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Bove CB, Ries JB, Davies SW, Westfield IT, Umbanhowar J, Castillo KD. Common Caribbean corals exhibit highly variable responses to future acidification and warming. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20182840. [PMID: 30940056 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted a 93-day experiment investigating the independent and combined effects of acidification (280-3300 µatm pCO2) and warming (28°C and 31°C) on calcification and linear extension rates of four key Caribbean coral species ( Siderastrea siderea, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Porites astreoides, Undaria tenuifolia) from inshore and offshore reefs on the Belize Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. All species exhibited nonlinear declines in calcification rate with increasing pCO2. Warming only reduced calcification in Ps. strigosa. Of the species tested, only S. siderea maintained positive calcification in the aragonite-undersaturated treatment . Temperature and pCO2 had no effect on the linear extension of S. siderea and Po. astreoides, and natal reef environment did not impact any parameter examined. Results suggest that S. siderea is the most resilient of these corals to warming and acidification owing to its ability to maintain positive calcification in all treatments, Ps. strigosa and U. tenuifolia are the least resilient, and Po. astreoides falls in the middle. These results highlight the diversity of calcification responses of Caribbean corals to projected global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen B Bove
- 1 Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA
| | - Justin B Ries
- 4 Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University , Nahant, MA , USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- 2 Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA.,5 Department of Biology, Boston University , Boston, MA , USA
| | - Isaac T Westfield
- 4 Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University , Nahant, MA , USA
| | - James Umbanhowar
- 1 Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA.,3 Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA
| | - Karl D Castillo
- 1 Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA.,2 Department of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , Chapel Hill, NC , USA
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Pinzón C JH, Dornberger L, Beach-Letendre J, Weil E, Mydlarz LD. The link between immunity and life history traits in scleractinian corals. PeerJ 2014; 2:e628. [PMID: 25374778 PMCID: PMC4217183 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunity is an important biological trait that influences the survival of individuals and the fitness of a species. Immune defenses are costly and likely compete for energy with other life-history traits, such as reproduction and growth, affecting the overall fitness of a species. Competition among these traits in scleractinian corals could influence the dynamics and structural integrity of coral reef communities. Due to variability in biological traits within populations and across species, it is likely that coral colonies within population/species adjust their immune system to the available resources. In corals, the innate immune system is composed of various pathways. The immune system components can be assessed in the absence (constitutive levels) and/or presence of stressors/pathogens (immune response). Comparisons of the constitutive levels of three immune pathways (melanin synthesis, antioxidant and antimicrobial) of closely related species of Scleractinian corals allowed to determine the link between immunity and reproduction and colony growth. First, we explored differences in constitutive immunity among closely related coral species of the genus Meandrina with different reproductive patterns (gonochoric vs. hermaphrodite). We then compared fast-growing branching vs. slow-growing massive Porites to test co-variation between constitutive immunity and growth rates and morphology in corals. Results indicate that there seems to be a relationship between constitutive immunity and sexual pattern with gonochoric species showing significantly higher levels of immunity than hermaphrodites. Therefore, gonochoric species maybe better suited to resist infections and overcome stressors. Constitutive immunity varied in relation with growth rates and colony morphology, but each species showed contrasting trends within the studied immune pathways. Fast-growing branching species appear to invest more in relatively low cost pathways of the immune system than slow-growing massive species. In corals, energetic investments in life-history traits such as reproduction and growth rate (higher energy investment) seem to have a significant impact on their capacity to respond to stressors, including infectious diseases and coral bleaching. These differences in energy investment are critical in the light of the recent environmental challenges linked to global climate change affecting these organisms. Understanding physiological trade-offs, especially those involving the immune system, will improve our understanding as to how corals could/will respond and survive in future adverse environmental conditions associated with climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge H Pinzón C
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington , Arlington, TX , USA
| | - Lindsey Dornberger
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington , Arlington, TX , USA
| | | | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico , Mayagüez, PR , USA
| | - Laura D Mydlarz
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Arlington , Arlington, TX , USA
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