TY - JOUR

T1 - Seasonal drivers of productivity and calcification in the coral Platygyra carnosa in a subtropical reef

AU - Dellisanti, Walter

AU - Chung, Jeffery T.H.

AU - Yiu, Sam K.F.

AU - Tsang, Ryan Ho Leung

AU - Ang, Put

AU - Yeung, Yip Hung

AU - Qiu, Jian Wen

AU - McIlroy, Shelby E.

AU - Wells, Mark L.

AU - Wu, Jiajun

AU - Chan, Leo Lei

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou) (SMSEGL20SC02); the Collaborative Research Fund (C7013-19G) of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council; the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41641047) and the SKLMP Seed Collaborative Research Fund (SCRF/0027). Acknowledgments Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Dellisanti, Chung, Yiu, Tsang, Ang, Yeung, Qiu, McIlroy, Wells, Wu and Chan.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Scleractinian corals are increasingly subjected to local stressors combined with global changes. In subtropical areas, corals exhibit metabolic plasticity and resilience in response to variability and extremes in local temperature, salinity, and light; however, the physiological mechanisms by which corals acclimate or adapt to these changing conditions remain disputed. We assessed the physiological status of the coral Platygyra carnosa during a two-year in situ monitoring survey. To obtain metabolic rates (respiration and photosynthesis), photochemical efficiency (Fv / Fm), and biocalcification measurements, non-invasive techniques such as underwater respirometry, Pulse Amplitude Modulated (PAM) fluorometry, total alkalinity measurements, and digital photography were used. Our findings show clear seasonality in water quality parameters, which affected coral health. Elevated temperatures during the summer were below the maximum monthly mean < 31°C) but reduced the energetic productivity of corals (-44% relative to winter). Fluctuations in salinity (25–38 ppt) and pH (7.65–8.44) were linked to rainfall and reduced calcification rates. The conditions during the spring were favorable for coral metabolism and calcification (+20% relative to summer). Overall, our research demonstrates that the metabolic plasticity of P. carnosa in response to shifts in seawater quality allows this species to survive ongoing environmental change. Our in situ observations provide fundamental insights into coral response mechanisms under changing environmental conditions and contribute to projections of coral health under future scenarios of global change.

AB - Scleractinian corals are increasingly subjected to local stressors combined with global changes. In subtropical areas, corals exhibit metabolic plasticity and resilience in response to variability and extremes in local temperature, salinity, and light; however, the physiological mechanisms by which corals acclimate or adapt to these changing conditions remain disputed. We assessed the physiological status of the coral Platygyra carnosa during a two-year in situ monitoring survey. To obtain metabolic rates (respiration and photosynthesis), photochemical efficiency (Fv / Fm), and biocalcification measurements, non-invasive techniques such as underwater respirometry, Pulse Amplitude Modulated (PAM) fluorometry, total alkalinity measurements, and digital photography were used. Our findings show clear seasonality in water quality parameters, which affected coral health. Elevated temperatures during the summer were below the maximum monthly mean < 31°C) but reduced the energetic productivity of corals (-44% relative to winter). Fluctuations in salinity (25–38 ppt) and pH (7.65–8.44) were linked to rainfall and reduced calcification rates. The conditions during the spring were favorable for coral metabolism and calcification (+20% relative to summer). Overall, our research demonstrates that the metabolic plasticity of P. carnosa in response to shifts in seawater quality allows this species to survive ongoing environmental change. Our in situ observations provide fundamental insights into coral response mechanisms under changing environmental conditions and contribute to projections of coral health under future scenarios of global change.

KW - coral physiology

KW - metabolic performance

KW - metabolic rates

KW - phenotypic plasticity

KW - subtropical corals

U2 - 10.3389/fmars.2023.994591

DO - 10.3389/fmars.2023.994591

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85147934504

VL - 10

JO - Frontiers in Marine Science

JF - Frontiers in Marine Science

SN - 2296-7745

M1 - 994591

ER -