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Li S, Roger LM, Kumar L, Lewinski NA, Klein-Seetharaman J, Putnam HM, Yang J. High-frequency imagery to capture coral tissue (Montipora capricornis) response to environmental stress, a pilot study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283042. [PMID: 36943854 PMCID: PMC10030036 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Environment stress is a major threat to the existence of coral reefs and has generated a lot of interest in the coral research community. Under the environmental stress, corals can experience tissue loss and/or the breakdown of symbiosis between the cnidarian host and its symbiotic algae causing the coral tissue to appear white as the skeleton can be seen by transparency. Image analysis is a common method used to assess tissue response under the environmental stress. However, the traditional approach is limited by the dynamic nature of the coral-algae symbiosis. Here, we observed coral tissue response in the scleractinian coral, Montipora capricornis, using high frequency image analysis throughout the experiment, as opposed to the typical start/end point assessment method. Color analysis reveals that the process can be divided into five stages with two critical stages according to coral tissue morphology and color ratio. We further explore changes to the morphology of individual polyps by means of the Pearson correlation coefficient and recurrence plots, where the quasi-periodic and nonstationary dynamics can be identified. The recurrence quantification analysis also allows the comparison between the different polyps. Our research provides a detailed visual and mathematical analysis of coral tissue response to environmental stress, which potentially shows universal applicability. Moreover, our approach provides a robust quantitative advancement for improving our insight into a suite of biotic responses in the perspective of coral health evaluation and fate prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaifeng Li
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Liza M Roger
- Department of Chemical and Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | - Lokender Kumar
- Department of Physics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, United States of America
| | - Nastassja A Lewinski
- Department of Chemical and Life Science and Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States of America
| | | | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States of America
| | - Jinkyu Yang
- Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Lewis BM, Suggett DS, Prentis PJ, Nothdurft LD. Cellular adaptations leading to coral fragment attachment on artificial substrates in Acropora millepora (Am-CAM). Sci Rep 2022; 12:18431. [PMID: 36319668 PMCID: PMC9626494 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23134-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive propagation by asexual fragmentation in the reef-building coral Acropora millepora depends on (1) successful attachment to the reef substrate through modification of soft tissues and (2) a permanent bond with skeletal encrustation. Despite decades of research examining asexual propagation in corals, the initial response, cellular reorganisation, and development leading to fragment substrate attachment via a newly formed skeleton has not been documented in its entirety. Here, we establish the first "coral attachment model" for this species ("Am-CAM") by developing novel methods that allow correlation of fluorescence and electron microscopy image data with in vivo microscopic time-lapse imagery. This multi-scale imaging approach identified three distinct phases involved in asexual propagation: (1) the contact response of the coral fragment when contact with the substrate, followed by (2) fragment stabilisation through anchoring by the soft tissue, and (3) formation of a "lappet-like appendage" structure leading to substrate bonding of the tissue for encrustation through the onset of skeletal calcification. In developing Am-CAM, we provide new biological insights that can enable reef researchers, managers and coral restoration practitioners to begin evaluating attachment effectiveness, which is needed to optimise species-substrate compatibility and achieve effective outplanting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M. Lewis
- grid.1024.70000000089150953School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - David S. Suggett
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Peter J. Prentis
- grid.1024.70000000089150953Centre for Agriculture and Bioeconomy and School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Luke D. Nothdurft
- grid.1024.70000000089150953School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
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