Diurnal lipid and mucus production in the staghorn coral Acropora acuminata

Crossland, Chris; Barnes, David; Borowitzka, Michael A.

doi:10.1007/bf00389151

Cited by 245 publications

(157 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Coral mucus is primarily a carbohydrate complex (Coffroth 1990), but also contains energy-rich lipid compounds like wax esters (cetyl palmitate), triglycerids, free fatty acids (Benson & Muscatine 1974, Crossland et al 1980) and proteins or peptides (Krupp 1985, Vacelet & Thomassin 1991. More detailed information about the chemical composition of coral mucus was presented by Richards et al (1983), who found proteoglycan consisting of D-arabinose, N-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose and D-mannose as main component of the mucus released by the staghorn coral Acropora formosa.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Production, release and consumption of mucus is mentioned as one mechanism for the transfer of energy from corals and their zooxanthellae to other reef organisms (Coles & Strathman 1973, Benson & Muscatine 1974, Ducklow & Mitchell 1979a. Crossland et al (1980) found that mucus released by the coral Acropora acumineata corresponded to approximately 40% of the net carbon fixation by the zooxanthellae. Davies (1984) suggested that a loss of 49% of the fixed energy could be attributed to mucus secretion of Pocillopora eydouxi.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Degradation and mineralization of coral mucus in reef environments

Wild¹,

Rasheed²,

Ulrich³

et al. 2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

149

106

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With in situ and laboratory chamber incubations we demonstrate that coral mucus, an important component of particulate organic matter in reef ecosystems, is a valuable substrate for microbial communities in the water column and sandy sediments of coral reefs. The addition of coral mucus to the water of benthic chambers placed on lagoon sands in the coral cay Heron Island, Australia, resulted in a rapid and significant increase in both O 2 consumption and DIC production in the chambers. The permeable coral sands permitted the transport of mucus into the sediment with interfacial water flows, resulting in the mucus being mainly (> 90%) degraded in the sediment and not in the water column of the chambers. A low ratio of 0.48 (in situ) to 0.64 (laboratory) for O 2 consumption/DIC production after the addition of coral mucus, and high sulfate reduction rates (SRR) in natural sediments which were exposed to coral mucus, suggest a large contribution of anaerobic processes to the degradation of coral mucus. Oxygen penetrated less than 5 mm deep into these sediments. The microbial reaction to mucus addition was rapid, with a calculated in situ C turnover rate ranging from 7 to 18% h -1 . The degradation of coral mucus showed a dependency on the permeability of the carbonate sediments, with faster degradation and remineralization in coarse sands. This indicates the importance of permeable reef sediments for the trapping and degradation of organic matter. We suggest that coral mucus may have a function as a carrier of energy to the benthic microbial consumers.KEY WORDS: Coral mucus · POM · Degradation · Permeable carbonate sands · O 2 consumption · DIC production · C turnover Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degradation and mineralization of coral mucus in reef environments

Wild¹,

Rasheed²,

Ulrich³

et al. 2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

149

106

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“…Heterotrophy was proved to significantly enhance the zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll content, as well as the rates of growth and photosynthesis (Anthony and Fabricius 2000;Ferrier-Pagès et al 2003;Houlbrèque et al 2003). Both autotrophy and heterotrophy supply corals with major compounds, such as glycerol and other lipids (Crossland et al 1980;Grottoli et al 2006), which play an essential role in coral metabolism at all levels. Lipids are important energy reserves, mainly stored in the animal tissue as wax esters and triglycerides (Muscatine and Cernichiari 1969;Oku et al 2002;Grottoli et al 2004), or in the membranes as sterols and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; Tchernov et al 2004).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These reserves are, for example, used in the reproduction process (Ward 1995) or are oxidized to generate energy for survival during bleaching events (Yamashiro et al 2005;Grottoli et al 2006;Rodrigues and Grottoli 2007). Lipids are also respired to support metabolic needs or excreted as mucus (Crossland et al 1980).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of light and feeding on the fatty acid and sterol composition of zooxanthellae and host tissue isolated from the scleractinian coral Turbinaria reniformis

Treignier

Grover

Ferrier‐Pagés

et al. 2008

Limnology & Oceanography

129

119

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The fatty acid and sterol compositions of zooxanthellae and animal fractions of the scleractinian coral Turbinaria reniformis were investigated under different light and feeding conditions, to study the symbiont-host exchanges. Nubbins were maintained during 6 weeks under two light levels (100 mmol photons m 22 s 21 and 300 mmol photons m 22 s 21 ) and two feeding levels (starved and fed with zooplankton) in a factorial experiment. There were greater proportions of some polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; e.g., C18:4 n-3, C20:5 n-3, C22:6 n-3) in the zooxanthellae than in the host, suggesting that these PUFA were synthesized by the algae and transferred to the animal. Conversely, C20:4 n-6 exhibited a greater proportion in the host and might have been synthesized by the animal. Light affected the chlorophyll content, the rates of photosynthesis, and the lipid production of all coral samples. Corals maintained in high-light conditions had lower relative phytol content but higher concentrations of fatty acids (FA) and sterols than the shaded corals. Feeding also affected coral metabolism, but differently according to the light level and despite the fact that the host did not directly incorporate the zooplankton lipids (PUFA and cholesterol). In low light, feeding resulted in an increase of growth rates and storage lipid concentrations, mainly saturated fatty acids (SAFA) and membrane constituents (PUFA and sterols). In high light, the lipid energy from the food was directed toward an increase in calcification, as well as in chlorophyll content and protein content. This study highlights the importance of feeding in sustaining coral metabolism, especially when light, or stress events, is limiting photosynthesis.

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“…Microbes are likely to react quickly to released mucus due to their high turnover rates of mucus release is that of corals, which may expend up to 50% of assimilated energy in Almost all aquatic animals secrete mucus the form of mucus (Crossland et al 1980). in considerable quantities for various reaIt is thought that coral-derived mucus has a significant influence on the water around reefs, leading to enhanced microbial prosons, e.g.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential microbial utilization rates of sublittoral gastropod mucus trails

Herndl

Peduzzi

1989

Limnology & Oceanography

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Mucus trails produced by the herbivorous gastropod Monodonta turbinata, a common species of the rocky intertidal and sublittoral zone in the Mediterranean Sea, were found in the laboratory to be rapidly colonized by heterotrophic microbes (bacteria and protists). Bacterial turnover times of 2.2 h were obtained for the mucus‐associated microbes during the exponential growth on mucus trails while free‐living bacteria in overlying water exhibited a turnover time of 5 h. Heterotrophic nanoflagellates associated with the mucus grazed the bacterial population at rates of 18 bacteria flagellate−1 h−1; for the free‐living bacteria grazing rates of about 15 bacteria flagellate−1 h−1 were obtained. Only about 25% of the mucus‐derived carbohydrates remained on the substrate after 26 h.

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Diurnal lipid and mucus production in the staghorn coral Acropora acuminata

Cited by 245 publications

References 29 publications

Degradation and mineralization of coral mucus in reef environments

Degradation and mineralization of coral mucus in reef environments

Effect of light and feeding on the fatty acid and sterol composition of zooxanthellae and host tissue isolated from the scleractinian coral Turbinaria reniformis

Potential microbial utilization rates of sublittoral gastropod mucus trails

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