Effects of feeding on the physiological performance of the stony coral Pocillopora acuta

Huang, Yan-Leng; Mayfield, Anderson B.; Fan, Tung‐Yung

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-76451-1

Cited by 15 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 55 publications

(88 reference statements)

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“…Studies of the electro-stimulation method have generally shown a significant increase in the survival rate of coral transplants compared to control (Sabater and Yap, 2002;Sabater and Yap, 2004;Zamani et al, 2012). However, in some cases, the survival rate showed no significant difference between the treatment and control groups (Bakti et al, 2012;Huang et al, 2020). In the present study, we found there was no significant difference in the survival rates of transplants on electrostimulated structures compared with the control structure in both growth forms tested (branching and massive).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 49%

In-situ electro-stimulation enhanced branching but not massive scleractinian coral growth

et al. 2022

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Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is the main component of the skeleton of scleractinian corals and is a preferable substrate for attachment and growth. An electro-stimulation method based on the electrolysis of seawater, which generates calcium and magnesium minerals as a crystalline coating over artificial metal structures, was used to boost coral growth during the 1970s. Few studies have attempted to compare survival and growth between electro-stimulated corals and non-electro-stimulated corals in situ. In this study, we used 2D image analysis to quantify the growth of branching and massive corals on electro-stimulated structures. Among four metallic structures that were deployed in Sabang, Aceh, Indonesia, three were electro-stimulated (12 V) and one was used as a control. Two branching corals (Acropora gemmifera and Pocillopora verrucosa) and two massive coral species (Porites murrayensis and Porites lobata) were selected. A total of 256 fragments, comprising 128 fragments derived from two branching species and 128 fragments derived from two massive species, were randomly dispatched to each structure. Underwater photographs were taken at three intervals from August 2019 to December 2020. The results showed that the survival rates (excluding lost fragments) of branching corals under electro-stimulation were approximately 19% higher than massive. However, no significant difference was found between the survival rates of the treatment and control groups for both branching and massive corals. Furthermore, we found that under electro-stimulation, branching corals grew faster than controls but not massive. Our study provides pieces of evidence for the potential use of electrochemical processes in stimulating the growth of branching corals.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 49%

In-situ electro-stimulation enhanced branching but not massive scleractinian coral growth

et al. 2022

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“…Feeding Pocillopora acuta with brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) three times a week doubled colony growth and increased symbiont density as well as their maximum quantum yield (Huang et al, 2020). We chose not to feed the corals mainly due to the concern of increased fouling in a small, closed system.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-generational heritability analysis of physiological traits in Porites astreoides across an inshore-offshore gradient in the Lower Florida Keys

2022

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Estimating the heritable genetic variation in fitness-related traits is key to projecting the adaptive evolution of organisms in response to a changing environment. While heritability studies on reef-building corals to date support adaptive capacity, little is known about the dynamics of trait heritability across life stages in which distinct selective pressures can have long-lasting effects both within and across generations. In this study, we obtained heritability estimates for energetic and thermal stress response traits in larval, recruit, and adult Porites astreoides from two populations in the Lower Florida Keys. To induce bleaching phenotypes among individual families, larvae were exposed to a 4-day thermal stress at 32 ˚C, whereas adults and recruits received the same treatment for 22 days. Origin-dependent tolerance was observed in two life stages where offshore recruits lost more symbiont cells under heat than inshore recruits compared to their respective controls and heat-treated offshore adults suffered a greater loss in total protein content. Surprisingly, larvae appeared to be largely insensitive to heat regardless of origin. Broad sense heritability (H 2 ) estimates varied greatly among traits and life stages, which may reflect changes in the relative importance of genetic and environmental variation throughout development. Notably, more than 80% of the variation in larval chlorophyll a concentration was attributed to genetic factors. The overall moderate to high H 2 estimates measured here suggest these corals have considerable potential to adapt to environmental change.

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“…A substantial amount of energy in scleractinian corals is acquired through heterotrophy, which has become a key process to determine the resistance of corals to adverse conditions. Through heterotrophy, more energy for metabolic needs is available and therefore enhances the capability to resist stress events, which promotes bleaching resilience, raises protein levels, and in turn, supports the endosymbionts' physiological status [46]. Trophic differences are recognizable in the feeding rates of different species of corals.…”

Section: Coral Feedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…with different morphology, polyp extension, and feeding capacity. This, in turn, increases the growth rates and photosynthetic efficiency of endosymbionts, enhances the resistance to bleaching, and improves the general health status of corals [46,47]. The key role of feeding is therefore not only related to increasing energy of the hosts but also supporting the processes involved in the endosymbionts, including photosynthesis and remineralization of organic matter.…”

Section: Coral Feedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutrition of Corals and Their Trophic Plasticity under Future Environmental Conditions

Dellisanti¹,

Seveso²,

Fang³

2023

Corals - Habitat Formers in the Anthropocene

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Scleractinian corals obtain metabolic energy from their endosymbiotic autotrophic microalgae, and from remineralization of organic matter by bacteria and viruses, along with the heterotrophic food sources. The mutualistic symbiosis is generally stable but can be disrupted when environmental conditions surrounding the corals, such as increasing seawater temperature, become unfavorable to sustain each component of the holobiont. In this connection, the effects of global stressors such as climate change, and local stressors such as pollution, and their combination, are posing serious threats to the metabolic resistance of corals. However, some more resilient coral species have developed specific mechanisms to cope with fluctuating environmental conditions according to the trophic strategy (autotrophy, heterotrophy, or mixotrophy), and by modulating their energy expenditure. In this chapter, the role of nutrition in the coral symbiosis as the energetic budget for metabolic performance will be discussed, with a focus on the role of acquisition of nutrients through feeding, regulation of energy reserves (lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates), and adaptation capability in the natural environment, including the expression of heat-shock proteins (Hsps). Future environmental conditions under a combination of global changes and local impacts will also be discussed, with the aim of identifying the trophic niches of corals and geographical areas as possible refugia.

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Effects of feeding on the physiological performance of the stony coral Pocillopora acuta

Cited by 15 publications

References 55 publications

In-situ electro-stimulation enhanced branching but not massive scleractinian coral growth

In-situ electro-stimulation enhanced branching but not massive scleractinian coral growth

Cross-generational heritability analysis of physiological traits in Porites astreoides across an inshore-offshore gradient in the Lower Florida Keys

Nutrition of Corals and Their Trophic Plasticity under Future Environmental Conditions

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