scholarly journals Energetic and reproductive costs of coral recovery in divergent bleaching responses

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Leinbach ◽  
Kelly E. Speare ◽  
Ashley M. Rossin ◽  
Daniel M. Holstein ◽  
Marie E. Strader
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Sublethal Effects ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Bleaching Event ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Energetic Constraint ◽  
Reproductive Material ◽  
Coral Recovery

AbstractMass thermal bleaching events are a primary threat to coral reefs, yet the sublethal impacts, particularly on energetics and reproduction, are poorly characterized. Given that the persistence of coral populations is contingent upon the reproduction of individuals that survive disturbances, there is an urgent need to understand the sublethal effects of bleaching on reproductive output to accurately predict coral recovery rates. In 2019, the French Polynesian island of Mo’orea experienced a severe mass bleaching event accompanied by widespread coral mortality. At the most heavily impacted sites, we observed Acropora hyacinthus individuals that were resistant to bleaching, alongside colonies that bleached but showed signs of symbiont recovery shortly after the bleaching event. We collected fragments from A. hyacinthus colonies five months post-bleaching and, using energetic assays and histological measurements, examined the physiological and reproductive consequences of these two distinct heat stress responses. Despite healthy appearances in both resistant and recovered corals, we found that recovered colonies had significantly reduced energy reserves compared to resistant colonies. In addition, we detected compound effects of stress on reproduction: recovered colonies displayed both a lower probability of containing gametes and lower fecundity per polyp. Our results indicate that bleaching inflicts an energetic constraint on the concurrent re-accumulation of energy reserves and development of reproductive material, with decreased reproductive potential of survivors possibly hampering overall reef resilience. These findings highlight the presence of intraspecific responses to bleaching and the importance of considering multiple trajectories for individual species when predicting population recovery following disturbance.

scholarly journals Assessing population collapse of Drupella spp. (Mollusca: Gastropoda) 2 years after a coral bleaching event in the Republic of Maldives

Hydrobiologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Saponari ◽  
I. Dehnert ◽  
P. Galli ◽  
S. Montano
Keyword(s):  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Coral Cover ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
Bleaching Event ◽  
Coral Recovery ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Line Intercept

AbstractCorallivory causes considerable damage to coral reefs and can exacerbate other disturbances. Among coral predators, Drupella spp. are considered as delayer of coral recovery in the Republic of Maldives, although little information is available on their ecology. Thus, we aimed to assess their population structure, feeding behaviour and spatial distribution around 2 years after a coral bleaching event in 2016. Biological and environmental data were collected using belt and line intercept transects in six shallow reefs in Maldives. The snails occurred in aggregations with a maximum of 62 individuals and exhibited a preference for branching corals. Yet, the gastropods showed a high plasticity in adapting feeding preferences to prey availability. Drupella spp. were homogenously distributed in the study area with an average of 9.04 ± 19.72 ind/200 m2. However, their occurrence was significantly different at the reef scale with the highest densities found in locations with higher coral cover. The impact of Drupella spp. appeared to be minimal with the population suffering from the loss of coral cover. We suggest that monitoring programs collect temporal- and spatial-scale data on non-outbreaking populations or non-aggregating populations to understand the dynamics of predation related to the co-occurrence of anthropogenic and natural impacts.

scholarly journals Exposure to elevated sea-surface temperatures below the bleaching threshold impairs coral recovery and regeneration following injury

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Louis Bonesso ◽  
William Leggat ◽  
Tracy Danielle Ainsworth
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Temperatures ◽  
Physical Damage ◽  
Thermal Limits ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
Coral Recovery

Elevated sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are linked to an increase in the frequency and severity of bleaching events due to temperatures exceeding corals’ upper thermal limits. The temperatures at which a breakdown of the coral-Symbiodinium endosymbiosis (coral bleaching) occurs are referred to as the upper thermal limits for the coral species. This breakdown of the endosymbiosis results in a reduction of corals’ nutritional uptake, growth, and tissue integrity. Periods of elevated sea surface temperature, thermal stress and coral bleaching are also linked to increased disease susceptibility and an increased frequency of storms which cause injury and physical damage to corals. Herein we aimed to determine the capacity of corals to regenerate and recover from injuries (removal of apical tips) sustained during periods of elevated sea surface temperatures which result in coral stress responses, but which do not result in coral bleaching (i.e. sub-bleaching thermal stress events). In this study, exposure of the species Acropora aspera to an elevated SST of 32°C (2°C below the bleaching threshold, 34°C) was found to result in reduced fluorescence of green fluorescent protein (GFP), reduced skeletal calcification and a lack of branch regrowth at the site of injury, compared to corals maintained under ambient SST conditions (26°C). Corals maintained under normal, ambient, sea surface temperatures expressed high GFP fluorescence at the injury site, underwent a rapid regeneration of the coral branch apical tip within 12 days of sustaining injury, and showed extensive regrowth of the coral skeleton. Taken together, our results have demonstrated that periods of sustained increased sea surface temperatures, below the corals’ bleaching threshold but above long-term summertime averages, impair coral recovery from damage, regardless of the onset or occurrence of coral bleaching .

scholarly journals Exposure to elevated sea-surface temperatures below the bleaching threshold impairs coral recovery and regeneration following injury

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Louis Bonesso ◽  
William Leggat ◽  
Tracy Danielle Ainsworth
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Temperatures ◽  
Physical Damage ◽  
Thermal Limits ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
Coral Recovery

Elevated sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are linked to an increase in the frequency and severity of bleaching events due to temperatures exceeding corals’ upper thermal limits. The temperatures at which a breakdown of the coral-Symbiodinium endosymbiosis (coral bleaching) occurs are referred to as the upper thermal limits for the coral species. This breakdown of the endosymbiosis results in a reduction of corals’ nutritional uptake, growth, and tissue integrity. Periods of elevated sea surface temperature, thermal stress and coral bleaching are also linked to increased disease susceptibility and an increased frequency of storms which cause injury and physical damage to corals. Herein we aimed to determine the capacity of corals to regenerate and recover from injuries (removal of apical tips) sustained during periods of elevated sea surface temperatures which result in coral stress responses, but which do not result in coral bleaching (i.e. sub-bleaching thermal stress events). In this study, exposure of the species Acropora aspera to an elevated SST of 32°C (2°C below the bleaching threshold, 34°C) was found to result in reduced fluorescence of green fluorescent protein (GFP), reduced skeletal calcification and a lack of branch regrowth at the site of injury, compared to corals maintained under ambient SST conditions (26°C). Corals maintained under normal, ambient, sea surface temperatures expressed high GFP fluorescence at the injury site, underwent a rapid regeneration of the coral branch apical tip within 12 days of sustaining injury, and showed extensive regrowth of the coral skeleton. Taken together, our results have demonstrated that periods of sustained increased sea surface temperatures, below the corals’ bleaching threshold but above long-term summertime averages, impair coral recovery from damage, regardless of the onset or occurrence of coral bleaching .

scholarly journals Exposure to elevated sea-surface temperatures below the bleaching threshold impairs coral recovery and regeneration following injury

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Louis Bonesso ◽  
William Leggat ◽  
Tracy Danielle Ainsworth
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Sea Surface Temperatures ◽  
Physical Damage ◽  
Thermal Limits ◽  
Surface Temperatures ◽  
Coral Recovery

Elevated sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are linked to an increase in the frequency and severity of bleaching events due to temperatures exceeding corals’ upper thermal limits. The temperatures at which a breakdown of the coral-Symbiodinium endosymbiosis (coral bleaching) occurs are referred to as the upper thermal limits for the coral species. This breakdown of the endosymbiosis results in a reduction of corals’ nutritional uptake, growth, and tissue integrity. Periods of elevated sea surface temperature, thermal stress and coral bleaching are also linked to increased disease susceptibility and an increased frequency of storms which cause injury and physical damage to corals. Herein we aimed to determine the capacity of corals to regenerate and recover from injuries (removal of apical tips) sustained during periods of elevated sea surface temperatures which result in coral stress responses, but which do not result in coral bleaching (i.e., sub-bleaching thermal stress events). In this study, exposure of the species Acropora aspera to an elevated SST of 32 °C (2 °C below the bleaching threshold, 34 °C) was found to result in reduced fluorescence of green fluorescent protein (GFP), reduced skeletal calcification and a lack of branch regrowth at the site of injury, compared to corals maintained under ambient SST conditions (26 °C). Corals maintained under normal, ambient, sea surface temperatures expressed high GFP fluorescence at the injury site, underwent a rapid regeneration of the coral branch apical tip within 12 days of sustaining injury, and showed extensive regrowth of the coral skeleton. Taken together, our results have demonstrated that periods of sustained increased sea surface temperatures, below the corals’ bleaching threshold but above long-term summertime averages, impair coral recovery from damage, regardless of the onset or occurrence of coral bleaching.

Effectiveness of three seed-trap designs

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (5) ◽  
pp. 587 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Page ◽  
L. Newlands ◽  
J. Eales
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Seed Rain ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Vegetation Community ◽  
Vegetation Monitoring ◽  
Trap Design ◽  
Funnel Trap ◽  
Seed Trap

Vegetation monitoring is essential to evaluate management and assess condition. However, methods that have been used cannot assess the viability of the community or provide indicators of future condition. Seed traps can be used to measure reproductive potential of a vegetation community via seed rain. This study evaluates three different seed-trap designs and compares their effectiveness in terms of the diversity and abundance of seed captured, the presence of seed-predating insects, cost, manufacturing ease and serviceability. Field trials were conducted in open, grassy woodlands in south-western and south-eastern Queensland. The results showed that the tall funnel-trap design was the least effective, while the wet wind trap and pitfall funnel trap proved more effective. On the basis of the results of this study, further investigations are recommended for testing trap performance in different vegetation communities, seed predation in relation to seed production and variation in seed production over time. Seed traps that monitor seed rain are potentially useful in assessing the health and viability of a vegetation community. Used in conjunction with other monitoring methods, they may offer valuable insights about the dynamics of entire communities and/or individual species, and therefore appropriate management strategies.

Salinity shapes the stress responses and energy reserves of marine polychaetes exposed to warming: From molecular to functional phenotypes

2021 ◽  
pp. 148634
Author(s):  
Diana Madeira ◽  
Joana Filipa Fernandes ◽  
Daniel Jerónimo ◽  
Patrícia Martins ◽  
Fernando Ricardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Energy Reserves

scholarly journals Energy reserves and metabolism as indicators of coral recovery from bleaching

2007 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 1874-1882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa J. Rodrigues ◽  
Andréa G. Grottoli
Keyword(s):  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Coral Recovery

Energetic consequences of reproduction in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in relation to spawning level of somatic energy reserves

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 815-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvan Lambert ◽  
Jean-Denis Dutil
Keyword(s):  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Atlantic Cod ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Reproductive Potential ◽  
Reproductive Investment ◽  
Energy Losses ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Energy Reserves ◽  
Poor Condition ◽  
Somatic Energy

The influence of a lower condition on reproductive investment, somatic energy losses, and postspawning condition of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) was examined under the hypothesis that females, in response to lower available energy reserves, would reduce reproductive investment in order to limit somatic energy losses. Laboratory experiments revealed that female cod with high prespawning condition factors ended reproduction in better condition than females with low prespawning condition factors. Fecundity and total egg dry weight were significantly lower in poor-condition females. The loss in somatic mass and energy in these poor-condition females was nevertheless higher, in relative terms, than the losses experienced by females in good condition. Consequently, energy reserves invested in reproduction by poor-condition females increase their risk of mortality. In the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence during the early 1990s, reproductive females had lower fecundities and were in worse prespawning and postspawning condition. The condition of spent females suggested a greater impact of changes in environmental conditions on adult than on immature cod. Reproductive potential and possibly recruitment may have suffered from that situation and could have contributed to the failure of that stock to recover despite the moratorium on commercial fishing.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document