Journal article
Diversity in skeletal architecture influences biological heterogeneity and Symbiodinium habitat in corals
Zoology (Jena), Vol.116(5), pp.262-269
10/2013
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/105861
PMID: 23992772
Abstract
Scleractinian corals vary in response to rapid shifts in the marine environment and changes in reef community structure post-disturbance reveal a clear relationship between coral performance and morphology. With exceptions, massive corals are thought to be more tolerant and branching corals more vulnerable to changing environmental conditions, notably thermal stress. The typical responses of massive and branching coral taxa, respectively, are well documented; however, the biological and functional characteristics that underpin this variation are not well understood. We address this gap by comparing multiple biological attributes that are correlated with skeletal architecture in two perforate (having porous skeletal matrices with intercalating tissues) and two imperforate coral species (Montipora aequituberculata, Porites lobata, Pocillopora damicornis, and Seriatopora hystrix) representing three morphotypes. Our results reveal inherent biological heterogeneity among corals and the potential for perforate skeletons to create complex, three-dimensional internal habitats that impact the dynamics of the symbiosis. Patterns of tissue thickness are correlated with the concentration of symbionts within narrow regions of tissue in imperforate corals versus broad distribution throughout the larger tissue area in perforate corals. Attributes of the perforate and environmentally tolerant P. lobata were notable, with tissues ∼5 times thicker than in the sensitive, imperforate species P. damicornis and S. hystrix. Additionally, P. lobata had the lowest baseline levels of superoxide and Symbiodinium that provisioned high levels of energy. Given our observations, we hypothesize that the complexity of the visually obscured internal environment has an impact on host–symbiont dynamics and ultimately on survival, warranting further scientific investigation.
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Details
- Title
- Diversity in skeletal architecture influences biological heterogeneity and Symbiodinium habitat in corals
- Creators
- Denise M Yost - Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USALi-Hsueh Wang - National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROCTung-Yung Fan - National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROCChii-Shiarng Chen - National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, 2 Houwan Road, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan, ROCRaymond W Lee - School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, PO Box 644236, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USAEmilia Sogin - Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USARuth D Gates - Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawaii, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
- Publication Details
- Zoology (Jena), Vol.116(5), pp.262-269
- Academic Unit
- UNKNOWN
- Publisher
- Elsevier GmbH
- Identifiers
- 99900546855701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article