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Beck KK, Schmidt-Grieb GM, Kayser AS, Wendels J, Kler Lago A, Meyer S, Laudien J, Häussermann V, Richter C, Wall M. Cold-water coral energy reserves and calcification in contrasting fjord environments. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5649. [PMID: 38454106 PMCID: PMC10920780 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56280-2] [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: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The relationship between energy reserves of cold-water corals (CWCs) and their physiological performance remains largely unknown. In addition, it is poorly understood how the energy allocation to different metabolic processes might change with projected decreasing food supply to the deep sea in the future. This study explores the temporal and spatial variations of total energy reserves (proteins, carbohydrates and lipids) of the CWC Desmophyllum dianthus and their correlation with its calcification rate. We took advantage of distinct horizontal and vertical physico-chemical gradients in Comau Fjord (Chile) and examined the changes in energy reserves over one year in an in situ reciprocal transplantation experiment (20 m vs. 300 m and fjord head vs. mouth). Total energy reserves correlated positively with calcification rates. The fast-growing deep corals had higher and less variable energy reserves, while the slower-growing shallow corals showed pronounced seasonal changes in energy reserves. Novel deep corals (transplanted from shallow) were able to quickly increase both their calcification rates and energy reserves to similar levels as native deep corals. Our study shows the importance of energy reserves in sustaining CWC growth in spite of aragonite undersaturated conditions (deep corals) in the present, and potentially also future ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina K Beck
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany.
- University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
- University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | | | - Antonia S Kayser
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Janine Wendels
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kler Lago
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
- University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Meyer
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Jürgen Laudien
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Vreni Häussermann
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Fundación San Ignacio del Huinay, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Claudio Richter
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
- University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Marlene Wall
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
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2
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Beck KK, Nierste J, Schmidt-Grieb GM, Lüdtke E, Naab C, Held C, Nehrke G, Steinhoefel G, Laudien J, Richter C, Wall M. Ontogenetic differences in the response of the cold-water coral Caryophyllia huinayensis to ocean acidification, warming and food availability. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165565. [PMID: 37495133 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165565] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Cold-water corals (CWCs) are considered vulnerable to environmental changes. However, previous studies have focused on adult CWCs and mainly investigated the short-term effects of single stressors. So far, the effects of environmental changes on different CWC life stages are unknown, both for single and multiple stressors and over long time periods. Therefore, we conducted a six-month aquarium experiment with three life stages of Caryophyllia huinayensis to study their physiological response (survival, somatic growth, calcification and respiration) to the interactive effects of aragonite saturation (0.8 and 2.5), temperature (11 and 15 °C) and food availability (8 and 87 μg C L-1). The response clearly differed between life stages and measured traits. Elevated temperature and reduced feeding had the greatest effects, pushing the corals to their physiological limits. Highest mortality was observed in adult corals, while calcification rates decreased the most in juveniles. We observed a three-month delay in response, presumably because energy reserves declined, suggesting that short-term experiments overestimate coral resilience. Elevated summer temperatures and reduced food supply are likely to have the greatest impact on live CWCs in the future, leading to reduced coral growth and population shifts due to delayed juvenile maturation and high adult mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina K Beck
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Jan Nierste
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | | | - Esther Lüdtke
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Christoph Naab
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Held
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Gernot Nehrke
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Grit Steinhoefel
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Jürgen Laudien
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Claudio Richter
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Marlene Wall
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
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Maier SR, Brooke S, De Clippele LH, de Froe E, van der Kaaden AS, Kutti T, Mienis F, van Oevelen D. On the paradox of thriving cold-water coral reefs in the food-limited deep sea. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1768-1795. [PMID: 37236916 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The deep sea is amongst the most food-limited habitats on Earth, as only a small fraction (<4%) of the surface primary production is exported below 200 m water depth. Here, cold-water coral (CWC) reefs form oases of life: their biodiversity compares with tropical coral reefs, their biomass and metabolic activity exceed other deep-sea ecosystems by far. We critically assess the paradox of thriving CWC reefs in the food-limited deep sea, by reviewing the literature and open-access data on CWC habitats. This review shows firstly that CWCs typically occur in areas where the food supply is not constantly low, but undergoes pronounced temporal variation. High currents, downwelling and/or vertically migrating zooplankton temporally boost the export of surface organic matter to the seabed, creating 'feast' conditions, interspersed with 'famine' periods during the non-productive season. Secondly, CWCs, particularly the most common reef-builder Desmophyllum pertusum (formerly known as Lophelia pertusa), are well adapted to these fluctuations in food availability. Laboratory and in situ measurements revealed their dietary flexibility, tissue reserves, and temporal variation in growth and energy allocation. Thirdly, the high structural and functional diversity of CWC reefs increases resource retention: acting as giant filters and sustaining complex food webs with diverse recycling pathways, the reefs optimise resource gains over losses. Anthropogenic pressures, including climate change and ocean acidification, threaten this fragile equilibrium through decreased resource supply, increased energy costs, and dissolution of the calcium-carbonate reef framework. Based on this review, we suggest additional criteria to judge the health of CWC reefs and their chance to persist in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra R Maier
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, PO Box 570, Nuuk, 3900, Greenland
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Korringaweg 7, Yerseke, 4401 NT, The Netherlands
| | - Sandra Brooke
- Coastal & Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, 3618 Coastal Highway 98, St. Teresa, FL, 32327, USA
| | - Laurence H De Clippele
- Changing Oceans Research Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK
| | - Evert de Froe
- Centre for Fisheries Ecosystem Research, Fisheries and Marine Institute at Memorial University of Newfoundland, 155 Ridge Rd, St. John's, NL A1C 5R3, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- Department of Ocean Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), PO Box 59, Den Burg (Texel), 1790 AB, The Netherlands
| | - Anna-Selma van der Kaaden
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Korringaweg 7, Yerseke, 4401 NT, The Netherlands
| | - Tina Kutti
- Institute of Marine Research (IMR), PO box 1870 Nordnes, Bergen, NO-5817, Norway
| | - Furu Mienis
- Department of Ocean Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), PO Box 59, Den Burg (Texel), 1790 AB, The Netherlands
| | - Dick van Oevelen
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Korringaweg 7, Yerseke, 4401 NT, The Netherlands
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4
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Environmental stability and phenotypic plasticity benefit the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus in an acidified fjord. Commun Biol 2022; 5:683. [PMID: 35810196 PMCID: PMC9271058 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03622-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The stratified Chilean Comau Fjord sustains a dense population of the cold-water coral (CWC) Desmophyllum dianthus in aragonite supersaturated shallow and aragonite undersaturated deep water. This provides a rare opportunity to evaluate CWC fitness trade-offs in response to physico-chemical drivers and their variability. Here, we combined year-long reciprocal transplantation experiments along natural oceanographic gradients with an in situ assessment of CWC fitness. Following transplantation, corals acclimated fast to the novel environment with no discernible difference between native and novel (i.e. cross-transplanted) corals, demonstrating high phenotypic plasticity. Surprisingly, corals exposed to lowest aragonite saturation (Ωarag < 1) and temperature (T < 12.0 °C), but stable environmental conditions, at the deep station grew fastest and expressed the fittest phenotype. We found an inverse relationship between CWC fitness and environmental variability and propose to consider the high frequency fluctuations of abiotic and biotic factors to better predict the future of CWCs in a changing ocean. The cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus benefits from stable environmental conditions in deep waters of Comau Fjord (Chile) and is able to acclimatise quickly to new environmental conditions after transplantation.
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5
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Servetto N, de Aranzamendi MC, Bettencourt R, Held C, Abele D, Movilla J, González G, Bustos DM, Sahade R. Molecular mechanisms underlying responses of the Antarctic coral Malacobelemnon daytoni to ocean acidification. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 170:105430. [PMID: 34340030 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Benthic organisms of the Southern Ocean are particularly vulnerable to ocean acidification (OA), as they inhabit cold waters where calcite-aragonite saturation states are naturally low. OA most strongly affects animals with calcium carbonate skeletons or shells, such as corals and mollusks. We exposed the abundant cold-water coral Malacobelemnon daytoni from an Antarctic fjord to low pH seawater (LpH) (7.68 ± 0.17) to test its physiological responses to OA, at the level of gene expression (RT-PCR) and enzyme activity. Corals were exposed in short- (3 days) and long-term (54 days) experiments to two pCO2 conditions (ambient and elevated pCO2 equaling RCP 8.5, IPCC 2019, approximately 372.53 and 956.78 μatm, respectively). Of the eleven genes studied through RT-PCR, six were significantly upregulated compared with control in the short-term in the LpH condition, including the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), Toll-like receptor (TLR), galaxin and ferritin. After long-term exposure to low pH conditions, RT-PCR analysis showed seven genes were upregulated. These include the mannose-binding C-Lectin and HSP90. Also, the expression of TLR and galaxin, among others, continued to be upregulated after long-term exposure to LpH. Expression of carbonic anhydrase (CA), a key enzyme involved in calcification, was also significantly upregulated after long-term exposure. Our results indicated that, after two months, M. daytoni is not acclimatized to this experimental LpH condition. Gene expression profiles revealed molecular impacts that were not evident at the enzyme activity level. Consequently, understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the physiological processes in the response of a coral to LpH is critical to understanding the ability of polar species to cope with future environmental changes. Approaches integrating molecular tools into Antarctic ecological and/or conservation research make an essential contribution given the current ongoing OA processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Servetto
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - M C de Aranzamendi
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - R Bettencourt
- OKEANOS Marine Research Center/Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, 9900-862, Horta, Portugal
| | - C Held
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - D Abele
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - J Movilla
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Estación de Investigación Jaume Ferrer, La Mola s/n 07720, Menorca, Spain
| | - G González
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - D M Bustos
- Laboratorio de Integración de Señales Celulares, Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM CONICET-UNCUYO), and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UNCUYO), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - R Sahade
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales.,Cátedra de Ecología Marina, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Ecosistemas Marinos Polares, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
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6
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Morato T, González-Irusta JM, Dominguez-Carrió C, Wei CL, Davies A, Sweetman AK, Taranto GH, Beazley L, García-Alegre A, Grehan A, Laffargue P, Murillo FJ, Sacau M, Vaz S, Kenchington E, Arnaud-Haond S, Callery O, Chimienti G, Cordes E, Egilsdottir H, Freiwald A, Gasbarro R, Gutiérrez-Zárate C, Gianni M, Gilkinson K, Wareham Hayes VE, Hebbeln D, Hedges K, Henry LA, Johnson D, Koen-Alonso M, Lirette C, Mastrototaro F, Menot L, Molodtsova T, Durán Muñoz P, Orejas C, Pennino MG, Puerta P, Ragnarsson SÁ, Ramiro-Sánchez B, Rice J, Rivera J, Roberts JM, Ross SW, Rueda JL, Sampaio Í, Snelgrove P, Stirling D, Treble MA, Urra J, Vad J, van Oevelen D, Watling L, Walkusz W, Wienberg C, Woillez M, Levin LA, Carreiro-Silva M. Climate-induced changes in the suitable habitat of cold-water corals and commercially important deep-sea fishes in the North Atlantic. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2181-2202. [PMID: 32077217 PMCID: PMC7154791 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The deep sea plays a critical role in global climate regulation through uptake and storage of heat and carbon dioxide. However, this regulating service causes warming, acidification and deoxygenation of deep waters, leading to decreased food availability at the seafloor. These changes and their projections are likely to affect productivity, biodiversity and distributions of deep-sea fauna, thereby compromising key ecosystem services. Understanding how climate change can lead to shifts in deep-sea species distributions is critically important in developing management measures. We used environmental niche modelling along with the best available species occurrence data and environmental parameters to model habitat suitability for key cold-water coral and commercially important deep-sea fish species under present-day (1951-2000) environmental conditions and to project changes under severe, high emissions future (2081-2100) climate projections (RCP8.5 scenario) for the North Atlantic Ocean. Our models projected a decrease of 28%-100% in suitable habitat for cold-water corals and a shift in suitable habitat for deep-sea fishes of 2.0°-9.9° towards higher latitudes. The largest reductions in suitable habitat were projected for the scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa and the octocoral Paragorgia arborea, with declines of at least 79% and 99% respectively. We projected the expansion of suitable habitat by 2100 only for the fishes Helicolenus dactylopterus and Sebastes mentella (20%-30%), mostly through northern latitudinal range expansion. Our results projected limited climate refugia locations in the North Atlantic by 2100 for scleractinian corals (30%-42% of present-day suitable habitat), even smaller refugia locations for the octocorals Acanella arbuscula and Acanthogorgia armata (6%-14%), and almost no refugia for P. arborea. Our results emphasize the need to understand how anticipated climate change will affect the distribution of deep-sea species including commercially important fishes and foundation species, and highlight the importance of identifying and preserving climate refugia for a range of area-based planning and management tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Telmo Morato
- Okeanos Research Centre, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
| | - José-Manuel González-Irusta
- Okeanos Research Centre, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Carlos Dominguez-Carrió
- Okeanos Research Centre, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Chih-Lin Wei
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Andrew Davies
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Andrew K Sweetman
- Marine Benthic Ecology, Biogeochemistry and In situ Technology Research Group, The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Gerald H Taranto
- Okeanos Research Centre, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Lindsay Beazley
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Ana García-Alegre
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Mar Sacau
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Sandrine Vaz
- MARBEC, University of Montpellier, IFREMER, CNRS, IRD, Sète, France
| | - Ellen Kenchington
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | | | - Oisín Callery
- Earth and Ocean Sciences, NUI Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Giovanni Chimienti
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
- CoNISMa, Rome, Italy
| | - Erik Cordes
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - André Freiwald
- Marine Research Department, Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Ryan Gasbarro
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Cristina Gutiérrez-Zárate
- Okeanos Research Centre, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
| | | | - Kent Gilkinson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Vonda E Wareham Hayes
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Dierk Hebbeln
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Kevin Hedges
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Lea-Anne Henry
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Mariano Koen-Alonso
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Cam Lirette
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Pablo Durán Muñoz
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Covadonga Orejas
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Palma, Spain
| | - Maria Grazia Pennino
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - Patricia Puerta
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Palma, Spain
| | | | - Berta Ramiro-Sánchez
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jake Rice
- Fisheries and Ocean Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jesús Rivera
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Murray Roberts
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Steve W Ross
- Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, USA
| | - José L Rueda
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Íris Sampaio
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- Marine Research Department, Senckenberg am Meer, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Paul Snelgrove
- Ocean Sciences Centre, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - David Stirling
- Marine Laboratory, Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, UK
| | | | - Javier Urra
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Johanne Vad
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Dick van Oevelen
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Utrecht University, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Les Watling
- Department of Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | | | - Claudia Wienberg
- MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Lisa A Levin
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Marina Carreiro-Silva
- Okeanos Research Centre, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
- IMAR Instituto do Mar, Departamento de Oceanografia e Pesca, Universidade dos Açores, Horta, Portugal
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7
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Martínez-Dios A, Pelejero C, López-Sanz À, Sherrell RM, Ko S, Häussermann V, Försterra G, Calvo E. Effects of low pH and feeding on calcification rates of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8236. [PMID: 31915573 PMCID: PMC6942680 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold-Water Corals (CWCs), and most marine calcifiers, are especially threatened by ocean acidification (OA) and the decrease in the carbonate saturation state of seawater. The vulnerability of these organisms, however, also involves other global stressors like warming, deoxygenation or changes in sea surface productivity and, hence, food supply via the downward transport of organic matter to the deep ocean. This study examined the response of the CWC Desmophyllum dianthus to low pH under different feeding regimes through a long-term incubation experiment. For this experiment, 152 polyps were incubated at pH 8.1, 7.8, 7.5 and 7.2 and two feeding regimes for 14 months. Mean calcification rates over the entire duration of the experiment ranged between −0.3 and 0.3 mg CaCO3 g−1d−1. Polyps incubated at pH 7.2 were the most affected and 30% mortality was observed in this treatment. In addition, many of the surviving polyps at pH 7.2 showed negative calcification rates indicating that, in the long term, CWCs may have difficulty thriving in such aragonite undersaturated waters. The feeding regime had a significant effect on skeletal growth of corals, with high feeding frequency resulting in more positive and variable calcification rates. This was especially evident in corals reared at pH 7.5 (ΩA = 0.8) compared to the low frequency feeding treatment. Early life-stages, which are essential for the recruitment and maintenance of coral communities and their associated biodiversity, were revealed to be at highest risk. Overall, this study demonstrates the vulnerability of D. dianthus corals to low pH and low food availability. Future projected pH decreases and related changes in zooplankton communities may potentially compromise the viability of CWC populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carles Pelejero
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Espanya.,Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Catalonia, Espanya
| | - Àngel López-Sanz
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Espanya
| | - Robert M Sherrell
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Stanley Ko
- Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Verena Häussermann
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar/Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Huinay Scientific Field Station, Huinay, Chile
| | - Günter Försterra
- Escuela de Ciencias del Mar/Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Huinay Scientific Field Station, Huinay, Chile
| | - Eva Calvo
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Espanya
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8
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Höfer J, González HE, Laudien J, Schmidt GM, Häussermann V, Richter C. All you can eat: the functional response of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus feeding on krill and copepods. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5872. [PMID: 30416885 PMCID: PMC6223235 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The feeding behavior of the cosmopolitan cold-water coral (CWC) Desmophyllum dianthus (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) is still poorly known. Its usual deep distribution restricts direct observations, and manipulative experiments are so far limited to prey that do not occur in CWC natural habitat. During a series of replicated incubations, we assessed the functional response of this coral feeding on a medium-sized copepod (Calanoides patagoniensis) and a large euphausiid (Euphausia vallentini). Corals showed a Type I functional response, where feeding rate increased linearly with prey abundance, as predicted for a tentaculate passive suspension feeder. No significant differences in feeding were found between prey items, and corals were able to attain a maximum feeding rate of 10.99 mg C h−1, which represents an ingestion of the 11.4% of the coral carbon biomass per hour. These findings suggest that D. dianthus is a generalist zooplankton predator capable of exploiting dense aggregations of zooplankton over a wide prey size-range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Höfer
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Humberto E González
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Jürgen Laudien
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Gertraud M Schmidt
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Verena Häussermann
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Huinay Scientific Field Station, Huinay, Chile
| | - Claudio Richter
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany.,Fachbereich Biologie/Chemie, Universität Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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9
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Barner AK, Chan F, Hettinger A, Hacker SD, Marshall K, Menge BA. Generality in multispecies responses to ocean acidification revealed through multiple hypothesis testing. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:4464-4477. [PMID: 30047188 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Decades of research have demonstrated that many calcifying species are negatively affected by ocean acidification, a major anthropogenic threat in marine ecosystems. However, even closely related species may exhibit different responses to ocean acidification and less is known about the drivers that shape such variation in different species. Here, we examine the drivers of physiological performance under ocean acidification in a group of five species of turf-forming coralline algae. Specifically, quantitating the relative weight of evidence for each of ten hypotheses, we show that variation in coralline calcification and photosynthesis was best explained by allometric traits. Across ocean acidification conditions, larger individuals (measured as noncalcified mass) had higher net calcification and photosynthesis rates. Importantly, our approach was able to not only identify the aspect of size that drove the performance of coralline algae, but also determined that responses to ocean acidification were not dependent on species identity, evolutionary relatedness, habitat, shape, or structural composition. In fact, we found that failure to test multiple, alternative hypotheses would underestimate the generality of physiological performances, leading to the conclusion that each species had different baseline performance under ocean acidification. Testing among alternative hypotheses is an essential step toward determining the generalizability of experiments across taxa and identifying common drivers of species responses to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison K Barner
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Francis Chan
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Annaliese Hettinger
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Sally D Hacker
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Kelsey Marshall
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Bruce A Menge
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
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10
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Gammon MJ, Tracey DM, Marriott PM, Cummings VJ, Davy SK. The physiological response of the deep-sea coral Solenosmilia variabilis to ocean acidification. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5236. [PMID: 30042891 PMCID: PMC6055589 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Several forms of calcifying scleractinian corals provide important habitat complexity in the deep-sea and are consistently associated with a high biodiversity of fish and other invertebrates. How these corals may respond to the future predicted environmental conditions of ocean acidification is poorly understood, but any detrimental effects on these marine calcifiers will have wider impacts on the ecosystem. Colonies of Solenosmilia variabilis, a protected deep-sea coral commonly occurring throughout the New Zealand region, were collected during a cruise in March 2014 from the Louisville Seamount Chain. Over a 12-month period, samples were maintained in temperature controlled (∼3.5 °C) continuous flow-through tanks at a seawater pH that reflects the region's current conditions (7.88) and an end-of-century scenario (7.65). Impacts on coral growth and the intensity of colour saturation (as a proxy for the coenenchyme tissue that covers the coral exoskeleton and links the coral polyps) were measured bimonthly. In addition, respiration rate was measured after a mid-term (six months) and long-term (12 months) exposure period. Growth rates were highly variable, ranging from 0.53 to 3.068 mm year-1 and showed no detectable difference between the treatment and control colonies. Respiration rates also varied independently of pH and ranged from 0.065 to 1.756 µmol O2 g protein-1 h-1. A significant change in colour was observed in the treatment group over time, indicating a loss of coenenchyme. This loss was greatest after 10 months at 5.28% and could indicate a reallocation of energy with physiological processes (e.g. growth and respiration) being maintained at the expense of coenenchyme production. This research illustrates important first steps to assessing and understanding the sensitivity of deep-sea corals to ocean acidification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malindi J Gammon
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Dianne M Tracey
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Peter M Marriott
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Vonda J Cummings
- National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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11
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Abstract
Seamounts are one of the major biomes of the global ocean. The last 25 years of research has seen considerable advances in the understanding of these ecosystems. The interactions between seamounts and steady and variable flows have now been characterised providing a better mechanistic understanding of processes influencing biology. Processes leading to upwelling, including Taylor column formation and tidal rectification, have now been defined as well as those leading to draw down of organic matter from the ocean surface to seamount summit and flanks. There is also an improved understanding of the interactions between seamounts, zooplankton and micronekton communities especially with respect to increased predation pressure in the vicinity of seamounts. Evidence has accumulated of the role of seamounts as hot spots for ocean predators including large pelagic fish, sharks, pinnipeds, cetaceans and seabirds. The complexity of benthic communities associated with seamounts is high and drivers of biodiversity are now being resolved. Claims of high endemism resulting from isolation of seamounts as islands of habitat and speciation have not been supported. However, for species characterised by low dispersal capability, such as some groups of benthic sessile or low-mobility invertebrates, low connectivity between seamount populations has been found with evidence of endemism at a local level. Threats to seamounts have increased in the last 25 years and include overfishing, destructive fishing, marine litter, direct and indirect impacts of climate change and potentially marine mining in the near future. Issues around these threats and their management are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex D Rogers
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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12
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Vad J, Orejas C, Moreno-Navas J, Findlay HS, Roberts JM. Assessing the living and dead proportions of cold-water coral colonies: implications for deep-water Marine Protected Area monitoring in a changing ocean. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3705. [PMID: 29018595 PMCID: PMC5632539 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral growth patterns result from an interplay of coral biology and environmental conditions. In this study colony size and proportion of live and dead skeletons in the cold-water coral (CWC) Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus, 1758) were measured using video footage from Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) transects conducted at the inshore Mingulay Reef Complex (MRC) and at the offshore PISCES site (Rockall Bank) in the NE Atlantic. The main goal of this paper was to explore the development of a simple method to quantify coral growth and its potential application as an assessment tool of the health of these remote habitats. Eighteen colonies were selected and whole colony and dead/living layer size were measured. Live to dead layer ratios for each colony were then determined and analysed. The age of each colony was estimated using previously published data. Our paper shows that: (1) two distinct morphotypes can be described: at the MRC, colonies displayed a ‘cauliflower-shaped’ morphotype whereas at the PISCES site, colonies presented a more flattened ‘bush-shaped’ morphotype; (2) living layer size was positively correlated with whole colony size; (3) live to dead layer ratio was negatively correlated to whole colony size; (4) live to dead layer ratio never exceeded 0.27. These results suggest that as a colony develops and its growth rate slows down, the proportion of living polyps in the colony decreases. Furthermore, at least 73% of L. pertusa colonies are composed of exposed dead coral skeleton, vulnerable to ocean acidification and the associated shallowing of the aragonite saturation horizon, with significant implications for future deep-sea reef framework integrity. The clear visual contrast between white/pale living and grey/dark dead portions of the colonies also gives a new way by which they can be visually monitored over time. The increased use of marine autonomous survey vehicles offers an important new platform from which such a surveying technique could be applied to monitor deep-water marine protected areas in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanne Vad
- School of Engineering Geoscience Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,School of Geoscience, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Covadonga Orejas
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, Palma, Spain
| | - Juan Moreno-Navas
- Physical Oceanography Research Group, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | | | - J Murray Roberts
- School of Geoscience, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.,Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, United States of America
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13
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Defying Dissolution: Discovery of Deep-Sea Scleractinian Coral Reefs in the North Pacific. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5436. [PMID: 28710443 PMCID: PMC5511196 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05492-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Deep-sea scleractinian coral reefs are protected ecologically and biologically significant areas that support global fisheries. The absence of observations of deep-sea scleractinian reefs in the Central and Northeast Pacific, combined with the shallow aragonite saturation horizon (ASH) and high carbonate dissolution rates there, fueled the hypothesis that reef formation in the North Pacific was improbable. Despite this, we report the discovery of live scleractinian reefs on six seamounts of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Emperor Seamount Chain at depths of 535-732 m and aragonite saturation state (Ωarag) values of 0.71-1.33. Although the ASH becomes deeper moving northwest along the chains, the depth distribution of the reefs becomes shallower, suggesting the ASH is having little influence on their distribution. Higher chlorophyll moving to the northwest may partially explain the geographic distribution of the reefs. Principle Components Analysis suggests that currents are also an important factor in their distribution, but neither chlorophyll nor the available current data can explain the unexpected depth distribution. Further environmental data is needed to elucidate the reason for the distribution of these reefs. The discovery of reef-forming scleractinians in this region is of concern because a number of the sites occur on seamounts with active trawl fisheries.
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14
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Baussant T, Nilsen M, Ravagnan E, Westerlund S, Ramanand S. Physiological responses and lipid storage of the coral Lophelia pertusa at varying food density. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2017; 80:266-284. [PMID: 28569653 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2017.1297274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa to deep-sea reef ecosystem functioning, current knowledge of key physiological responses to available food resources is scarce. Scenarios with varying food density may help to understand how corals deal with seasonal variations in the dark ocean and might be used to study consequences of anthropogenic activities potentially affecting food availability. Thus, the physiological responses of L. pertusa to varying food (Artemia salina nauplii) concentration, ranging from 20% to 300% of carbon equivalent turned over by basal coral respiration, were investigated. A starvation group was also included. Measurements of respiration, growth, mucus production, and energy reserves (storage fatty acids) were performed at several time intervals over 26 weeks. In general, data showed a stronger effect of experimental time on measured responses, but no significant influence of food density treatment. In starved corals, respiration rate declined to 52% of initial respiration, while skeleton growth rate was maintained at the same rate as Artemia-fed corals throughout the investigation. Mucus production measured as the sum of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) was also similar across food treatments, but POC production exceeded that of DOC at the highest food density. No marked effect was observed on storage fatty acids. These results confirm that L. pertusa is highly resilient to environmental conditions with suboptimal food densities over a time scale of months. Regulation of several physiological processes, including respiration and mucus production, possibly in combination with an opportunistic feeding strategy, contributed to this tolerance to maintain viable corals. Thus, it appears that L. pertusa is well adapted to life in the deep sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Baussant
- a Department of Environment , International Research Institute of Stavanger , Randaberg , Norway
| | - Marianne Nilsen
- a Department of Environment , International Research Institute of Stavanger , Randaberg , Norway
- b Department of Research and Development , Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), Campus Sogndal , Sogndal , Norway
| | - Elisa Ravagnan
- a Department of Environment , International Research Institute of Stavanger , Randaberg , Norway
| | - Stig Westerlund
- a Department of Environment , International Research Institute of Stavanger , Randaberg , Norway
| | - Sreerekha Ramanand
- a Department of Environment , International Research Institute of Stavanger , Randaberg , Norway
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15
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Next-century ocean acidification and warming both reduce calcification rate, but only acidification alters skeletal morphology of reef-building coral Siderastrea siderea. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29613. [PMID: 27470426 PMCID: PMC4965865 DOI: 10.1038/srep29613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Atmospheric pCO2 is predicted to rise from 400 to 900 ppm by year 2100, causing seawater temperature to increase by 1–4 °C and pH to decrease by 0.1–0.3. Sixty-day experiments were conducted to investigate the independent and combined impacts of acidification (pCO2 = 424–426, 888–940 ppm-v) and warming (T = 28, 32 °C) on calcification rate and skeletal morphology of the abundant and widespread Caribbean reef-building scleractinian coral Siderastrea siderea. Hierarchical linear mixed-effects modelling reveals that coral calcification rate was negatively impacted by both warming and acidification, with their combined effects yielding the most deleterious impact. Negative effects of warming (32 °C/424 ppm-v) and high-temperature acidification (32 °C/940 ppm-v) on calcification rate were apparent across both 30-day intervals of the experiment, while effects of low-temperature acidification (28 °C/888 ppm-v) were not apparent until the second 30-day interval—indicating delayed onset of acidification effects at lower temperatures. Notably, two measures of coral skeletal morphology–corallite height and corallite infilling–were negatively impacted by next-century acidification, but not by next-century warming. Therefore, while next-century ocean acidification and warming will reduce the rate at which corals build their skeletons, next-century acidification will also modify the morphology and, potentially, function of coral skeletons.
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16
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Maier C, Popp P, Sollfrank N, Weinbauer MG, Wild C, Gattuso JP. Effects of elevated pCO2 and feeding on net calcification and energy budget of the Mediterranean cold-water coral Madrepora oculata. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:3208-3217. [PMID: 27471280 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.127159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification is a major threat to calcifying marine organisms such as deep-sea cold-water corals (CWCs), but related knowledge is scarce. The aragonite saturation threshold (Ωa) for calcification, respiration and organic matter fluxes were investigated experimentally in the Mediterranean Madrepora oculata Over 10 weeks, colonies were maintained under two feeding regimes (uptake of 36.75 and 7.46 µmol C polyp-1 week-1) and exposed in 2 week intervals to a consecutively changing air-CO2 mix (pCO2) of 400, 1600, 800, 2000 and 400 ppm. There was a significant effect of feeding on calcification at initial ambient pCO2, while with consecutive pCO2 treatments, feeding had no effect on calcification. Respiration was not significantly affected by feeding or pCO2 levels. Coral skeletons started to dissolve at an average Ωa threshold of 0.92, but recovered and started to calcify again at Ωa≥1. The surplus energy required to counteract dissolution at elevated pCO2 (≥1600 µatm) was twice that at ambient pCO2 Yet, feeding had no mitigating effect at increasing pCO2 levels. This could be due to the fact that the energy required for calcification is a small fraction (1-3%) of the total metabolic energy demand and corals even under low food conditions might therefore still be able to allocate this small portion of energy to calcification. The response and resistance to ocean acidification are consequently not controlled by feeding in this species, but more likely by chemical reactions at the site of calcification and exchange processes between the calicoblastic layer and ambient seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Maier
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer 06230, France .,CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, BP 28, Villefranche-sur-mer 06234, France
| | - Pauline Popp
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer 06230, France.,CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, BP 28, Villefranche-sur-mer 06234, France
| | - Nicole Sollfrank
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer 06230, France.,CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, BP 28, Villefranche-sur-mer 06234, France
| | - Markus G Weinbauer
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer 06230, France.,CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, BP 28, Villefranche-sur-mer 06234, France
| | - Christian Wild
- University of Bremen, Faculty of Biology & Chemistry, Leobener Strasse, Bremen D-28359, Germany
| | - Jean-Pierre Gattuso
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer 06230, France.,CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, BP 28, Villefranche-sur-mer 06234, France.,Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations, Sciences Po, 27 rue Saint Guillaume, Paris F-75007, France
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17
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Hennige SJ, Wicks LC, Kamenos NA, Perna G, Findlay HS, Roberts JM. Hidden impacts of ocean acidification to live and dead coral framework. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150990. [PMID: 26290073 PMCID: PMC4632617 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold-water corals, such as Lophelia pertusa, are key habitat-forming organisms found throughout the world's oceans to 3000 m deep. The complex three-dimensional framework made by these vulnerable marine ecosystems support high biodiversity and commercially important species. Given their importance, a key question is how both the living and the dead framework will fare under projected climate change. Here, we demonstrate that over 12 months L. pertusa can physiologically acclimate to increased CO2, showing sustained net calcification. However, their new skeletal structure changes and exhibits decreased crystallographic and molecular-scale bonding organization. Although physiological acclimatization was evident, we also demonstrate that there is a negative correlation between increasing CO2 levels and breaking strength of exposed framework (approx. 20-30% weaker after 12 months), meaning the exposed bases of reefs will be less effective 'load-bearers', and will become more susceptible to bioerosion and mechanical damage by 2100.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Hennige
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - L C Wicks
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK
| | - N A Kamenos
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - G Perna
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - H S Findlay
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK
| | - J M Roberts
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403-5928, USA Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll PA37 IQA, UK
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18
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Gori A, Ferrier-Pagès C, Hennige SJ, Murray F, Rottier C, Wicks LC, Roberts JM. Physiological response of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus to thermal stress and ocean acidification. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1606. [PMID: 26855864 PMCID: PMC4741066 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Rising temperatures and ocean acidification driven by anthropogenic carbon emissions threaten both tropical and temperate corals. However, the synergistic effect of these stressors on coral physiology is still poorly understood, in particular for cold-water corals. This study assessed changes in key physiological parameters (calcification, respiration and ammonium excretion) of the widespread cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus maintained for ∼8 months at two temperatures (ambient 12 °C and elevated 15 °C) and two pCO2 conditions (ambient 390 ppm and elevated 750 ppm). At ambient temperatures no change in instantaneous calcification, respiration or ammonium excretion rates was observed at either pCO2 levels. Conversely, elevated temperature (15 °C) significantly reduced calcification rates, and combined elevated temperature and pCO2 significantly reduced respiration rates. Changes in the ratio of respired oxygen to excreted nitrogen (O:N), which provides information on the main sources of energy being metabolized, indicated a shift from mixed use of protein and carbohydrate/lipid as metabolic substrates under control conditions, to less efficient protein-dominated catabolism under both stressors. Overall, this study shows that the physiology of D. dianthus is more sensitive to thermal than pCO2 stress, and that the predicted combination of rising temperatures and ocean acidification in the coming decades may severely impact this cold-water coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Gori
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Coral Ecophysiology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | | | - Sebastian J. Hennige
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Murray
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Cécile Rottier
- Coral Ecophysiology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Principality of Monaco
| | - Laura C. Wicks
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - J. Murray Roberts
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Rodolfo-Metalpa R, Montagna P, Aliani S, Borghini M, Canese S, Hall-Spencer JM, Foggo A, Milazzo M, Taviani M, Houlbrèque F. Calcification is not the Achilles' heel of cold-water corals in an acidifying ocean. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:2238-48. [PMID: 25641230 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2014] [Revised: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Ocean acidification is thought to be a major threat to coral reefs: laboratory evidence and CO2 seep research has shown adverse effects on many coral species, although a few are resilient. There are concerns that cold-water corals are even more vulnerable as they live in areas where aragonite saturation (Ωara ) is lower than in the tropics and is falling rapidly due to CO2 emissions. Here, we provide laboratory evidence that net (gross calcification minus dissolution) and gross calcification rates of three common cold-water corals, Caryophyllia smithii, Dendrophyllia cornigera, and Desmophyllum dianthus, are not affected by pCO2 levels expected for 2100 (pCO2 1058 μatm, Ωara 1.29), and nor are the rates of skeletal dissolution in D. dianthus. We transplanted D. dianthus to 350 m depth (pHT 8.02; pCO2 448 μatm, Ωara 2.58) and to a 3 m depth CO2 seep in oligotrophic waters (pHT 7.35; pCO2 2879 μatm, Ωara 0.76) and found that the transplants calcified at the same rates regardless of the pCO2 confirming their resilience to acidification, but at significantly lower rates than corals that were fed in aquaria. Our combination of field and laboratory evidence suggests that ocean acidification will not disrupt cold-water coral calcification although falling aragonite levels may affect other organismal physiological and/or reef community processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa
- UR 227 CoReUs 2, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Nouméa, New Caledonia; Marine Environment Laboratories, International Atomic Energy Agency, 4 Quai Antoine 1er, Monaco, 98000, Monaco
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Findlay HS, Hennige SJ, Wicks LC, Navas JM, Woodward EMS, Roberts JM. Fine-scale nutrient and carbonate system dynamics around cold-water coral reefs in the northeast Atlantic. Sci Rep 2014; 4:3671. [PMID: 24441283 PMCID: PMC3895924 DOI: 10.1038/srep03671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocean acidification has been suggested as a serious threat to the future existence of cold-water corals (CWC). However, there are few fine-scale temporal and spatial datasets of carbonate and nutrients conditions available for these reefs, which can provide a baseline definition of extant conditions. Here we provide observational data from four different sites in the northeast Atlantic that are known habitats for CWC. These habitats differ by depth and by the nature of the coral habitat. At depths where CWC are known to occur across these sites the dissolved inorganic carbon ranged from 2088 to 2186 μmol kg−1, alkalinity ranged from 2299 to 2346 μmol kg−1, and aragonite Ω ranged from 1.35 to 2.44. At two sites fine-scale hydrodynamics caused increased variability in the carbonate and nutrient conditions over daily time-scales. The observed high level of variability must be taken into account when assessing CWC sensitivities to future environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen S Findlay
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, England, PL1 3DH, UK
| | - Sebastian J Hennige
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Laura C Wicks
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS, UK
| | - Juan Moreno Navas
- Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS, UK
| | - E Malcolm S Woodward
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, England, PL1 3DH, UK
| | - J Murray Roberts
- 1] Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH14 4AS, UK [2] Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, PA37 1QA, UK [3] Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28403-5928, USA
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Resistance of Two Mediterranean Cold-Water Coral Species to Low-pH Conditions. WATER 2013. [DOI: 10.3390/w6010059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Fillinger L, Richter C. Vertical and horizontal distribution of Desmophyllum dianthus in Comau Fjord, Chile: a cold-water coral thriving at low pH. PeerJ 2013; 1:e194. [PMID: 24255810 PMCID: PMC3817589 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cold-water corals provide an important habitat for a rich fauna along the continental margins and slopes. Although these azooxanthellate corals are considered particularly sensitive to ocean acidification, their responses to natural variations in pH and aragonite saturation are largely unknown due to the difficulty of studying their ecology in deep waters. Previous SCUBA investigations have shown an exceptionally shallow population of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus in near-surface waters of Comau Fjord, a stratified 480 m deep basin in northern Chilean Patagonia with suboxic deep waters. Here, we use a remotely operated vehicle to quantitatively investigate the distribution of D. dianthus and its physico-chemical drivers in so far uncharted naturally acidified waters. Remarkably, D. dianthus was ubiquitous throughout the fjord, but particularly abundant between 20 and 280 m depth in a pH range of 8.4 to 7.4. The persistence of individuals in aragonite-undersaturated waters suggests that present-day D. dianthus in Comau Fjord may show pre-acclimation or pre-adaptation to conditions of ocean acidification predicted to reach over 70% of the known deep-sea coral locations by the end of the century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fillinger
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung , Bremerhaven , Germany
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