biology that constrain our capacity for eco-evolutionary forecasting using reef-building corals as a focal model. We then describe examples of mismatches between the scales of external signals relative to the sensors and signal transduction cascades that initiate and maintain cellular responses. Studying cellular responses at this scale is crucial because these responses are the basis of acclimation to changing environmental conditions and the potential for environmental 'memory' of prior or historical conditions through molecular mechanisms. To challenge the field, we outline some unresolved questions and suggest approaches to align experimental work with an organism's perception of the environment; these aspects are discussed with respect to human interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Dellaert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flagg Rd, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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17
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Mudge L, Bruno JF. Disturbance intensification is altering the trait composition of Caribbean reefs, locking them into a low functioning state. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14022. [PMID: 37640770 PMCID: PMC10462730 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40672-x] [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: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is intensifying natural disturbance regimes, which negatively affects some species, while benefiting others. This could alter the trait composition of ecological communities and influence resilience to disturbance. We investigated how the frequency and intensification of the regional storm regime (and likely other disturbances) is altering coral species composition and in turn resistance and recovery. We developed regional databases of coral cover and composition (3144 reef locations from 1970 to 2017) and of the path and strength of cyclonic storms in the region (including 10,058 unique storm-reef intersections). We found that total living coral cover declined steadily through 2017 (the median annual loss rate was ~ 0.25% per year). Our results also indicate that despite the observed increase in the intensity of Atlantic cyclonic storms, their effect on coral cover has decreased markedly. This could be due in part to selection for disturbance-resistant taxa in response to the intensifying disturbance regime. We found that storms accelerated the loss of threatened acroporid corals but had no measurable effect on the cover of more resilient "weedy" corals, thereby increasing their relative cover. Although resistance to disturbance has increased, recovery rates have slowed due to the dominance of small, slow-growing species. This feedback loop is locking coral communities into a low-functioning state dominated by weedy species with limited ecological or societal value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mudge
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Barefoot Ocean, LLC., Houston, Texas, USA.
| | - John F Bruno
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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18
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Lachs L, Donner SD, Mumby PJ, Bythell JC, Humanes A, East HK, Guest JR. Emergent increase in coral thermal tolerance reduces mass bleaching under climate change. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4939. [PMID: 37607913 PMCID: PMC10444816 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40601-6] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurrent mass bleaching events threaten the future of coral reefs. To persist under climate change, corals will need to endure progressively more intense and frequent marine heatwaves, yet it remains unknown whether their thermal tolerance can keep pace with warming. Here, we reveal an emergent increase in the thermal tolerance of coral assemblages at a rate of 0.1 °C/decade for a remote Pacific coral reef system. This led to less severe bleaching impacts than would have been predicted otherwise, indicating adaptation, acclimatisation or shifts in community structure. Using future climate projections, we show that if thermal tolerance continues to rise over the coming century at the most-likely historic rate, substantial reductions in bleaching trajectories are possible. High-frequency bleaching can be fully mitigated at some reefs under low-to-middle emissions scenarios, yet can only be delayed under high emissions scenarios. Collectively, our results indicate a potential ecological resilience to climate change, but still highlight the need for reducing carbon emissions in line with Paris Agreement commitments to preserve coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Lachs
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
- Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Simon D Donner
- Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability, and Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Palau International Coral Reef Center, Koror, Palau
| | - John C Bythell
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Adriana Humanes
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Holly K East
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - James R Guest
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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19
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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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20
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Lee YH, Kim MS, Lee Y, Kim DH, Lee JS. Nanoplastics induce epigenetic signatures of transgenerational impairments associated with reproduction in copepods under ocean acidification. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 449:131037. [PMID: 36842400 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) is one of many major global climate changes that pose a variety of risks to marine ecosystems in different ways. Meanwhile, there is growing concern about how nanoplastics (NPs) affect marine ecosystems. Combined exposure of marine organisms to OA and NPs is inevitable, but their interactive effects remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the multi- and transgenerational toxicity of NPs on copepods under OA conditions for ten generations. The findings revealed that OA and NPs have a synergistic negative effect on copepod reproduction across generations. In particular, the transgenerational groups showed reproductive impairments in the F1 and F2 generations (F1T and F2T), even though they were never exposed to NPs. Moreover, our epigenetic examinations demonstrated that the observed intergenerational reproductive impairments are associated with differential methylation patterns of specific genes, suggesting that the interaction of OA and NPs can pose a significant threat to the sustainability of copepod populations through epigenetic modifications. Overall, our findings provide valuable insight into the intergenerational toxicity and underlying molecular mechanisms of responses to NPs under OA conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hwan Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Min-Sub Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Yoseop Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Duck-Hyun Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea.
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21
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Shlesinger T, van Woesik R. Oceanic differences in coral-bleaching responses to marine heatwaves. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162113. [PMID: 36773903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Anomalously high ocean temperatures have increased in frequency, intensity, and duration over the last several decades because of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming and marine heatwaves. Reef-building corals are sensitive to such temperature anomalies that commonly lead to coral bleaching, mortality, and changes in community structure. Yet, despite these overarching effects, there are geographical differences in thermal regimes, evolutionary histories, and past disturbances that may lead to different bleaching responses of corals within and among oceans. Here we examined the overall bleaching responses of corals in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, using both a spatially explicit Bayesian mixed-effects model and a deep-learning neural-network model. We used a 40-year global dataset encompassing 23,288 coral-reef surveys at 11,058 sites in 88 countries, from 1980 to 2020. Focusing on ocean-wide differences we assessed the relationships between the percentage of bleached corals and different temperature-related metrics alongside a suite of environmental variables. We found that while high sea-surface temperatures were consistently, and strongly, related to coral bleaching within all oceans, there were clear geographical differences in the relationships between coral bleaching and most environmental variables. For instance, there was an increase in coral bleaching with depth in the Atlantic Ocean whereas the opposite was observed in the Indian Ocean, and no clear trend could be seen in the Pacific Ocean. The standard deviation of thermal-stress anomalies was negatively related to coral bleaching in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but not in the Indian Ocean. Globally, coral bleaching has progressively occurred at higher temperatures over the last four decades within the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, although, again, there were differences among the three oceans. Together, such patterns highlight that historical circumstances and geographical differences in oceanographic conditions play a central role in contemporary coral-bleaching responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Shlesinger
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne 32901, FL, USA
| | - Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne 32901, FL, USA.
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22
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Jiang L, Liu CY, Cui G, Huang LT, Yu XL, Sun YF, Tong HY, Zhou GW, Yuan XC, Hu YS, Zhou WL, Aranda M, Qian PY, Huang H. Rapid shifts in thermal reaction norms and tolerance of brooded coral larvae following parental heat acclimation. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:1098-1116. [PMID: 36528869 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Thermal priming of reef corals can enhance their heat tolerance; however, the legacy effects of heat stress during parental brooding on larval resilience remain understudied. This study investigated whether preconditioning adult coral Pocillopora damicornis to high temperatures (29°C and 32°C) could better prepare their larvae for heat stress. Results showed that heat-acclimated adults brooded larvae with reduced symbiont density and shifted thermal performance curves. Reciprocal transplant experiments demonstrated higher bleaching resistance and better photosynthetic and autotrophic performance in heat-exposed larvae from acclimated adults compared to unacclimated adults. RNA-seq revealed strong cellular stress responses in larvae from heat-acclimated adults that could have been effective in rescuing host cells from stress, as evidenced by the widespread upregulation of genes involved in cell cycle and mitosis. For symbionts, a molecular coordination between light harvesting, photoprotection and carbon fixation was detected in larvae from heat-acclimated adults, which may help optimize photosynthetic activity and yield under high temperature. Furthermore, heat acclimation led to opposing regulations of symbiont catabolic and anabolic pathways and favoured nutrient translocation to the host and thus a functional symbiosis. Notwithstanding, the improved heat tolerance was paralleled by reduced light-enhanced dark respiration, indicating metabolic depression for energy saving. Our findings suggest that adult heat acclimation can rapidly shift thermal tolerance of brooded coral larvae and provide integrated physiological and molecular evidence for this adaptive plasticity, which could increase climate resilience. However, the metabolic depression may be maladaptive for long-term organismal performance, highlighting the importance of curbing carbon emissions to better protect corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China
| | - Cheng-Yue Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China
| | - Guoxin Cui
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lin-Tao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya, China.,Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Lei Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya, China.,Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - You-Fang Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China
| | - Hao-Ya Tong
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China
| | - Guo-Wei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya, China.,Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Xiang-Cheng Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya, China.,Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Yi-Si Hu
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Liang Zhou
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Manuel Aranda
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.,Department of Ocean Science and Hong Kong Branch (HKB) of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.,CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Ocean Eco-Environmental Engineering, SCSIO, Sanya, China.,Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
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23
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Mancuso FP, Giommi C, Mangano MC, Airoldi L, Helmuth B, Sarà G. Evenness, biodiversity, and ecosystem function of intertidal communities along the Italian coasts: Experimental short-term response to ambient and extreme air temperatures. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:160037. [PMID: 36356730 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity can promote ecosystem functioning in both terrestrial and marine environments, emphasizing the necessity of biodiversity conservation in order to preserve critical ecosystem functions and associated services. However, the role of biodiversity in buffering ecosystem functioning under extreme events caused by climate change remains a major scientific issue, especially for intertidal systems experiencing stressors from both terrestrial and marine drivers. We performed a regional-scale field experiment along the Italian coast to investigate the response of unmanipulated intertidal communities (by using a natural biodiversity gradient) to low tide aerial exposure to both ambient and short-term extreme temperatures. We specifically investigated the relationship between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (BEF) using different biodiversity indexes (species richness, functional diversity and evenness) and the response of the intertidal communities' ecosystem functioning (community respiration rates). Furthermore, we investigated which other environmental variables could influence the BEF relationship. We show that evenness explained a greater variation in intertidal community ecosystem functioning under both temperature conditions. Species richness (the most often used diversity metric in BEF research) was unrelated to ecosystem functioning, while functional diversity was significantly related to respiration under ambient but not extreme temperatures. We highlight the importance of the short-term thermal history of the communities (measured as body temperature) in the BEF relationship as it was consistently identified as the best predictor or response under both temperature conditions. However, Chlorophyll a in seawater and variation in sea surface temperature also contributed to the BEF relationship under ambient but not under extreme conditions, showing that short-duration climate-driven events can overcome local physiological adaptations. Our findings support the importance of the BEF relationship in intertidal communities, implying that systems with more diverse and homogeneous communities may be able to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paolo Mancuso
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy.
| | - Chiara Giommi
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, CRIMAC, Calabria Marine Centre, Amendolara, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Mangano
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Dipartimento Ecologia Marina Integrata, Sede Interdipartimentale della Sicilia, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo (complesso Roosevelt), 90142 Palermo, Italy
| | - Laura Airoldi
- Department of Biology, Chioggia Hydrobiological Station Umberto D'Ancona, University of Padova, 30015 Chioggia, Italy; University of Bologna, Dipartimento di Beni Culturali & Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per le Scienze Ambientali (CIRSA), UO CoNISMa, Via S. Alberto, 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Brian Helmuth
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA 01908, USA
| | - Gianluca Sarà
- Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
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24
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Singh T, Sakai K, Ishida-Castañeda J, Iguchi A. Short-term improvement of heat tolerance in naturally growing Acropora corals in Okinawa. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14629. [PMID: 36627918 PMCID: PMC9826613 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14629] [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: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass bleaching and subsequent mortality of reef corals by heat stress has increased globally since the late 20th century, due to global warming. Some experimental studies have reported that corals may increase heat tolerance for short periods, but only a few such studies have monitored naturally-growing colonies. Therefore, we monitored the survival, growth, and bleaching status of Acropora corals in fixed plots by distinguishing individual colonies on a heat-sensitive reef flat in Okinawa, Japan. The level of heat stress, assessed by the modified version of degree heating week duration in July and August, when the seawater temperature was the highest, was minimally but significantly higher in 2017 than in 2016; however, the same colonies exhibited less bleaching and mortality in 2017 than in 2016. Another study conducted at the same site showed that the dominant unicellular endosymbiotic algal species did not change before and after the 2016 bleaching, indicating that shifting and switching of the Symbiodiniaceae community did not contribute to improved heat tolerance. Colonies that suffered from partial mortality in 2016 were completely bleached at higher rates in 2017 than those without partial mortality in 2016. The present results suggest that either genetic or epigenetic changes in coral hosts and/or algal symbionts, or the shifting or switching of microbes other than endosymbionts, may have improved coral holobiont heat tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya Singh
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Motobu, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Sakai
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Motobu, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Jun Ishida-Castañeda
- Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Akira Iguchi
- Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan,Research Laboratory on Environmentally-Conscious Developments and Technologies [E-code], National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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25
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Brown KT, Barott KL. The Costs and Benefits of Environmental Memory for Reef-Building Corals Coping with Recurring Marine Heatwaves. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1748-1755. [PMID: 35661887 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine heatwaves are occurring more frequently as climate change intensifies, resulting in global mass coral bleaching events several times per decade. Despite the time between marine heatwaves decreasing, there is evidence that reef-building corals can develop increased bleaching resistance across repetitive marine heatwaves. This phenomenon of acclimatization via environmental memory may be an important strategy to ensure coral persistence; however, we still understand very little about the apparent acclimatization or, conversely, sensitization (i.e., stress accumulation or weakening) of reef-building corals to consecutive heatwaves and its implications for the trajectory and resilience of coral reefs. Here, we highlight that not only will some corals become stress hardened via marine heatwaves, but many other individuals will suffer sensitization during repeat heatwaves that further exacerbates their stress response during repeat events and depresses fitness. Under current and predicted climate change, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of the acclimatization vs. sensitization trajectories of different species and individuals on the reef, as well as identify whether changes in bleaching susceptibility relates to physiological acclimatization, trade-offs with other biological processes, and ultimately coral persistence in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia , QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Katie L Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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26
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Keshavmurthy S, Chen TR, Liu PJ, Wang JT, Chen CA. Learning from the past is not enough to survive present and future bleaching threshold temperatures. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158379. [PMID: 36055494 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the past decade, the frequency of mass coral bleaching events has increased due to seawater temperature anomalies persisting for longer periods. Coral survival from temperature anomalies has been based on how each species in each location responds to stress, which is unique to individual species and may be due to the way stressful experiences accumulate through time in the form of ecological and physiological memory. A deeper understanding of ecological and physiological memory in corals is necessary to understand their survival strategies into the future. Laboratory experiments can help us simulate seawater temperatures experienced by corals in the past and compare their responses to those of the present and future. In this study, we sampled corals with different life history traits from one location perturbed by seawater temperature incursions (variable site) and from a second, relatively undisturbed location (stable site). We sampled across two seasons to observe the responses to bleaching threshold temperatures in the past (1998-29 °C), present (2018-31 °C), and future (2050-33 °C). Corals were healthy at 29 °C and 31 °C, but a fast-growing, temperature-susceptible coral species experienced high mortality at 33 °C compared to a slow-growing, temperature-resistant coral species. Moreover, corals from the variable site and during the spring season fared better under temperature stress. The results of this study provide insight into the possible role of life-history traits on coral's response to seasons and locations in terms of memory to long-term and short-term thermal anomalies and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ting-Ru Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jen Liu
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 974, Taiwan
| | - Jih-Terng Wang
- Department of Oceanography, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
| | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
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27
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Skinner MK. Environmental epigenetics and climate change. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2022; 9:dvac028. [PMID: 36694710 PMCID: PMC9869649 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvac028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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28
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Novi L, Bracco A. Machine learning prediction of connectivity, biodiversity and resilience in the Coral Triangle. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1359. [PMID: 36496519 PMCID: PMC9741626 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04330-8] [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: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Even optimistic climate scenarios predict catastrophic consequences for coral reef ecosystems by 2100. Understanding how reef connectivity, biodiversity and resilience are shaped by climate variability would improve chances to establish sustainable management practices. In this regard, ecoregionalization and connectivity are pivotal to designating effective marine protected areas. Here, machine learning algorithms and physical intuition are applied to sea surface temperature anomaly data over a twenty-four-year period to extract ecoregions and assess connectivity and bleaching recovery potential in the Coral Triangle and surrounding oceans. Furthermore, the impacts of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on biodiversity and resilience are quantified. We find that resilience is higher for reefs north of the Equator and that the extraordinary biodiversity of the Coral Triangle is dynamic in time and space, and benefits from ENSO. The large-scale exchange of genetic material is enhanced between the Indian Ocean and the Coral Triangle during La Niña years, and between the Coral Triangle and the central Pacific in neutral conditions. Through machine learning the outstanding biodiversity of the Coral Triangle, its evolution and the increase of species richness are contextualized through geological times, while offering new hope for monitoring its future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyuba Novi
- grid.213917.f0000 0001 2097 4943School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Program in Ocean Science & Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA
| | - Annalisa Bracco
- grid.213917.f0000 0001 2097 4943School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Program in Ocean Science & Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA
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29
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Pacherres CO, Ahmerkamp S, Koren K, Richter C, Holtappels M. Ciliary flows in corals ventilate target areas of high photosynthetic oxygen production. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4150-4158.e3. [PMID: 36002003 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.07.071] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Most tropical corals live in symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae algae whose photosynthetic production of oxygen (O2) may lead to excess O2 in the diffusive boundary layer (DBL) above the coral surface. When flow is low, cilia-induced mixing of the coral DBL is vital to remove excess O2 and prevent oxidative stress that may lead to coral bleaching and mortality. Here, we combined particle image velocimetry using O2-sensitive nanoparticles (sensPIV) with chlorophyll (Chla)-sensitive hyperspectral imaging to visualize the microscale distribution and dynamics of ciliary flows and O2 in the coral DBL in relation to the distribution of Symbiodiniaceae Chla in the tissue of the reef building coral, Porites lutea. Curiously, we found an inverse relation between O2 in the DBL and Chla in the underlying tissue, with patches of high O2 in the DBL above low Chla in the underlying tissue surrounding the polyp mouth areas and pockets of low O2 concentrations in the DBL above high Chla in the coenosarc tissue connecting neighboring polyps. The spatial segregation of Chla and O2 is related to ciliary-induced flows, causing a lateral redistribution of O2 in the DBL. In a 2D transport-reaction model of the coral DBL, we show that the enhanced O2 transport allocates parts of the O2 surplus to areas containing less chla, which minimizes oxidative stress. Cilary flows thus confer a spatially complex mass transfer in the coral DBL, which may play an important role in mitigating oxidative stress and bleaching in corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar O Pacherres
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany; Department of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 3000 Helsingør, Denmark.
| | - Soeren Ahmerkamp
- Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany; MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
| | - Klaus Koren
- Center for Water Technology, Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Claudio Richter
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany; Department of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Moritz Holtappels
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany; MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
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30
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Al-Hammady MA, Silva TF, Hussein HN, Saxena G, Modolo LV, Belasy MB, Westphal H, Farag MA. How do algae endosymbionts mediate for their coral host fitness under heat stress? A comprehensive mechanistic overview. ALGAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2022.102850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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31
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Gurr SJ, Trigg SA, Vadopalas B, Roberts SB, Putnam HM. Acclimatory gene expression of primed clams enhances robustness to elevated pCO 2. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5005-5023. [PMID: 35947503 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16644] [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: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sub-lethal exposure to environmental challenges may enhance ability to cope with chronic or repeated change, a process known as priming. In a previous study, pre-exposure to seawater enriched with pCO2 improved growth and reduced antioxidant capacity of juvenile Pacific geoduck Panopea generosa, suggesting that transcriptional shifts may drive phenotypic modifications post-priming. To this end, juvenile clams were sampled and TagSeq gene expression data analyzed after 1) a 110-day acclimation under ambient (921 μatm, naïve) and moderately-elevated pCO2 (2870 μatm, pre-exposed); then following 2) a second 7-day exposure to three pCO2 treatments (ambient: 754 μatm; moderately-elevated: 2750 μatm; severely-elevated: 4940 μatm), a 7-day return to ambient pCO2 , and a third 7-day exposure to two pCO2 treatments (ambient: 967 μatm; moderately-elevated: 3030 μatm). Pre-exposed geoducks frontloaded genes for stress and apoptosis/innate immune response, homeostatic processes, protein degradation, and transcriptional modifiers. Pre-exposed geoducks were also responsive to subsequent encounters, with gene sets enriched for mitochondrial recycling and immune defense under elevated pCO2 and energy metabolism and biosynthesis under ambient recovery. In contrast, gene sets with higher expression in naïve clams were enriched for fatty-acid degradation and glutathione components, suggesting naïve clams could be depleting endogenous fuels, with unsustainable energetic requirements if changes in carbonate chemistry persist. Collectively, our transcriptomic data indicates pCO2 priming during post-larval periods could, via gene expression regulation, enhance robustness in bivalves to environmental change. Such priming approaches may be beneficial for aquaculture, as seafood demand intensifies concurrent with increasing climate change in marine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Gurr
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Shelly A Trigg
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Steven B Roberts
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
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Han JHJ, Stefanak MP, Rodgers KS. Low-level nutrient enrichment during thermal stress delays bleaching and ameliorates calcification in three Hawaiian reef coral species. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13707. [PMID: 35855432 PMCID: PMC9288827 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Terrestrial-based nutrient pollution has emerged as one of the most detrimental factors to coral health in many reef habitats. Recent studies have shown that excessive dissolved inorganic nutrients can reduce coral thermal tolerance thresholds and even exacerbate bleaching during thermal stress, yet the effects of minor nutrient enrichment under heat stress have not been extensively studied. In this study, Lobactis scutaria, Montipora capitata, and Pocillopora acuta colonies under heated conditions (~30.5 °C) were exposed to low and balanced nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations over a 31-day heating period. Coral colonies were collected from Kāne'ohe Bay, O'ahu, which has a unique history of nutrient pollution, and held in mesocosms that allowed for environmental manipulation yet are also influenced by local field conditions. Principal findings included delays in the bleaching of nutrient-enriched heated colonies as compared to heated-only colonies, in addition to relatively greater calcification rates and lower proportions of early-stage paling. Species-specific outcomes were prevalent, with L. scutaria demonstrating no difference in calcification with enrichment under heat stress. By the end of the heating stage, however, many heated colonies were at least partially impacted by bleaching or mortality. Despite this, our findings suggest that low levels of balanced nutrient enrichment may serve as a mitigative force during thermal events. Further field-based studies will be required to assess these results in different reef habitats.
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Hughes DJ, Alexander J, Cobbs G, Kühl M, Cooney C, Pernice M, Varkey D, Voolstra CR, Suggett DJ. Widespread oxyregulation in tropical corals under hypoxia. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 179:113722. [PMID: 35537305 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia (low oxygen stress) is increasingly reported on coral reefs, caused by ocean deoxygenation linked to coastal nutrient pollution and ocean warming. While the ability to regulate respiration is a key driver of hypoxia tolerance in many other aquatic taxa, corals' oxyregulatory capabilities remain virtually unexplored. Here, we examine O2-consumption patterns across 17 coral species under declining O2 partial pressure (pO2). All corals showed ability to oxyregulate, but total positive regulation (Tpos) varied between species, ranging from 0.41 (Pocillopora damicornis) to 2.42 (P. acuta). On average, corals performed maximum regulation effort (Pcmax) at low pO2 (30% air saturation, corresponding to lower O2 levels measured on natural reef systems), and exhibited detectable regulation down to as low as <10% air saturation. Our study shows that corals are not oxyconformers as previously thought, suggesting oxyregulation is likely important for survival in dynamic O2 environments of shallow coral reefs subjected to hypoxic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Hughes
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - James Alexander
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Gary Cobbs
- Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Michael Kühl
- Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, DK 3000 Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Chris Cooney
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Deepa Varkey
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia
| | | | - David J Suggett
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
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Corinaldesi C, Varrella S, Tangherlini M, Dell'Anno A, Canensi S, Cerrano C, Danovaro R. Changes in coral forest microbiomes predict the impact of marine heatwaves on habitat-forming species down to mesophotic depths. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 823:153701. [PMID: 35134420 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global warming is causing the increase in intensity and frequency of heatwaves, which are often associated with mass mortality events of marine organisms from shallow and mesophotic rocky habitats, including gorgonians and other sessile organisms. We investigated the microbiome responses of the gorgonians Paramuricea clavata, Eunicella cavolini, and the red coral Corallium rubrum to the episodic temperature anomalies detected in the North Western Mediterranean, during August 2011. Although the investigated corals showed no signs of visible necrosis, the abundance of associated Bacteria and Archaea increased with increasing seawater temperature, suggesting their temperature-dependent proliferation. Coral microbiomes were highly sensitive to thermal anomaly amplitude and exhibited increased bacterial diversity to greater thermal shifts. This effect was explained by the decline of dominant bacterial members and the increase of new, rare and opportunistic taxa, including pathogens, revealing a direct effect of heatwave-induced alteration of the microbiomes and not a secondary consequence of coral necrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinzia Corinaldesi
- Department of Materials, Environmental Sciences and Urban Planning, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy.
| | - Stefano Varrella
- Department of Materials, Environmental Sciences and Urban Planning, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Michael Tangherlini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Fano Marine Centre, Viale Adriatico 1-N, 61032 Fano, Italy
| | - Antonio Dell'Anno
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Sara Canensi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Carlo Cerrano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy; Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy
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Cowen LJ, Putnam HM. Bioinformatics of Corals: Investigating Heterogeneous Omics Data from Coral Holobionts for Insight into Reef Health and Resilience. Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2022; 5:205-231. [PMID: 35537462 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-122120-030732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Coral reefs are home to over two million species and provide habitat for roughly 25% of all marine animals, but they are being severely threatened by pollution and climate change. A large amount of genomic, transcriptomic, and other omics data is becoming increasingly available from different species of reef-building corals, the unicellular dinoflagellates, and the coral microbiome (bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, etc.). Such new data present an opportunity for bioinformatics researchers and computational biologists to contribute to a timely, compelling, and urgent investigation of critical factors that influence reef health and resilience. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biomedical Data Science, Volume 5 is August 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenore J Cowen
- Department of Computer Science, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA;
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA;
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Johnson JV, Dick JTA, Pincheira-Donoso D. Marine protected areas do not buffer corals from bleaching under global warming. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:58. [PMID: 35508975 PMCID: PMC9066861 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02011-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rising temperature of the oceans has been identified as the primary driver of mass coral reef declines via coral bleaching (expulsion of photosynthetic endosymbionts). Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been implemented throughout the oceans with the aim of mitigating the impact of local stressors, enhancing fish biomass, and sustaining biodiversity overall. In coral reef regions specifically, protection from local stressors and the enhanced ecosystem function contributed by MPAs are expected to increase coral resistance to global-scale stressors such as marine heatwaves. However, MPAs still suffer from limitations in design, or fail to be adequately enforced, potentially reducing their intended efficacy. Here, we address the hypothesis that the local-scale benefits resulting from MPAs moderate coral bleaching under global warming related stress. RESULTS Bayesian analyses reveal that bleaching is expected to occur in both larger and older MPAs when corals are under thermal stress from marine heatwaves (quantified as Degree Heating Weeks, DHW), but this is partially moderated in comparison to the effects of DHW alone. Further analyses failed to identify differences in bleaching prevalence in MPAs relative to non-MPAs for coral reefs experiencing different levels of thermal stress. Finally, no difference in temperatures where bleaching occurs between MPA and non-MPA sites was found. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that bleaching is likely to occur under global warming regardless of protected status. Thus, while protected areas have key roles for maintaining ecosystem function and local livelihoods, combatting the source of global warming remains the best way to prevent the decline of coral reefs via coral bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack V Johnson
- Macrobiodiversity Lab, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Jaimie T A Dick
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
- Macrobiodiversity Lab, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, UK.
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Detmer AR, Cunning R, Pfab F, Brown AL, Stier AC, Nisbet RM, Moeller HV. Fertilization by coral-dwelling fish promotes coral growth but can exacerbate bleaching response. J Theor Biol 2022; 541:111087. [PMID: 35276225 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111087] [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: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Many corals form close associations with a diverse assortment of coral-dwelling fishes and other fauna. As coral reefs around the world are increasingly threatened by mass bleaching events, it is important to understand how these biotic interactions influence corals' susceptibility to bleaching. We used dynamic energy budget modeling to explore how nitrogen excreted by coral-dwelling fish affects the physiological performance of host corals. In our model, fish presence influenced the functioning of the coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis by altering nitrogen availability, and the magnitude and sign of these effects depended on environmental conditions. Although our model predicted that fish-derived nitrogen can promote coral growth, the relationship between fish presence and coral tolerance of photo-oxidative stress was non-linear. Fish excretions supported denser symbiont populations that provided protection from incident light through self-shading. However, these symbionts also used more of their photosynthetic products for their own growth, rather than sharing with the coral host, putting the coral holobiont at a higher risk of becoming carbon-limited and bleaching. The balance between the benefits of increased symbiont shading and costs of reduced carbon sharing depended on environmental conditions. Thus, while there were some scenarios under which fish presence increased corals' tolerance of light stress, fish could also exacerbate bleaching and slow or prevent subsequent recovery. We discuss how the contrast between the potentially harmful effects of fish predicted by our model and results of empirical studies may relate to key model assumptions that warrant further investigation. Overall, this study provides a foundation for future work on how coral-associated fauna influence the bioenergetics of their host corals, which in turn has implications for how these corals respond to bleaching-inducing stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Raine Detmer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
| | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Ferdinand Pfab
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Alexandra L Brown
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Adrian C Stier
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Roger M Nisbet
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Holly V Moeller
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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38
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Contingency planning for coral reefs in the Anthropocene; The potential of reef safe havens. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:107-124. [PMID: 35225326 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Reducing the global reliance on fossil fuels is essential to ensure the long-term survival of coral reefs, but until this happens, alternative tools are required to safeguard their future. One emerging tool is to locate areas where corals are surviving well despite the changing climate. Such locations include refuges, refugia, hotspots of resilience, bright spots, contemporary near-pristine reefs, and hope spots that are collectively named reef 'safe havens' in this mini-review. Safe havens have intrinsic value for reefs through services such as environmental buffering, maintaining near-pristine reef conditions, or housing corals naturally adapted to future environmental conditions. Spatial and temporal variance in physicochemical conditions and exposure to stress however preclude certainty over the ubiquitous long-term capacity of reef safe havens to maintain protective service provision. To effectively integrate reef safe havens into proactive reef management and contingency planning for climate change scenarios, thus requires an understanding of their differences, potential values, and predispositions to stress. To this purpose, I provide a high-level review on the defining characteristics of different coral reef safe havens, how they are being utilised in proactive reef management and what risk and susceptibilities they inherently have. The mini-review concludes with an outline of the potential for reef safe haven habitats to support contingency planning of coral reefs under an uncertain future from intensifying climate change.
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Horizon scan of rapidly advancing coral restoration approaches for 21st century reef management. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:125-136. [PMID: 35119476 PMCID: PMC9023016 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef restoration activity is accelerating worldwide in efforts to offset the rate of reef health declines. Many advances have already been made in restoration practices centred on coral biology (coral restoration), and particularly those that look to employ the high adaptive state and capacity of corals in order to ensure that efforts rebuilding coral biomass also equip reefs with enhanced resilience to future stress. We horizon scan the state-of-play for the many coral restoration innovations already underway across the complex life cycle for corals that spans both asexual and sexual reproduction — assisted evolution (manipulations targeted to the coral host and host-associated microbes), biobanking, as well as scalable coral propagation and planting — and how these innovations are in different stages of maturity to support new 21st century reef management frameworks. Realising the potential for coral restoration tools as management aids undoubtedly rests on validating different approaches as their application continues to scale. Whilst the ecosystem service responses to increased scaling still largely remain to be seen, coral restoration has already delivered immense new understanding of coral and coral-associated microbial biology that has long lagged behind advances in other reef sciences.
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40
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The Effects of Depth-Related Environmental Factors on Traits in Acropora cervicornis Raised in Nurseries. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14020212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Populations of Acropora cervicornis, one of the most important reef-building corals in the Caribbean, have been declining due to human activities and global climate change. This has prompted the development of strategies such as coral farms, aimed at improving the long-term viability of this coral across its geographical range. This study focuses on comprehending how seawater temperature (ST), and light levels (LL) affect the survival and growth of A. cervicornis fragments collected from three reefs in Culebra, Puerto Rico. These individuals were fragmented into three pieces of the similar sizes and placed in farms at 5, 8, and 12 m depth. The fragments, ST and LL were monitored for 11 months. Results show that fragments from shallow farms exhibit significantly higher mortalities when compared to the other two depths. Yet, growth at shallow farms was nearly 24% higher than at the other two depths. Corals grew fastest during winter, when temperature and LL were lowest, regardless of the water depth. Fragment mortality and growth origin were also influenced by reef origin. We conclude that under the current conditions, shallow farms may offer a slight advantage over deep ones provided the higher growth rate at shallow farms and the high fragment survival at all depths.
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