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Backstrom CH, Padilla-Gamiño JL, Spalding HL, Roth MS, Smith CM, Gates RD, Rodrigues LJ. Mesophotic corals in Hawai'i maintain autotrophy to survive low-light conditions. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20231534. [PMID: 38378154 PMCID: PMC10878818 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In mesophotic coral ecosystems, reef-building corals and their photosynthetic symbionts can survive with less than 1% of surface irradiance. How depth-specialist corals rely upon autotrophically and heterotrophically derived energy sources across the mesophotic zone remains unclear. We analysed the stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values of a Leptoseris community from the 'Au'au Channel, Maui, Hawai'i (65-125 m) including four coral host species living symbiotically with three algal haplotypes. We characterized the isotope values of hosts and symbionts across species and depth to compare trophic strategies. Symbiont δ13C was consistently 0.5‰ higher than host δ13C at all depths. Mean colony host and symbiont δ15N differed by up to 3.7‰ at shallow depths and converged at deeper depths. These results suggest that both heterotrophy and autotrophy remained integral to colony survival across depth. The increasing similarity between host and symbiont δ15N at deeper depths suggests that nitrogen is more efficiently shared between mesophotic coral hosts and their algal symbionts to sustain autotrophy. Isotopic trends across depth did not generally vary by host species or algal haplotype, suggesting that photosynthesis remains essential to Leptoseris survival and growth despite low light availability in the mesophotic zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum H. Backstrom
- Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, 800 E Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | | | - Heather L. Spalding
- Department of Biology, College of Charleston, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424, USA
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai‘i, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Melissa S. Roth
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 441 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3102, USA
| | - Celia M. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai‘i, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | | | - Lisa J. Rodrigues
- Department of Geography and the Environment, Villanova University, 800 E Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085, USA
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2
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Tavakoli-Kolour P, Sinniger F, Morita M, Hazraty-Kari S, Nakamura T, Harii S. Plasticity of shallow reef corals across a depth gradient. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115792. [PMID: 37984089 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115792] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Global warming harms coral reefs. Mesophotic coral reef ecosystems (MCEs) have been suggested to serve as refugia for shallow reefs. Information on the adaptation potential of shallow corals at MCEs is a prerequisite for understanding the refuge potential of MCEs. In this study, we investigated the photoacclimation potential of four shallow coral species transplanted at different depths over 1 year. The results showed that the corals-Pocillopora damicornis, Porites cylindrica, and Turbinaria reniformis-survived and acclimated to a wide range of light regimes at the depths of 5, 20, and 40 m. However, Acropora tenuis survived only at 5 and 20 m depth and showed significant morphological alteration at 20 m depth. Our results indicate that shallow corals have substantial plasticity with respect to depth changes. Changes in photosynthetic performance and phenotypic plasticity within these coral species may act as a buffer for depth-related changes and as modulators of evolutionary responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parviz Tavakoli-Kolour
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
| | - Frederic Sinniger
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Masaya Morita
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Sanaz Hazraty-Kari
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakamura
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan; Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Saki Harii
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
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3
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Zhang W, Li J, Cheng X, Yu H, Cai S. Late paleozoic climate revealed by coral fossil patterns. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290127. [PMID: 37582110 PMCID: PMC10426913 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of coral fossils with clear growth lines inShiqiantan Formation (310 Ma) in China showed the growth line increments of a single coral growing in this area is related to the sunlight illumination time. Moreover, the daily increment of the growth line caused by calcium carbonate depositions has an unusual bimodal curve. The study of this bimodal curve indicated Shiqiantan had evident four-season changes in the Late Carboniferous period, and the climate at that time was similar to that of modern North China. The present paper updates the oldest existing record of climate analysis materials and provides important information for the study of Late Paleozoic climate, as well as the ancient obliquity of ecliptic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Zhang
- Department of Mathematics, Physics and Information Sciences, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of AOP Physics, University of Oxford, Wellington Square, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jiaju Li
- Department of Mathematics, Physics and Information Sciences, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue Cheng
- Department of Mathematics, Physics and Information Sciences, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hangjie Yu
- Department of Physics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Canton, China
| | - Shaomin Cai
- Department of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
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4
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Kramer N, Tamir R, Galindo-Martínez CT, Wangpraseurt D, Loya Y. Light pollution alters the skeletal morphology of coral juveniles and impairs their light capture capacity. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115212. [PMID: 37385181 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization and infrastructure development have changed the night-time light regime of many coastal marine habitats. Consequently, Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) is becoming a global ecological concern, particularly in nearshore coral reef ecosystems. However, the effects of ALAN on coral architecture and their optical properties are unexplored. Here, we conducted a long-term ex situ experiment (30 months from settlement) on juvenile Stylophora pistillata corals grown under ALAN conditions using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and fluorescent lamps, mimicking light-polluted habitats. We found that corals exposed to ALAN exhibited altered skeletal morphology that subsequently resulted in reduced light capture capacity, while also gaining better structural and optical modifications to increased light levels than their ambient-light counterparts. Additionally, light-polluted corals developed a more porous skeleton compared to the control corals. We suggest that ALAN induces light stress in corals, leading to a decrease in the solar energy available for photosynthesis during daytime illumination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Netanel Kramer
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Raz Tamir
- Israel Oceanography & Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Daniel Wangpraseurt
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego,San Diego, USA; Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, USA
| | - Yossi Loya
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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5
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Rinsky M, Weizman E, Ben-Asher HW, Eyal G, Zhu B, Levy O. Temporal gene expression patterns in the coral Euphyllia paradivisa reveal the complexity of biological clocks in the cnidarian-algal symbiosis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo6467. [PMID: 36112690 PMCID: PMC9481131 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo6467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Studying chronobiology in reef-building corals is challenging due to the tightly coupled symbiosis with their photosynthetic algae, Symbiodiniaceae. Although symbiosis requires metabolic synchronization and coordination of cellular processes in the holobiont, the cross-talk between the host and symbiont's clocks is still puzzling. Here, we use the mesophotic coral Euphyllia paradivisa to examine temporal gene expression patterns in symbiotic and aposymbiotic morphs exposed to natural light/dark cycles and constant darkness. Our comparative transcriptomic analyses revealed circadian and circatidal cycles of gene expression with a predominant diel pattern in both coral morphs. We found a substantial number of transcripts consistently rhythmic under both light conditions, including genes likely involved in the cnidarians' circadian clock, thus indicating that an endogenous clock, which can oscillate independently from the Symbiodiniaceae clock, exists in E. paradivisa. The analysis further manifests the remarkable impacts of symbiosis on transcriptional rhythms and implies that the algae's presence influences the host's biorhythm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mieka Rinsky
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Eviatar Weizman
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Hiba Waldman Ben-Asher
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Gal Eyal
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Bokai Zhu
- Aging Institute of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Oren Levy
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
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6
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Bollati E, Lyndby NH, D'Angelo C, Kühl M, Wiedenmann J, Wangpraseurt D. Green fluorescent protein-like pigments optimize the internal light environment in symbiotic reef building corals. eLife 2022; 11:73521. [PMID: 35801683 PMCID: PMC9342951 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigments homologous to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) have been proposed to fine-tune the internal light microclimate of corals, facilitating photoacclimation of photosynthetic coral symbionts (Symbiodiniaceae) to life in different reef habitats and environmental conditions. However, direct measurements of the in vivo light conditions inside the coral tissue supporting this conclusion are lacking. Here, we quantified the intra-tissue spectral light environment of corals expressing GFP-like proteins from widely different light regimes. We focus on: (1) photoconvertible red fluorescent proteins (pcRFPs), thought to enhance photosynthesis in mesophotic habitats via wavelength conversion, and (2) chromoproteins (CPs), which provide photoprotection to the symbionts in shallow water via light absorption. Optical microsensor measurements indicated that both pigment groups strongly alter the coral intra-tissue light environment. Estimates derived from light spectra measured in pcRFP-containing corals showed that fluorescence emission can contribute to >50% of orange-red light available to the photosynthetic symbionts at mesophotic depths. We further show that upregulation of pink CPs in shallow-water corals during bleaching leads to a reduction of orange light by 10–20% compared to low-CP tissue. Thus, screening by CPs has an important role in mitigating the light-enhancing effect of coral tissue scattering and skeletal reflection during bleaching. Our results provide the first experimental quantification of the importance of GFP-like proteins in fine-tuning the light microclimate of corals during photoacclimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bollati
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Niclas H Lyndby
- Laboratory for Biological Geochemistry, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cecilia D'Angelo
- Coral Reef Laboratory, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Kühl
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Jörg Wiedenmann
- Coral Reef Laboratory, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Wangpraseurt
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
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7
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Simancas-Giraldo SM, Xiang N, Kennedy MM, Nafeh R, Zelli E, Wild C. Photosynthesis and respiration of the soft coral Xenia umbellata respond to warming but not to organic carbon eutrophication. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11663. [PMID: 34395065 PMCID: PMC8323596 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Eutrophication with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) as a far under-investigated stressor, and ocean warming, can strongly affect coral reefs and hard corals as major reefs ecosystem engineers. However, no previous studies have investigated the metabolic responses of soft corals to DOC eutrophication, or its interaction with ocean warming. Thus, we investigated respiration and photosynthesis response of Xenia umbellata, a common mixotrophic soft coral from the Indo-pacific, to (1) three levels of DOC eutrophication simulated by glucose addition over the first 21 days of experiment and (2) ocean warming scenarios where the temperature was gradually increased from 26 °C (control condition) to 32 °C over another 24 days in an aquarium experiment. We found no significant difference in response to DOC treatments and all corals survived regardless of the DOC concentrations, whilst subsequent exposure to simulated ocean warming significantly decreased gross photosynthesis by approximately 50% at 30 °C, and 65% at 32 °C, net photosynthesis by 75% at 30 °C and 79% at 32 °C, and respiration by a maximum of 75% at 30 °C; with a slight increase at 32 °C of 25%. The ratio between gross photosynthesis and respiration decreased by the end of the warming period but remained similar between controls and colonies previously exposed to DOC. Our findings suggest that soft corals may be more resistant than hard corals to DOC eutrophication and in consequence, may potentially experiment in less magnitude the negative effects of increased temperature or subsequently both stressors. The results of this study may contribute to explain the successful role of soft corals in phase shifts as reported from many coral reefs. Where predicted declines in reef ecosystems health due to increased eutrophication levels can be exacerbated by future warming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nan Xiang
- Marine Ecology Department, Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | | | - Rassil Nafeh
- Marine Ecology Department, Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Edoardo Zelli
- Marine Ecology Department, Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali (BiGeA) & Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per le Scienze Ambientali (CIRSA), University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Christian Wild
- Marine Ecology Department, Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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8
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Tamir R, Eyal G, Cohen I, Loya Y. Effects of Light Pollution on the Early Life Stages of the Most Abundant Northern Red Sea Coral. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8020193. [PMID: 32023896 PMCID: PMC7074826 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The growth in human population along coastal areas is exposing marine environments to increasing anthropogenic light sources. Despite the potential effects of this modern phenomenon, very few studies have examined its implications for corals. Here, we present a long-term study of coral early life stages under light pollution conditions at night. Coral larvae were collected from Stylophora pistillata colonies, and then settled and grown under experimental conditions of two different common city lighting methods (fluorescent or LED). Effects of the artificial lighting on the coral settlement success, survivorship, growth rate, photosynthetic efficiency, and calcification rate were examined over a period of one year. The control exhibited ~30% higher settlement success compared to the two light treatments, while under the light treatments corals showed higher survivorship, growth, and calcification rates. In addition, an indication of damage to the photosynthetic system was found in the light-polluted corals, which was reflected in their photosynthesis efficiency parameters: i.e., lower maximum light utilization coefficient (α), lower maximum potential photosynthetic rate (Pmax), and lower photosynthetic maximal quantum yield (Fv/Fm). Our findings provide evidence of the potential adverse effects of artificial lighting methods on the natural environment of coral reefs. We conclude that the use of the LED lighting method has high interference potential for the early life stages of corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raz Tamir
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat 8810302, Israel;
- Correspondence:
| | - Gal Eyal
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Itay Cohen
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat 8810302, Israel;
- Department of Oceanography, The Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Yossi Loya
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
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Ben-Zvi O, Eyal G, Loya Y. Response of fluorescence morphs of the mesophotic coral Euphyllia paradivisa to ultra-violet radiation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5245. [PMID: 30918298 PMCID: PMC6437176 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41710-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Euphyllia paradivisa is a strictly mesophotic coral in the reefs of Eilat that displays a striking color polymorphism, attributed to fluorescent proteins (FPs). FPs, which are used as visual markers in biomedical research, have been suggested to serve as photoprotectors or as facilitators of photosynthesis in corals due to their ability to transform light. Solar radiation that penetrates the sea includes, among others, both vital photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and ultra-violet radiation (UVR). Both types, at high intensities, are known to have negative effects on corals, ranging from cellular damage to changes in community structure. In the present study, fluorescence morphs of E. paradivisa were used to investigate UVR response in a mesophotic organism and to examine the phenomenon of fluorescence polymorphism. E. paradivisa, although able to survive in high-light environments, displayed several physiological and behavioral responses that indicated severe light and UVR stress. We suggest that high PAR and UVR are potential drivers behind the absence of this coral from shallow reefs. Moreover, we found no significant differences between the different fluorescence morphs' responses and no evidence of either photoprotection or photosynthesis enhancement. We therefore suggest that FPs in mesophotic corals might have a different biological role than that previously hypothesized for shallow corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Or Ben-Zvi
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. .,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel.
| | - Gal Eyal
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Yossi Loya
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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