Community dynamics and physiology of Symbiodinium associated with Orbicella (5 Montastraea) faveolata were examined before, during, and after a thermally induced coral bleaching event in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. We combined microsampling molecular genotyping with in situ pulse-amplitude modulated fluorometry to correlate colony variability of Symbiodinium population identities and the phenomena of partial coral bleaching. Pigmented nonbleached portions of O. (5M.) faveolata were compared with bleached portions of the same colony. During bleaching, maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII; F v : F m ) was significantly lower and highly variable (range 0.110 to 0.680) compared with previous summers in which coral bleaching was absent (range 0.516 to 0.661) and recovery (range 0.480 to 0.716). Differential susceptibility to environmental perturbation of F v : F m corresponded to distinct genetic identities of Symbiodinium. Analysis of ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) revealed regions of the coral colonies that had phylotype A3 prior to bleaching were more resistant to the bleaching perturbation than adjacent bleaching-prone patches that harbored phylotypes B17 and C7. During environmental perturbation, regions of the colonies containing predominantly Symbiodinium phylotypes A3 or D1a retained significantly higher F v : F m values than adjacent regions with phylotypes B17 and C7. Following bleaching, rapid recovery of symbiotic algal densities greatly exceeded normal seasonal oscillations. During recovery we document shifts in Symbiodinium populations and increase prevalence of Symbiodinium types A3 and D1a, phylotypes known to have enhanced thermal tolerances. Thermal tolerance of Symbiodinium spp. influences the changes of coral-Symbiodinium communities during disturbance events and the dynamics of coral-Symbiodinium repopulation.

Coral bleaching-the loss of symbiotic dinoflagellates-is initiated when corals are exposed to sea surface temperatures above the regional summer average and has been responsible for massive coral mortality episodes. The ability of symbionts to recolonize the host after bleaching may be critical in determining if a colony will recover or experience mortality. Here, following the serendipitous bleaching of specimens of Montastraea faveolata of known photosynthetic, spectroscopic, and genetic characteristics, we describe changes in photosynthesis and light utilization during the recovery process. Fully recovered M. faveolata had minimum quantum requirements (1/W max ) that are very close to the theoretical minimum, indicating that symbiotic corals are not only one of the most efficient light collectors in nature, but also use this energy with maximum efficiency. Analyses of the photosynthetic responses of M. faveolata throughout the recovery process indicate that during the early stages, the symbiont population exhibited characteristics consistent with acclimation to higher irradiance relative to fully recovered corals. The absorption spectra of bleached samples showed contributions of chlorophyll b (Chl b) associated with a biomass increase of the endolithic algae. The propagation of endolithic algae after bleaching may provide partial protection to the surviving symbionts from excessive radiation by reducing the reflectivity of the skeleton. Changes in the relative abundances of different symbiotic algae between recovered and unbleached colonies did not result in significant variations in photosynthetic and light utilization characteristics.

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The biodiversity in coral reef ecosystems is distributed heterogeneously across spatial and temporal scales, being commonly influenced by biogeographic factors, habitat area and disturbance frequency. A potential association between gradients of usable energy and biodiversity patterns has received little empirical support in these ecosystems. Here, we analyzed the productivity and biodiversity variation over depth gradients in symbiotic coral communities, whose members rely on the energy translocated by photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae). Using a mechanistic model we explored the association between the depth-dependent variation in photosynthetic usable energy to corals and gradients of species diversity, comparing reefs with contrasting water clarity and biodiversity patterns across global hotspots of marine biodiversity. The productivity-biodiversity model explained between 64 and 95% of the depth-related variation in coral species richness, indicating that much of the variation in species richness with depth is driven by changes in the fractional contribution of photosynthetically fixed energy by the zooxanthellae. These results suggest a fundamental role of solar energy availability and photosynthetic production in explaining global-scale patterns of coral biodiversity and community structure along depth gradients. Accordingly, the maintenance of water optical quality in coral reefs is fundamental to protect coral biodiversity and prevent reef degradation.

The biodiversity in coral reef ecosystems is distributed heterogeneously across spatial and temporal scales, being commonly influenced by biogeographic factors, habitat area and disturbance frequency. In contrast to terrestrial environments, a potential association between gradients of usable energy and biodiversity has received little empirical support for explaining such patterns. Here, we analyzed the productivity and biodiversity variation over depth gradients in symbiotic coral communities, whose members rely on the energy translocated by photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae). A mechanistic model was used to simulate the depth-dependent variation in photosynthetic usable energy to corals and explore its relationship with gradients of species diversity, comparing reefs with contrasting water clarity and biodiversity patterns along global hotspots of marine biodiversity. The productivity-biodiversity model explained between 64% and 95% of the depth-related variation in coral species richness, indicating that much of the variation in coral biodiversity with depth is driven by changes in the fractional contribution of photosynthetically fixed energy by the zooxanthellae. These results suggest a fundamental role of solar energy availability and photosynthetic productivity on global-scale patterns of coral biodiversity and community structure across depths. Accordingly, the maintenance of water optical quality is fundamental to protect coral biodiversity and prevent reef degradation, in addition to climate change mitigation policies.