Experimental assessment of organic carbon fluxes in the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata during a thermal and photo stress event

Tremblay, Pascale; Naumann, Malik S.; Sikorski, S.; Grover, Renaud; Ferrier‐Pagés, Christine

doi:10.3354/meps09640

Cited by 46 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…Increases in δ 13 C s could also indicate an increase in photosynthesis rates (Grottoli and Wellington, 1999;Grottoli, 2002). However, this is not likely since this species typically experiences significant declines in photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) and photosynthesis rates at elevated temperatures (Tremblay et al, 2012;Fine et al, 2013), and because it is not physiologically possible to increase photosynthesis rates when bleached. In addition, the increase in δ 18 O s deceptively suggests that seawaters were cooler, not hotter, in the bleached coral tank ( Figure 3B).…”

Section: Stylophora Pistillatamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…pistillata bleached the most severely of all three species studied with the greatest percentage drop in endosymbiotic algal density ( Figure 1A). Large drops in endosymbiotic algal density are associated with dramatic decreases in photosynthesis, resulting in corals that are unable to meet their total metabolic demand Tremblay et al, 2012). Here, S. pistillata catabolized its lipid reserves (Figure 2A), presumably FIGURE 2 | Average (A) Lipid, (B) protein, (C) carbohydrate, (D) total energy reserves, and (E) total biomass in control (black bars) and bleached (gray bars) Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, and Favia favus corals.…”

Section: Stylophora Pistillatamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is consistent with the fact that corals in this study were not fed zooplankton during the experiment. However, even if they had been fed, this species is known to decrease feeding rates on zooplankton, pico-, and nano-plankton, as well as suffer increases in total organic carbon losses when bleached (Ferrier-Pages et al, 2010;Tremblay et al, 2012), and that it has limited heterotrophic plasticity capacity in response to a changing environment (Alamaru et al, 2009). Despite the loss of lipids and isotopic evidence of reduced heterotrophic carbon input, bleached S. pistillata only showed a trend of declining total energy reserves (p < 0.13) and maintained its biomass (Figures 2D,E).…”

Section: Stylophora Pistillatamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

2017

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Mass coral bleaching is increasing in frequency and severity, leading to the loss of coral abundance and diversity. However, some corals are less susceptible to bleaching than others and can provide a model for identifying the physiological and biogeochemical traits that underlie coral resilience to thermal stress. Corals from Eilat in the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea do not bleach unless seawater temperatures are sustained at +6 • C or higher above their average summer maximum. This extreme thermal tolerance qualifies these as super-corals, as most corals bleach when exposed to temperatures that are only +1-2 • C above their thermal maximum. Here, we conducted a controlled bleaching experiment (+6 • C) for 37 days (equivalent to 32 • heating weeks) on three species of corals from Eilat: Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, and Favia favus. To assess the response of the holobiont to thermal stress, the following variables were measured on each coral: endosymbiotic algal cell density, Chlorophyll a, endosymbiotic mitotic cell division, total lipids, protein, carbohydrate, and the stable carbon (δ 13 C) and oxygen (δ 18 O) isotopic composition of the skeleton and the δ 13 C of the animal host tissue and endosymbiotic algae. While all three species appeared visibly bleached, their physiological and biogeochemical responses were species-specific. S. pistillata catabolized lipids but still maintained total energy reserves and biomass. Increases in both skeletal δ 13 C and δ 18 O indicates that calcification declined in this species. P. damicornis was the least affected by bleaching. It maintained its total energy reserves and biomass, and isotopic evidence suggests that it maintained calcification and was not dependent on heterotrophy for meeting metabolic demand when bleached. Finally, F. favus catabolized protein and carbohydrates, and suffered losses in total energy reserves and biomass. Nevertheless, isotopic evidence suggest that photosynthesis and calcification were maintained, and that this species has a high baseline heterotrophic capacity. Thus, just like their non-super-coral conspecific counterparts, maintaining energy reserves Grottoli et al.Response of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress and biomass, and heterotrophic capacity appear to be traits that underlie the thermal tolerance of these super-corals from Eilat. Given the high thermal tolerance of these super-corals, these populations could provide viable seed stock for repopulating coral losses on other reefs.

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Section: Stylophora Pistillatamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Stylophora Pistillatamentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Stylophora Pistillatamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

2017

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“…Although corals may have accessed other sources of heterotrophic carbon such as bacteria and dissolved and particulate organic matter (e.g. [24,49,50]), this was probably not a significant contribution to the fixed carbon pool given the positive d 13 C h2e values for all treatment corals at 0 months on the reef ( figure 2c,h,m) indicating that autotrophic C was preferentially incorporated into tissues.…”

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confidence: 99%

Annual coral bleaching and the long-term recovery capacity of coral

et al. 2015

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Mass bleaching events are predicted to occur annually later this century. Nevertheless, it remains unknown whether corals will be able to recover between annual bleaching events. Using a combined tank and field experiment, we simulated annual bleaching by exposing three Caribbean coral species (Porites divaricata, Porites astreoides and Orbicella faveolata) to elevated temperatures for 2.5 weeks in 2 consecutive years. The impact of annual bleaching stress on chlorophyll a, energy reserves, calcification, and tissue C and N isotopes was assessed immediately after the second bleaching and after both short-and long-term recovery on the reef (1.5 and 11 months, respectively). While P. divaricata and O. faveolata were able to recover from repeat bleaching within 1 year, P. astreoides experienced cumulative damage that prevented full recovery within this time frame, suggesting that repeat bleaching had diminished its recovery capacity. Specifically, P. astreoides was not able to recover protein and carbohydrate concentrations. As energy reserves promote bleaching resistance, failure to recover from annual bleaching within 1 year will likely result in the future demise of heat-sensitive coral species.

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“…Subsamples were taken for the determination of the symbiont concentration according to Rodolfo-Metalpa et al (2006), and protein concentration according to Smith et al (1985) using the BC Assay Protein Quantitation Kit (Uptima, Interchim) and a Xenius ® spectrofluorometer (Safas, Monaco). The remaining sample was used to assess Chl a and Chl c 2 concentrations according to Tremblay et al (2012c) by use of a spectrophotometer UVmc 2 ® (Safas, Monaco). Data were subsequently normalized to the skeletal surface area of each nubbin (µmol O 2 cm −2 h −1 ) measured using the wax-dipping technique (Veal et al, 2010) or per symbiont cell (µmol O 2 cell −1 h −1 ).…”

Section: Rates Of Photosynthesis and Respirationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Photosynthate translocation increases in response to low seawater pH in a coral–dinoflagellate symbiosis

et al. 2013

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This study has examined the effect of low seawater pH values (induced by an increased CO₂ partial pressure) on the rates of photosynthesis, as well as on the carbon budget and carbon translocation in the scleractinian coral species Stylophora pistillata, using a new model based on ¹³C labelling of the photosynthetic products. Symbiont photosynthesis contributes to a large part of the carbon acquisition in tropical coral species, and it is thus important to know how environmental changes affect this carbon acquisition and allocation. For this purpose, nubbins of S. pistillata were maintained for six months at two pH_Ts (8.1 and 7.2, by bubbling seawater with CO₂). The lowest pH value was used to tackle how seawater pH impacts the carbon budget of a scleractinian coral. Rates of photosynthesis and respiration of the symbiotic association and of isolated symbionts were assessed at each pH. The fate of ¹³C photosynthates was then followed in the symbionts and the coral host for 48 h. Nubbins maintained at pH_T 7.2 presented a lower areal symbiont concentration, and lower areal rates of gross photosynthesis and carbon incorporation compared to nubbins maintained at pH_T 8.1. The total carbon acquisition was thus lower under low pH. However, the total percentage of carbon translocated to the host as well as the amount of carbon translocated per symbiont cell were significantly higher under pH_T 7.2 than under pH_T 8.1 (70% at pH_T 7.2 vs. 60% at pH_T 8.1), such that the total amount of photosynthetic carbon received by the coral host was equivalent under both pHs (5.5 to 6.1 μg C cm⁻² h⁻¹). Although the carbon budget of the host was unchanged, symbionts acquired less carbon for their own needs (0.6 compared to 1.8 μg C cm⁻² h⁻¹), explaining the overall decrease in symbiont concentration at low pH. In the long term, such decrease in symbiont concentration might severely affect the carbon budget of the symbiotic association

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Experimental assessment of organic carbon fluxes in the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata during a thermal and photo stress event

Cited by 46 publications

References 85 publications

Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Annual coral bleaching and the long-term recovery capacity of coral

Photosynthate translocation increases in response to low seawater pH in a coral–dinoflagellate symbiosis

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