Simulated climate change scenarios impact the reproduction and early life stages of a soft coral

Liberman, Ronen; Fine, Maoz; Benayahu, Yehuda

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105215

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…A light curve with 13 incremental steps between 0 and 701 µmol photons m −2 s −1 was conducted to infer relative electron transport rate (rETR) after three minutes of actinic illumination at each step (rETR = YII*PAR). The software ‘R’ was used with a script adapted from Liberman et al 65 to determine relative maximal electron transport rate (rETR MAX ), rate saturating irradiance (E K ), photosynthetic efficiency at light limiting irradiances (α, i.e. the initial slope), and photoinhibition (β, the downward slope following rETR MAX plateau).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection of mesophotic habitats by Oculina patagonica in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea following global warming

Martinez

Bellworthy

Ferrier‐Pagés

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Globally, species are migrating in an attempt to track optimal isotherms as climate change increasingly warms existing habitats. Stony corals are severely threatened by anthropogenic warming, which has resulted in repeated mass bleaching and mortality events. Since corals are sessile as adults and with a relatively old age of sexual maturity, they are slow to latitudinally migrate, but corals may also migrate vertically to deeper, cooler reefs. Herein we describe vertical migration of the Mediterranean coral Oculina patagonica from less than 10 m depth to > 30 m. We suggest that this range shift is a response to rapidly warming sea surface temperatures on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline. In contrast to the vast latitudinal distance required to track temperature change, this species has migrated deeper where summer water temperatures are up to 2 °C cooler. Comparisons of physiology, morphology, trophic position, symbiont type, and photochemistry between deep and shallow conspecifics revealed only a few depth-specific differences. At this study site, shallow colonies typically inhabit low light environments (caves, crevices) and have a facultative relationship with photosymbionts. We suggest that this existing phenotype aided colonization of the mesophotic zone. This observation highlights the potential for other marine species to vertically migrate.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selection of mesophotic habitats by Oculina patagonica in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea following global warming

Martinez

Bellworthy

Ferrier‐Pagés

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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“…The probability of coral colonies being fertile, the proportion of gravid polyps within the corals, and colony fecundity increased with colony size. Nonetheless, a variety of environmental and physiological stressors can reduce coral fecundity, gamete quality and fertilization success (Feldman et al, 2018;Hartmann et al, 2018;Liberman et al, 2021;Omori et al, 2001;Paxton et al, 2016;Ward et al, 2000). Reductions in fecundity or fertilization rate can further result in reductions in coral recruitment, leading to population decline.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Different population trajectories of two reef‐building corals with similar life‐history traits

Shlesinger

Woesik

2021

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…In some warm-water corals, exposure to increased thermal variability has been shown to promote acclimatization [28][29][30] , potentially driving directional selection for more heat-tolerant genotypes over time 28 . However, these studies have largely focused on shallow zooxanthellate coral species and their responses to bleaching events, and few have explicitly considered the impacts of repeated thermal stress or thermal variability on reproduction (but see Liberman et al 31 ). Results of warming experiments 26,27 and descriptions of reproduction and metabolic demand across environmental gradients [32][33][34][35][36] suggest that the energetic requirements of survival in suboptimal temperatures, particularly during gametogenesis when metabolic demand is already elevated 35 , may not be sustainable across coral species 33,[36][37][38] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shallow-emerged coral may warn of deep-sea coral response to thermal stress

Johnstone

Waller

Stone

2021

Sci Rep

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In the Gulf of Alaska, commercially harvested fish species utilize habitats dominated by red tree corals (Primnoa pacifica) for shelter, feeding, and nurseries, but recent studies hint that environmental conditions may be interrupting the reproductive lifecycle of the corals. The North Pacific has experienced persistent and extreme thermal variability in recent years and this pattern is predicted to continue in coming decades. Recent discovery of deep-water emerged coral populations in Southeast Alaska fjords provided opportunity for detailed life-history studies and comparison to corals in managed habitats on the continental shelf. Here we show that sperm from deep colonies develops completely, but in shallow colonies, sperm development is prematurely halted, likely preventing successful production of larvae. We hypothesize that the divergence is due to differing temperature regimes presently experienced by the corals. Compared to deep populations below the thermocline, shallow populations experience much greater seasonal thermal variability and annual pulses of suspected near-lethal temperatures that appear to interrupt the production of viable gametes. The unique opportunity to comprehensively study emerged populations presently affected by thermal stress provides advance warning of the possible fate of deep corals in the Gulf of Alaska that will soon experience similar ocean conditions.

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Simulated climate change scenarios impact the reproduction and early life stages of a soft coral

Cited by 18 publications

References 53 publications

Selection of mesophotic habitats by Oculina patagonica in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea following global warming

Selection of mesophotic habitats by Oculina patagonica in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea following global warming

Different population trajectories of two reef‐building corals with similar life‐history traits

Shallow-emerged coral may warn of deep-sea coral response to thermal stress

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