Nutrient acquisition strategies in mesophotic hard corals using compound specific stable isotope analysis of sterols

Crandall, J. B.; Teece, Mark A.; Estes, Benjamin; Manfrino, Carrie; Ciesla, Jessica H.

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2015.10.010

Cited by 37 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…are more similar to those reported by others for Montastraea cavernosa (Lesser et al, 2010;46 Crandall et al, 2016). Though we do not have the compound-specific stable isotope analysis 13 of sterols used by Crandall et al (2016), we do detect a decrease in δ 13 C without a commensurate increase in δ N. This suggests a primarily photosynthetic strategy at TMA. 2…”

Section: 4contrasting

confidence: 58%

Depth alone is an inappropriate proxy for physiological change in the mesophotic coralAgaricia lamarcki

Laverick

Green

Burdett³

et al. 2019

J. Mar. Biol. Ass.

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The physiology of mesophotic Scleractinia varies with depth in response to environmental change. Previous research has documented trends in heterotrophy and photosynthesis with depth, but has not addressed between-site variation for a single species. Environmental differences between sites at a local scale and heterogeneous microhabitats, because of irradiance and food availability, are likely important factors when explaining the occurrence and physiology of Scleractinia. Here, 108 colonies of Agaricia lamarcki were sampled from two locations off the coast of Utila, Honduras, distributed evenly down the observed 50 m depth range of the species. We found that depth alone was not sufficient to fully explain physiological variation. Pulse Amplitude-Modulation fluorometry and stable isotope analyses revealed that trends in photochemical and heterotrophic activity with depth varied markedly between sites. Our isotope analyses do not support an obligate link between photosynthetic activity and heterotrophic subsidy with increasing depth. We found that A. lamarcki colonies at the bottom of the species depth range can be physiologically similar to those nearer the surface. As a potential explanation, we hypothesize sites with high topographical complexity, and therefore varied microhabitats, may provide more physiological niches distributed across a larger depth range. Varied microhabitats with depth may reduce the dominance of depth as a physiological determinant. Thus, A. lamarcki may ‘avoid’ changes in environment with depth, by instead existing in a subset of favourable niches. Our observations correlate with site-specific depth ranges, advocating for linking physiology and abiotic profiles when defining the distribution of mesophotic taxa.

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Section: 4contrasting

confidence: 58%

Depth alone is an inappropriate proxy for physiological change in the mesophotic coralAgaricia lamarcki

Laverick

Green

Burdett³

et al. 2019

J. Mar. Biol. Ass.

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“…Glucose concentration was not found to vary between LL to HL and LL to LL control corals in the present study. However, campesterol, a compound that is known to be produced only by Symbiodiniaceae and translocated to the coral host (Treignier et al, 2009;Crandall et al, 2016), was less abundant among LL to HL samples compared with LL to LL controls. Reduced synthesis of campesterol therefore supports a potential adverse effect of high light on symbionts, and warrants further investigation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Resolving coral photoacclimation dynamics through coupled photophysiological and metabolomic profiling

Lohr

Camp

Kuzhiumparambil

et al. 2019

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Corals continuously adjust to short-term variation in light availability on shallow reefs. Long-term light alterations can also occur as a result of natural and anthropogenic stressors, as well as management interventions such as coral transplantation. Although short-term photophysiological responses are relatively well understood in corals, little information is available regarding photoacclimation dynamics over weeks of altered light availability. We coupled photophysiology and metabolomic profiling to explore changes that accompany longer-term photoacclimation in a key Great Barrier Reef coral species, Acropora muricata. High light (HL)-and low light (LL)acclimated corals were collected from the reef and reciprocally exposed to high and low light ex situ. Rapid light curves using pulseamplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry revealed photophysiological acclimation of LL corals to HL and HL corals to LL within 21 days. A subset of colonies sampled at 7 and 21 days for untargeted LC-MS and GC-MS metabolomic profiling revealed metabolic reorganization before acclimation was detected using PAM fluorometry. Metabolomic shifts were more pronounced for LL to HL corals than for their HL to LL counterparts. Compounds driving metabolomic separation between HL-exposed and LL control colonies included amino acids, organic acids, fatty acids and sterols. Reduced glycerol and campesterol suggest decreased translocation of photosynthetic products from symbiont to host in LL to HL corals, with concurrent increases in fatty acid abundance indicating reliance on stored lipids for energy. We discuss how these data provide novel insight into environmental regulation of metabolism and implications for management strategies that drive rapid changes in light availability.

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“…In addition, the higher assimilation of inorganic nitrogen by clade A-holobiont may compensate for the lack of zooplankton, which is known to be much less abundant in shallow waters compared to deep environments (Schmidt, 1973;Lesser et al, 2009). Conversely, nitrogen can be acquired by clade Cholobionts in deep waters through heterotrophy (Crandall et al, 2016) or through dinitrogen fixation (Lesser et al, 2007). This is confirmed by their higher grazing rates compared to shallow holobionts and by the inverse relationship between heterotrophy and inorganic nitrogen acquisition.…”

Section: Acquisition Of Inorganic Nitrogenmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…For example, in order to increase and optimize the light capture and rates of autotrophic carbon production at depth >30 m, corals undergo morphological changes (Mass et al, 2007;Einbinder et al, 2009;Nir et al, 2011) as well as modifications in the photo-physiological traits of their symbionts (Wyman et al, 1987;Lesser et al, 2000Lesser et al, , 2009. They also compensate their low photosynthate production by increasing the acquisition of heterotrophic nutrients (Muscatine et al, 1989;Mass et al, 2007;Alamaru et al, 2009;Einbinder et al, 2009;Lesser et al, 2010;Crandall et al, 2016). Corals can finally harbor different Symbiodinium clades depending on the depth at which they thrive (Finney et al, 2010;Lesser et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon and Nitrogen Acquisition in Shallow and Deep Holobionts of the Scleractinian Coral S. pistillata

et al. 2017

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Reef building corals can host different symbiont genotypes (clades), and form distinct holobionts in response to environmental changes. Studies on the functional significance of genetically different symbionts have focused on the thermal tolerance rather than on the nutritional significance. Here, we characterized the nitrogen and carbon assimilation rates, the allocation patterns of these nutrients within the symbiosis, and the trophic condition of two distinct holobionts of Stylophora pistillata: one associated with Symbiodinium clade A in shallow reefs and the other one associated with clade C in mesophotic reefs. The main findings are that: (1) clade C-symbionts have a competitive advantage for the acquisition of carbon at low irradiance compared to clade A-symbionts; (2) light is however the primary factor that determines the positive relationship between the amount of carbon fixed in photosynthesis by the symbionts and the amount of carbon translocated to the host; and (3) by contrast, the dominant Symbiodinium type preferentially determines a negative relationship between rates of coral feeding and nitrogen assimilation, although light still plays a relevant role in this relationship. Clade C-holobionts had indeed higher heterotrophic capacities, but lower inorganic nitrogen assimilation rates than clade A-holobionts, at all light levels. Broadly, our results show that the assimilation and translocation rates of inorganic carbon and nitrogen are clade and light-dependent. In addition, the capacity of S. pistillata to form mesophotic reefs in the Red Sea relies on its ability to select Symbiodinium clade C, as this symbiont type is more efficient to fix carbon at low light.

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Nutrient acquisition strategies in mesophotic hard corals using compound specific stable isotope analysis of sterols

Cited by 37 publications

References 64 publications

Depth alone is an inappropriate proxy for physiological change in the mesophotic coralAgaricia lamarcki

Depth alone is an inappropriate proxy for physiological change in the mesophotic coralAgaricia lamarcki

Resolving coral photoacclimation dynamics through coupled photophysiological and metabolomic profiling

Carbon and Nitrogen Acquisition in Shallow and Deep Holobionts of the Scleractinian Coral S. pistillata

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