Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata
Recent research suggests that prior exposure of several months to elevated irradiance induces enhanced thermal tolerance in scleractinian corals. While this tolerance has been reported at the species level, individual coral colonies may react differently due to individual variability in thermal tole...
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doaj-99e440c84f634909b786eda8b2e641b12020-11-24T23:04:54ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592017-10-015e380210.7717/peerj.3802Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillataArjen Tilstra0Tim Wijgerde1Francisco Dini-Andreote2Britas Klemens Eriksson3Joana Falcão Salles4Ido Pen5Ronald Osinga6Christian Wild7Department of Marine Benthic Ecology & Evolution, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsCoral Publications, Utrecht, The NetherlandsMicrobial Ecology cluster, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Marine Benthic Ecology & Evolution, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsMicrobial Ecology cluster, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsTheoretical Research in Evolutionary Life Sciences, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The NetherlandsMarine Animal Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The NetherlandsMarine Ecology Group, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyRecent research suggests that prior exposure of several months to elevated irradiance induces enhanced thermal tolerance in scleractinian corals. While this tolerance has been reported at the species level, individual coral colonies may react differently due to individual variability in thermal tolerance. As thermal anomalies are predicted to become common in the upcoming future, intraspecific variation may be key to the survival of coral populations. In order to study light-history based thermal stress responses on individual colonies, we developed a preliminary microcosm experiment where three randomly chosen, aquacultured colonies of the model coral Stylophora pistillata were exposed to two irradiance treatments (200 and 400 μmol photons m−2 s−1) for 31 days, followed by artificially induced heat stress (∼33.4 °C). We found different responses to occur at both the intraspecific and the intracolonial levels, as indicated by either equal, less severe, delayed, and/or even non-necrotic responses of corals previously exposed to the irradiance of 400 compared to 200 μmol photons m−2 s−1. In addition, all individual colonies revealed light-enhanced calcification. Finally, elevated irradiance resulted in a lower chlorophyll a concentration in one colony compared to the control treatment, and the same colony displayed more rapid bleaching compared to the other ones. Taken together, this study highlights the potential importance of intra-individual variability in physiological responses of scleractinian corals and provides recommendations for improving methodological designs for future studies.https://peerj.com/articles/3802.pdfStylophora pistillataThermal toleranceLight stressNecrosisPhotoprotectionBleaching |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Arjen Tilstra Tim Wijgerde Francisco Dini-Andreote Britas Klemens Eriksson Joana Falcão Salles Ido Pen Ronald Osinga Christian Wild |
spellingShingle |
Arjen Tilstra Tim Wijgerde Francisco Dini-Andreote Britas Klemens Eriksson Joana Falcão Salles Ido Pen Ronald Osinga Christian Wild Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata PeerJ Stylophora pistillata Thermal tolerance Light stress Necrosis Photoprotection Bleaching |
author_facet |
Arjen Tilstra Tim Wijgerde Francisco Dini-Andreote Britas Klemens Eriksson Joana Falcão Salles Ido Pen Ronald Osinga Christian Wild |
author_sort |
Arjen Tilstra |
title |
Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata |
title_short |
Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata |
title_full |
Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata |
title_fullStr |
Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata |
title_full_unstemmed |
Light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral Stylophora pistillata |
title_sort |
light induced intraspecific variability in response to thermal stress in the hard coral stylophora pistillata |
publisher |
PeerJ Inc. |
series |
PeerJ |
issn |
2167-8359 |
publishDate |
2017-10-01 |
description |
Recent research suggests that prior exposure of several months to elevated irradiance induces enhanced thermal tolerance in scleractinian corals. While this tolerance has been reported at the species level, individual coral colonies may react differently due to individual variability in thermal tolerance. As thermal anomalies are predicted to become common in the upcoming future, intraspecific variation may be key to the survival of coral populations. In order to study light-history based thermal stress responses on individual colonies, we developed a preliminary microcosm experiment where three randomly chosen, aquacultured colonies of the model coral Stylophora pistillata were exposed to two irradiance treatments (200 and 400 μmol photons m−2 s−1) for 31 days, followed by artificially induced heat stress (∼33.4 °C). We found different responses to occur at both the intraspecific and the intracolonial levels, as indicated by either equal, less severe, delayed, and/or even non-necrotic responses of corals previously exposed to the irradiance of 400 compared to 200 μmol photons m−2 s−1. In addition, all individual colonies revealed light-enhanced calcification. Finally, elevated irradiance resulted in a lower chlorophyll a concentration in one colony compared to the control treatment, and the same colony displayed more rapid bleaching compared to the other ones. Taken together, this study highlights the potential importance of intra-individual variability in physiological responses of scleractinian corals and provides recommendations for improving methodological designs for future studies. |
topic |
Stylophora pistillata Thermal tolerance Light stress Necrosis Photoprotection Bleaching |
url |
https://peerj.com/articles/3802.pdf |
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