Abundance, size, and survival of recruits of the reef coral Pocillopora acuta under ocean warming and acidification

Bahr, Keisha D.; Tran, Tiana; Jury, Christopher P.; Toonen, Robert J.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0228168

Cited by 34 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…These results indicate that under the conditions used, P. acuta is a relatively stress sensitive coral that displays substantial bleaching and high mortality under extended heat stress alone, and in combination with low pH, which is supported by in situ bleaching studies (Bahr et al 2015; Jokiel and Brown 2004). P. acuta is, however, widely distributed in Kāneʻohe Bay and can recruit under projected levels of ocean warming (Bahr et al 2020).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ploidy variation and its implications for reproduction and population dynamics in two sympatric Hawaiian coral species

Stephens

Strand

Mohamed

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The response of coral reef ecosystems to anthropogenic climate change is driven by a complex interaction between location, stress history, species composition, and genetic background of the reef system. The latter two factors are particularly relevant when considering the different reproductive strategies used by coral species. We studied the stress resistant coral Montipora capitata and the more stress sensitive Pocillopora acuta from Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. High-quality genome assemblies were generated for both species with the M. capitata assembly at chromosome-level resolution and the P. acuta assembly derived from a triploid colony, representing the first non-diploid genome generated from a coral. We report significant differences in the reproductive strategies of these coral species that not only affect the genetic structure of their populations in Kāneʻohe Bay, but also impact algal symbiont composition. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis shows that P. acuta comprises at least nine distinct genotypes in the bay with ancestral diploid and derived triploid lineages. In contrast, M. capitata colonies are diploids with nearly all being genotypically distinct. Genotype has a strong effect on gene expression profiles in these species, largely outweighing the effects of environmental stress. Our insights advance understanding of how reproductive strategy and ploidy can vary between different coral species and among local populations, how these factors constrain coral holobiont genetic diversity, and how genotype constrains genome-wide gene expression.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ploidy variation and its implications for reproduction and population dynamics in two sympatric Hawaiian coral species

Stephens

Strand

Mohamed

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…Pocillopora damicornis planulae are zooxanthellate and swim actively, enabling a long PLD of up to 212 days (Harrigan, 1972). In contrast, its sister species, P. acuta , is characterized by brief PLD, which leads to localized recruitment (Bahr et al., 2020). PLD is a critical trait for estimating connectivity and is available for many fish and other commercially important species; however, the PLDs of many coral species are still unknown.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A molecular census of early‐life stage scleractinian corals in shallow and mesophotic zones

Soto

Palmas

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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The decline of coral reefs has fueled interest in determining whether mesophotic reefs can shield against disturbances and help replenish deteriorated shallower reefs. In this study, we characterized spatial (horizontal and vertical) and seasonal patterns of diversity in coral recruits from Dabaisha and Guiwan reefs at Ludao, Taiwan. Concrete blocks supporting terra‐cotta tiles were placed at shallow (15m) and mesophotic (40m) depths, during 2016–2018. Half of the tiles were retrieved and replaced biannually over three 6‐month surveys (short‐term); the remainder retrieved at the end of the 18‐month (long‐term) survey. 451 recruits were located using fluorescent censusing and identified by DNA barcoding. Barcoding the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene resulted in 17 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs). To obtain taxonomic resolution to the generic level, Pocillopora were phylotyped using the mitochondrial open reading frame (ORF), resolving eight MOTUs. Acropora, Isopora, and Montipora recruits were identified by the nuclear PaxC intron, yielding ten MOTUs. Overall, 35 MOTUs were generated and were comprised primarily of Pocillopora and, in fewer numbers, Acropora, Isopora, Pavona, Montipora, Stylophora, among others. 40% of MOTUs recruited solely within mesophotic reefs while 20% were shared by both depth zones. MOTUs recruiting across a broad depth distribution appear consistent with the hypothesis of mesophotic reefs acting as a refuge for shallow‐water coral reefs. In contrast, Acropora and Isopora MOTUs were structured across depth zones representing an exception to this hypothesis. This research provides an imperative assessment of coral recruitment in understudied mesophotic reefs and imparts insight into the refuge hypothesis.

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“…Unfiltered seawater pumped directly from the adjacent coral reef slope fed the fully factorial design with four treatments consisting of present-day versus end-of-century temperature and pH conditions with 10 mesocosms per treatment—refer to ref. 89 and SI Appendix for additional details.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity of coral reef cryptobiota shuffles but does not decline under the combined stressors of ocean warming and acidification

Timmers

Jury

Vicente

et al. 2021

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Ocean-warming and acidification are predicted to reduce coral reef biodiversity, but the combined effects of these stressors on overall biodiversity are largely unmeasured. Here, we examined the individual and combined effects of elevated temperature (+2 °C) and reduced pH (−0.2 units) on the biodiversity of coral reef communities that developed on standardized sampling units over a 2-y mesocosm experiment. Biodiversity and species composition were measured using amplicon sequencing libraries targeting the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcoding gene. Ocean-warming significantly increased species richness relative to present-day control conditions, whereas acidification significantly reduced richness. Contrary to expectations, species richness in the combined future ocean treatment with both warming and acidification was not significantly different from the present-day control treatment. Rather than the predicted collapse of biodiversity under the dual stressors, we find significant changes in the relative abundance but not in the occurrence of species, resulting in a shuffling of coral reef community structure among the highly species-rich cryptobenthic community. The ultimate outcome of altered community structure for coral reef ecosystems will depend on species-specific ecological functions and community interactions. Given that most species on coral reefs are members of the understudied cryptobenthos, holistic research on reef communities is needed to accurately predict diversity–function relationships and ecosystem responses to future climate conditions.

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Abundance, size, and survival of recruits of the reef coral Pocillopora acuta under ocean warming and acidification

Cited by 34 publications

References 58 publications

Ploidy variation and its implications for reproduction and population dynamics in two sympatric Hawaiian coral species

Ploidy variation and its implications for reproduction and population dynamics in two sympatric Hawaiian coral species

A molecular census of early‐life stage scleractinian corals in shallow and mesophotic zones

Biodiversity of coral reef cryptobiota shuffles but does not decline under the combined stressors of ocean warming and acidification

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