Effects of heavy rainfall on Thalassia testudinum beds

Chollett, Iliana; Bone, David; Pérez, Diego

doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2007.05.003

Cited by 23 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In a comparative analysis conducted on different seagrass species, Cabaço and Santos () reported that reproductive effort in response to disturbance increased in 72% of cases. Several field observations also reported that seagrass populations growing in stressful environments exhibit greater evidence of flowering with respect to population under more stable conditions (Chollett, Bone, & Pérez, ; Gallegos, Merino, Marbá, & Duarte, ; McDonald et al, ). It is plausible, therefore, that stress‐induced flowering is a major category of flowering response in marine plants in general, as recently assumed for terrestrial plants (Takeno, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Heat‐stress induced flowering can be a potential adaptive response to ocean warming for the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica

et al. 2019

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The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to warming and the abrupt declines experienced by the endemic Posidonia oceanica populations after recent heatwaves have forecasted severe consequences for the ecological functions and socio‐economical services this habitat forming species provides. Nevertheless, this highly clonal and long‐lived species could be more resilient to warming than commonly thought since heat‐sensitive plants massively bloomed after a simulated heatwave, which provides the species with an opportunity to adapt to climate change. Taking advantage of this unexpected plant response, we investigated for the first time the molecular and physiological mechanisms involved in seagrass flowering through the transcriptomic analysis of bloomed plants. We also aimed to identify if flowering is a stress‐induced response as suggested from the fact that heat‐sensitive but not heat‐tolerant plants flowered. The transcriptomic profiles of flowered plants showed a strong metabolic activation of sugars and hormones and indications of an active transport of these solutes within the plant, most likely to induce flower initiation in the apical meristem. Preflowered plants also activated numerous epigenetic‐related genes commonly used by plants to regulate the expression of key floral genes and stress‐tolerance genes, which could be interpreted as a mechanism to survive and optimize reproductive success under stress conditions. Furthermore, these plants provided numerous molecular clues suggesting that the factor responsible for the massive flowering of plants from cold environments (heat‐sensitive) can be considered as a stress. Heat‐stress induced flowering may thus be regarded as an ultimate response to survive extreme warming events with potential adaptive consequences for the species. Fitness implications of this unexpected stress‐response and the potential consequences on the phenotypic plasticity (acclimation) and evolutionary (adaptation) opportunity of the species to ocean warming are finally discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Heat‐stress induced flowering can be a potential adaptive response to ocean warming for the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica

et al. 2019

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“…Exposure to non-lethal, but sub-optimal salinity alters the ionic composition in cells, disturbs membrane integrity, affects enzyme kinetics and may thus lead to lower photosynthetic rates, growth and reproduction, and eventually increase mortality in seagrasses (Irlandi et al 2002, Kahn & Durako 2006, Chollett et al 2007, Nejrup & Pedersen 2008, Sandoval-Gil et al 2014. Exposure to hypo-or hypersaline conditions requires osmoregulation to sustain cell turgor and a favorable ionic composition within cells.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High ammonium availability amplifies the adverse effect of low salinity on eelgrass Zostera marina

Villazán¹,

Salo²,

Brun³

et al. 2015

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Climate change intensifies the frequency and intensity of rainfall events, which increases the discharge of freshwater and nutrients to coastal areas. This may lower salinity and increase nutrient availability and, thus, affect estuarine eelgrass populations. We studied the interactive effect of increasing NH 4 + levels and low salinity on estuarine eelgrass Zostera marina, grown in microcosm at various combinations of NH 4 + enrichment (0, 10 and 25 μM) and salinity (5, 12.5 and 20). Increasing NH 4 + had a positive effect on eelgrass performance as long as salinity was kept at ambient level (20). N enrichment was followed by an increase in pigments, photosynthesis and various growth variables and a decrease in stored carbon concentrations (sucrose and starch). Low salinity had an overall negative effect on plant fitness; pigment concentration, photosynthesis and growth were reduced while mortality increased. Exposure to low salinity was also followed by a decrease in sucrose, suggesting that it was used as an osmolyte and/or that photosynthesis could not cover energy requirements needed for osmoregulation or repairing processes. Concomitant exposure to high NH 4 + and low salinity turned the positive effect of NH 4 + into a strong, negative synergistic effect. Several growth-related variables were affected significantly and mortality increased substantially. We suggest that this simultaneous exposure intensified competition for energy and C skeletons affecting other metabolic processes (e.g. growth, repair processes) negatively. Our results suggest that climate change driven alterations in precipitation and NH 4 + loading might seriously impact estuarine eelgrass communities.

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“…The Caribbean was heavily impacted by El Niño-related bleaching events in 1995, 1997/98, 2005 10 and 2010. Simultaneously, coastal Venezuelan reefs and marine communities were exposed to a series of extreme environmental fluctuations since the mid-1990s 11 , such as upwelling of cold and nutrient-rich waters leading to phytoplankton blooms, and increased terrestrial runoff, landslides and sedimentation due to recurring extreme rainfall events 12 13 14 15 . Over longer time scales (decades to centuries), however, it is difficult to assess how corals have responded to multiple climatic stressors due to the lack of historical data (e.g.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reefs at this coastal site were strongly impacted by coral bleaching following the super 1997–98 El Niño event. In addition, cold upwelling, high rainfall and runoff events pre-dated or directly followed the super 1997–98 El Niño and led to additional environmental stress 12 13 14 15 . Here, we aim to assess the impact of these multiple stressors on two corals.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A change in coral extension rates and stable isotopes after El Niño-induced coral bleaching and regional stress events

Hetzinger

Pfeiffer

Dullo

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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Coral reefs are biologically diverse ecosystems threatened with effective collapse under rapid climate change, in particular by recent increases in ocean temperatures. Coral bleaching has occurred during major El Niño warming events, at times leading to the die-off of entire coral reefs. Here we present records of stable isotopic composition, Sr/Ca ratios and extension rate (1940–2004) in coral aragonite from a northern Venezuelan site, where reefs were strongly impacted by bleaching following the 1997–98 El Niño. We assess the impact of past warming events on coral extension rates and geochemical proxies. A marked decrease in coral (Pseudodiploria strigosa) extension rates coincides with a baseline shift to more negative values in oxygen and carbon isotopic composition after 1997–98, while a neighboring coral (Siderastrea siderea) recovered to pre-bleaching extension rates simultaneously. However, other stressors, besides high temperature, might also have influenced coral physiology and geochemistry. Coastal Venezuelan reefs were exposed to a series of extreme environmental fluctuations since the mid-1990s, i.e. upwelling, extreme rainfall and sediment input from landslides. This work provides important new data on the potential impacts of multiple regional stress events on coral isotopic compositions and raises questions about the long-term influence on coral-based paleoclimate reconstructions.

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Effects of heavy rainfall on Thalassia testudinum beds

Cited by 23 publications

References 19 publications

Heat‐stress induced flowering can be a potential adaptive response to ocean warming for the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica

Heat‐stress induced flowering can be a potential adaptive response to ocean warming for the iconic seagrass Posidonia oceanica

High ammonium availability amplifies the adverse effect of low salinity on eelgrass Zostera marina

A change in coral extension rates and stable isotopes after El Niño-induced coral bleaching and regional stress events

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