Comparing bleaching and mortality responses of hard corals between southern Kenya and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

McClanahan, Tim R.; Baird, Andrew H.; Marshall, Paul; Toscano, Marguerite A.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2003.08.024

Cited by 214 publications

(187 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Schoepf et al (2013) also found no changes in energy reserves and biomass in P. damicornis under control and elevated temperature conditions (26.5 vs. 29 • C). This is surprising since corals of this genus are often among the most sensitive to thermal stress in other regions (Hueerkamp et al, 2001;Obura, 2001;McClanahan et al, 2004;Guest et al, 2012;Foster et al, 2014;Pisapia et al, 2016) and even suffer lipid losses when bleached (Rodriguez-Troncoso et al, 2016). But there are also cases where Pocillopora corals do not readily bleach compared to other species (Sebastian et al, 2009;Guest et al, 2012).…”

Section: Pocillopora Damicornismentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

2017

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Mass coral bleaching is increasing in frequency and severity, leading to the loss of coral abundance and diversity. However, some corals are less susceptible to bleaching than others and can provide a model for identifying the physiological and biogeochemical traits that underlie coral resilience to thermal stress. Corals from Eilat in the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea do not bleach unless seawater temperatures are sustained at +6 • C or higher above their average summer maximum. This extreme thermal tolerance qualifies these as super-corals, as most corals bleach when exposed to temperatures that are only +1-2 • C above their thermal maximum. Here, we conducted a controlled bleaching experiment (+6 • C) for 37 days (equivalent to 32 • heating weeks) on three species of corals from Eilat: Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, and Favia favus. To assess the response of the holobiont to thermal stress, the following variables were measured on each coral: endosymbiotic algal cell density, Chlorophyll a, endosymbiotic mitotic cell division, total lipids, protein, carbohydrate, and the stable carbon (δ 13 C) and oxygen (δ 18 O) isotopic composition of the skeleton and the δ 13 C of the animal host tissue and endosymbiotic algae. While all three species appeared visibly bleached, their physiological and biogeochemical responses were species-specific. S. pistillata catabolized lipids but still maintained total energy reserves and biomass. Increases in both skeletal δ 13 C and δ 18 O indicates that calcification declined in this species. P. damicornis was the least affected by bleaching. It maintained its total energy reserves and biomass, and isotopic evidence suggests that it maintained calcification and was not dependent on heterotrophy for meeting metabolic demand when bleached. Finally, F. favus catabolized protein and carbohydrates, and suffered losses in total energy reserves and biomass. Nevertheless, isotopic evidence suggest that photosynthesis and calcification were maintained, and that this species has a high baseline heterotrophic capacity. Thus, just like their non-super-coral conspecific counterparts, maintaining energy reserves Grottoli et al.Response of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress and biomass, and heterotrophic capacity appear to be traits that underlie the thermal tolerance of these super-corals from Eilat. Given the high thermal tolerance of these super-corals, these populations could provide viable seed stock for repopulating coral losses on other reefs.

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Section: Pocillopora Damicornismentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

2017

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“…In contrast to this bleak estimation, reef and coral can develop the abilities of acclimatization or adaptation to survive under different conditions. The mortality and bleaching in anomaly years may vary among sites, islands, island size, the presence of lagoon, windward or leeward exposure (Obura and Mangubhai, 2011) and taxa (Baird and Marshall, 2002;McClanahan et al, 2004;Prada et al, 2010;Furby et al, 2013).…”

Section: Anomaly Intensitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variability of thermal stress to China’s coral reefs in South China Sea

Zuo

et al. 2015

Chin. Geogr. Sci.

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Coral bleaching, caused by elevated sea surface temperature (SST), is occurring more frequently and seriously worldwide. Due to the lack of field observations, we understand little about the large-scale variability of thermal stress in the South China Sea (SCS) and its effect on Chinas coral reefs. This paper used 4-km high resolution gap-filled SST (FilledSST) data and thermal stress data related to coral bleaching derived from Coral Reef Temperature Anomaly Database (CoRTAD) to quantify the spatial and temporal characteristics of chronic thermal stress and acute thermal stress to China's coral reefs in SCS from 1982 to 2009. We analyzed the trend of SST in summer and the thermal stress frequency, intensity and duration during this period. The results indicate that, as a chronic thermal stress, summer mean SST in SCS shows an average upward trend of 0.2 /decade and the spatial pattern is heterogeneous.℃ Waters of Xisha Islands and Dongsha Islands of the northern SCS are warming faster through time compared to Zhongsha Islands and Nansha Islands sea areas of the southern SCS. High frequency bleaching related thermal stress events for these reefs are seen in the area to the northwest of Luzon Island. Severe anomaly thermal stress events are more likely to occur during the subsequent year of the El Niño year for these coral reefs. Besides, the duration of thermal stress varies considerably by anomaly year and by region.

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“…myriophthalma, D. heliopora, F. favus, G. aspera, G. fascicularis, G. lobata, L. purpurea, M. tuber culata, P. daedalea, P. decussata and P. lutea. This bleach ing variation may be driven by variation between study sites in environmental factors that trigger the bleaching phenomenon (Glynn 1993, Marshall andBaird 2000;McClanahan et al 2007;Oxenford 2008 Mass coral bleaching episodes are commonly associated with loss of live coral cover in large areas and loss of coral species from local reef sites (Glynn 1988;Mumby et al 2001;McClanahan and Maina 2003;McClanahan 2004;Oxenford 2008;Yeemin et al 2009). In the present study, coral mortality trends during our surveys were obviously observed at the study sites in the Andaman Sea and the Western Gulf of Thailand.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Branching corals are generally more sus cep tible to thermal stress than massive and encrusting corals (Loya et al 2001;Hughes et al 2003;McClanahan et al 2004). The coral species richness in Okinawa re covered a decade after the bleaching events but the reef composition had changed and few pocilloporids were found (van Woesik et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative studies on the 2010 mass coral bleaching event in Thai waters

Sutthacheep

Saenghaisuk

Pengsakun

et al. 2013

Galaxea, Journal of Coral Reef Studies

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Comparing bleaching and mortality responses of hard corals between southern Kenya and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Cited by 214 publications

References 52 publications

Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Physiological and Biogeochemical Responses of Super-Corals to Thermal Stress from the Northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Spatial and temporal variability of thermal stress to China’s coral reefs in South China Sea

Quantitative studies on the 2010 mass coral bleaching event in Thai waters

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