Coral Gametogenesis Collapse under Artificial Light Pollution

Ayalon, Inbal; Rosenberg, Yaeli; Benichou, Jennifer I. C.; Campos, Celine Luisa D.; Sayco, Sherry Lyn G.; Nada, Michael Angelou L.; Baquiran, Jake Ivan P.; Ligson, Charlon A.; Avisar, Dror; Conaco, Cecilia; Kuechly, Helga U.; Kyba, Christopher C. M.; Cabaitan, Patrick C.; Levy, Oren

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.039

Cited by 49 publications

(51 citation statements)

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“…It is likely that artificial light pollution plays a role in shifting in situ spawning times (Ayalon et al, 2020;, and the observations in this study support that light pollution after sunset results in later gamete release times in D. cylindrus. Spectral LED output during the twilight phases was not precisely measured for this study, but the addition of a twilight phase may have prevented corals from perceiving sunset at the correct time.…”

Section: Future Directionssupporting

confidence: 73%

Repeated ex situ Spawning in Two Highly Disease Susceptible Corals in the Family Meandrinidae

et al. 2021

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Members of the family Meandrinidae are highly susceptible to stony coral tissue loss disease, resulting in population reductions up to 88% in both Dendrogyra cylindrus and Meandrina meandrites along the Florida Reef Tract. Reductions in abundance on this scale leave these species susceptible to limitations in sexual reproduction and natural recovery without intervention. In response to the ongoing outbreak of the disease across the Caribbean, a variety of genetic rescue projects have been implemented to bring disease susceptible species into ex situ culture and preserve living genetic diversity. In this study, corals being held in a long-term ex situ genetic bank were maintained using artificial lighting and temperature cues programmed to mimic natural cycles in Key Largo, FL, United States. Synchronized broadcast spawning events in both species were documented in aquaria over two annual spawning cycles in 2019 and 2020. Timing of gamete release relative to the perceived date and sunset was highly synchronized with wild observations. Up to 21 unique D. cylindrus genotypes collected from reef locations spanning over 230 km contributed gametes to the larval pool. The majority of these parental colonies are no longer alive in the wild. Repeatable and predictable ex situ spawning events such as these will become an essential tool for managed breeding and assisted fertilization in species suffering from severe population declines. These annual events have the potential to produce thousands of genetically diverse offspring for restoration efforts and offer future hope for the long-term survival of these threatened species.

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Section: Future Directionssupporting

confidence: 73%

Repeated ex situ Spawning in Two Highly Disease Susceptible Corals in the Family Meandrinidae

et al. 2021

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“…After 3 weeks of growth, the cell cultures were subdivided (100 ml/flask) and triplicates of flasks with each algae type were allocated to one of three experimental light groups, with an extra group acting as control. The cultures were treated with one of three colors of LED lights as previously published by our group (Ayalon et al, 2019(Ayalon et al, , 2021: blue (420-480 nm, 10,000 K); yellow (580-620 nm, 2,000 K); or white (440-700 nm, 6,000-6,500 K), with an intensity of 0.15 µmol quanta m −2 s −1 (∼4-5 lux). An Ocean optics JAZ spectrometer was used to make the spectral measurements.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ever-increasing amount of nighttime light, known as Artificial Light at Night (ALAN), is an inherent consequence of population growth along ocean coastlines, and a major emerging sensory pollutant concern for coral reef ecosystems ( Becker et al, 2013 ; Tamir et al, 2017 ; Ayalon et al, 2019 , 2021 ). This is in addition to the other insults that these complex populations have been exposed to over the last few decades, either due to human actions (overfishing, chemical pollution), or natural stressors (storms, diseases, sedimentation, heatwaves), Baker et al (2008) , Dubinsky and Stambler (2010) , Caroselli et al (2017) , Tamir et al (2017) , Hughes et al (2018) , Ayalon et al (2019 , 2021) . The three-dimensional habitats that comprise a coral reef are among the most diverse marine ecosystems on earth, supporting thousands of organisms that live in close association and dependency.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Broadcast spawning, the main mode of coral reproduction, depends on very precise timing of gamete release into the water column to be successful ( Shlesinger and Loya, 1985 ). This is achieved by synchronization of the corals with the lunar cycle ( Babcock et al, 1986 ; Kaniewska et al, 2015 ; Ayalon et al, 2021 ). Corals possess an array of sensitive photoreceptors, including GPCRs rhodopsins and cryptochromes, which operate in the blue region of the light spectrum ( Gorbunov and Falkowski, 2002 ; Levy et al, 2007 ), and are synchronized with the moon phase.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The exponential rise in the anthropogenic stress of ALAN ( Gaston et al, 2013 ; Davies et al, 2014 ; Tamir et al, 2017 ) resulting from population growth and the use of new electricity technology ( Nicholls, 1995 ; Gaston et al, 2013 ; Davies et al, 2014 ) has prompted much research in this area in recent years ( Davies et al, 2013 ; Tamir et al, 2017 ). We have previously described a strong impact of light at night on coral physiology, and the gametogenesis cycle and reproduction phylogeny (see Ayalon et al, 2019 , 2021 ). Here we have extended these results by exploring the physiological and photosynthetic implications of light pollution by exposing two Symbiodiniacea cultures ( Cladocopium and Durusdinium ) to LED lights “cold white” (440–700 nm, 6,000–6,500 K) spectrum, and also to specific narrow light spectra (blue and yellow) that “mimic” the light spectrum and levels measured on shores close to coral reefs, in the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba, which is an arm of the Red Sea (see Tamir et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Endosymbiotic Coral Algae Symbiodiniaceae Are Sensitive to a Sensory Pollutant: Artificial Light at Night, ALAN

et al. 2021

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Artificial Light at Night, ALAN, is a major emerging issue in biodiversity conservation, which can negatively impact both terrestrial and marine environments. Therefore, it should be taken into serious consideration in strategic planning for urban development. While the lion’s share of research has dealt with terrestrial organisms, only a handful of studies have focused on the marine milieu. To determine if ALAN impacts the coral reef symbiotic algae, that are fundamental for sustainable coral reefs, we conducted a short experiment over a period of one-month by illuminating isolated Symbiodiniaceae cell cultures from the genera Cladocopium (formerly Clade C) and Durusdinium (formerly Clade D) with LED light. Cell cultures were exposed nightly to ALAN levels of 0.15 μmol quanta m–2 s–1 (∼4–5 lux) with three light spectra: blue, yellow and white. Our findings showed that even in very low levels of light at night, the photo-physiology of the algae’s Electron Transport Rate (ETR), Non-Photochemical Quenching, (NPQ), total chlorophyll, and meiotic index presented significantly lower values under ALAN, primarily, but not exclusively, in Cladocopium cell cultures. The findings also showed that diverse Symbiodiniaceae types have different photo-physiology and photosynthesis performances under ALAN. We believe that our results sound an alarm for the probable detrimental effects of an increasing sensory pollutant, ALAN, on the eco-physiology of symbiotic corals. The results of this study point to the potential effects of ALAN on other organisms in marine ecosystem such as fish, zooplankton, and phytoplankton in which their biorhythms is entrained by natural light and dark cycles.

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A synthesis of the risks of marine light pollution across organismal and ecological scales

Miller,

Rice

2023

Aquatic Conservation

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Light pollution is a pervasive global stressor to natural systems. However, due to the proximity of human activities along the coasts and open ocean, light is a pervasive yet commonly overlooked pollutant in many marine habitats. There is a well‐developed body of literature on the visual physiology, behaviour and ecology of many marine taxa, and a re‐evaluation of these data can help inform risks of light pollution to impact marine organisms and ecosystems. This paper identifies key knowledge gaps in the study of marine light pollution ecology and recommends research and management foci for future study. Most work on this pollutant has focused on terrestrial ecosystems and taxa, where experts have learned how anthropogenic light influences behaviour, reproduction cycles and population dynamics. However, light pollution bleeds far beyond the shores, affecting many sensitive ecosystems with light available at unnatural times with varied makeup, such as varying intensities or spectra. This review discusses the current understanding of light dynamics underwater, photoreceptive systems of marine taxa and the documented ecological impacts. This lends a critical basis of understanding for the many gaps in marine light pollution biology. For example, little is known about effects of light on broad groups of marine taxa such as cetaceans, ecosystem‐level effects, or interactive impacts of light and other anthropogenic stressors. Light is a key structuring factor of the marine environment and can therefore elicit immense downstream effects on marine organisms individually, at the population‐ or ecosystem‐level. Light pollution is an urgent concern for marine ecosystems because marine organisms have tight relationships with their natural light environment. As the world moves deeper into the Anthropocene, assessing and mitigating the risks of this pollutant to key environmental and economic marine systems is critical to maintaining a healthy ocean.

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Coral Gametogenesis Collapse under Artificial Light Pollution

Cited by 49 publications

References 39 publications

Repeated ex situ Spawning in Two Highly Disease Susceptible Corals in the Family Meandrinidae

Repeated ex situ Spawning in Two Highly Disease Susceptible Corals in the Family Meandrinidae

The Endosymbiotic Coral Algae Symbiodiniaceae Are Sensitive to a Sensory Pollutant: Artificial Light at Night, ALAN

A synthesis of the risks of marine light pollution across organismal and ecological scales

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