Effect of light regimes on the microstructure of the reef-building coral Fungia simplex

Abramovitch-Gottlib, Liat; Dahan, David; Golan, Yuval; Vago, Razi

doi:10.1016/j.msec.2004.09.006

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 33 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Skeletal fractality may reflect coral physiology and skeletogenesis and also represent an optimal growth strategy by exhibiting strong morphological plasticity in response to variable light intensities and nutrient flow-rates [25]. D f describes the complex dynamics of skeleton formation where linear extension and increased density occur by infilling of spaces [16], [17]; a lower D f corresponds to a shorter average length-scale of skeletal nano-/microstructures due to a higher rate of linear extension as compared to the rate of infilling [16], [17], [31] typical of corals with higher growth rates. In our dataset, branching corals (n = 65) had a lower D f than massive corals (n = 39; D f = 2.29±0.44 versus 2.72±0.41, mean ±SE), which is concordant with their higher growth rates (58.93±36.8 versus 6.91±3.56 mm/year, mean ±stdev) [32]–[35].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, the parameter D quantifies the shape of C(r): if D<3, C ( r ) is a mass fractal (in case when the upper limiting length scale l c of fractality is such that , a condition that is typically satisfied in most biological tissues including coral skeletons) with mass-fractal dimension D f = D; 3<D<4 corresponds to a stretched exponential correlation function, D = 4 – exponential and D>>4 – Gaussian correlation [13]. In case of a mass-fractal morphology, D f is directly related to the average length-scale of skeletal nano-/micro-structures (referred to as ‘coherence length’ in [31]). In essence, a skeleton with a higher D f would have on average the size distribution of its nano- and micro-structures shifted toward larger sizes.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Modulation of Light-Enhancement to Symbiotic Algae by Light-Scattering in Corals and Evolutionary Trends in Bleaching

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Calcium carbonate skeletons of scleractinian corals amplify light availability to their algal symbionts by diffuse scattering, optimizing photosynthetic energy acquisition. However, the mechanism of scattering and its role in coral evolution and dissolution of algal symbioses during “bleaching” events are largely unknown. Here we show that differences in skeletal fractal architecture at nano/micro-lengthscales within 96 coral taxa result in an 8-fold variation in light-scattering and considerably alter the algal light environment. We identified a continuum of properties that fall between two extremes: (1) corals with low skeletal fractality that are efficient at transporting and redistributing light throughout the colony with low scatter but are at higher risk of bleaching and (2) corals with high skeletal fractality that are inefficient at transporting and redistributing light with high scatter and are at lower risk of bleaching. While levels of excess light derived from the coral skeleton is similar in both groups, the low-scatter corals have a higher rate of light-amplification increase when symbiont concentration is reduced during bleaching, thus creating a positive feedback-loop between symbiont concentration and light-amplification that exposes the remaining symbionts to increasingly higher light intensities. By placing our findings in an evolutionary framework, in conjunction with a novel empirical index of coral bleaching susceptibility, we find significant correlations between bleaching susceptibility and light-scattering despite rich homoplasy in both characters; suggesting that the cost of enhancing light-amplification to the algae is revealed in decreased resilience of the partnership to stress.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modulation of Light-Enhancement to Symbiotic Algae by Light-Scattering in Corals and Evolutionary Trends in Bleaching

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Below this point of attachment the stolon is not attached to the perisarc and does not remain in close contact [18] . The smoothing of the coral skeleton surface within these areas of hydranth suggests that this is the only area in which the hydroid becomes attached to the skeleton, affecting its accretion and consequently its physical properties [20] , [28] . The hydrorhiza, which has been found to extend deep within the skeleton [8] , may extend from this point running beneath the tissues without attaching to the skeleton, thereby not affecting its formation and resulting in the observed single-point attachment scars.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shared Skeletal Support in a Coral-Hydroid Symbiosis

Pantos

Høegh-Guldberg

2011

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Hydroids form symbiotic relationships with a range of invertebrate hosts. Where they live with colonial invertebrates such as corals or bryozoans the hydroids may benefit from the physical support and protection of their host's hard exoskeleton, but how they interact with them is unknown. Electron microscopy was used to investigate the physical interactions between the colonial hydroid Zanclea margaritae and its reef-building coral host Acropora muricata. The hydroid tissues extend below the coral tissue surface sitting in direct contact with the host's skeleton. Although this arrangement provides the hydroid with protective support, it also presents problems of potential interference with the coral's growth processes and exposes the hydroid to overgrowth and smothering. Desmocytes located within the epidermal layer of the hydroid's perisarc-free hydrorhizae fasten it to the coral skeleton. The large apical surface area of the desmocyte and high bifurcation of the distal end within the mesoglea, as well as the clustering of desmocytes suggests that a very strong attachment between the hydroid and the coral skeleton. This is the first study to provide a detailed description of how symbiotic hydroids attach to their host's skeleton, utilising it for physical support. Results suggest that the loss of perisarc, a characteristic commonly associated with symbiosis, allows the hydroid to utilise desmocytes for attachment. The use of these anchoring structures provides a dynamic method of attachment, facilitating detachment from the coral skeleton during extension, thereby avoiding overgrowth and smothering enabling the hydroid to remain within the host colony for prolonged periods of time.

show abstract

“…As higher intensity of the red channel is inversely correlated to chlorophyll density (Winters et al 2009), this suggests mangrove colonies exhibit higher chlorophyll pigment density than conspecifics in the lagoon. Elevated chlorophyll concentration is a wellcharacterized adaptive response to maximize light harvesting by photosynthetic symbionts in corals inhabiting low-light environments (Abramovitch-Gottlib et al 2005, Stambler & Dubinsky 2005. The same trend was documented in a comparison of mesophotic (45-50m) versus shallow (20-25m) colonies of Montastrea cavernosa, where mesophotic colonies contained significantly more Symbiodiniaceae cells, chlorophyll a per Symbiodiniaceae cell, and chlorophyll a and c2 per unit area (Polinski & Voss 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Phenotypic variation in two widespread Caribbean corals — Porites astreoides and P. divaricata — between mangrove and lagoon habitats

Lord

Barcala

Aichelman

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACTAs coral reefs experience dramatic declines in coral cover throughout the tropics, there is an urgent need to understand the role that non-reef habitats such as mangroves play in the ecological niche of corals. Mangrove habitats present a challenge to reef-dwelling corals as they can differ dramatically from adjacent reef habitats with respect to key environmental parameters such as temperature and light. As variation in temperature and light within reef habitats is known to drive intraspecific differences in coral phenotype, we hypothesized that coral species which can exploit both reef and mangrove habitats will exhibit predictable differences in phenotype between habitats. To investigate how intraspecific variation, driven by either local adaptation or phenotypic plasticity, might enable particular coral species to exploit these two qualitatively different habitat types, we compared the phenotypes of two widespread Caribbean corals — Porites divaricata and P. astreoides— in mangrove versus lagoon habitats on Turneffe Atoll, Belize. We document significant differences in colony size, color, structural complexity, and corallite morphology between habitats. In every instance, the difference between mangrove and lagoon corals was consistent in P. divaricata and P. astreoides. This study is the first to document intraspecific phenotypic diversity in corals occupying mangrove versus patch-reef habitats, and it provides a foundation for understanding why some “reef coral” species can exploit mangroves, while others cannot.

show abstract

Effect of light regimes on the microstructure of the reef-building coral Fungia simplex

Cited by 8 publications

References 33 publications

Modulation of Light-Enhancement to Symbiotic Algae by Light-Scattering in Corals and Evolutionary Trends in Bleaching

Modulation of Light-Enhancement to Symbiotic Algae by Light-Scattering in Corals and Evolutionary Trends in Bleaching

Shared Skeletal Support in a Coral-Hydroid Symbiosis

Phenotypic variation in two widespread Caribbean corals — Porites astreoides and P. divaricata — between mangrove and lagoon habitats

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About