Physiological plasticity of corals to temperature stress in marginal coral communities

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 758; p. 143628
• Main Authors: Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Beals, Morgan, Hsieh, Hernyi Justin, Choi, Kwang-Sik, Chen, Chaolun Allen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.03.2021
• Subjects: acclimation; Animals; Anthozoa; chlorophyll; Climate change; Coral Reefs; corals; Eco-physiology; ecophysiology; environment; Fv/Fm; High-latitude; Hot Temperature; Islands; latitude; Non-reefal; Oulastrea crispata; photochemistry; physiological state; Republic of Korea; South Korea; Stress, Physiological; Symbiodiniaceae; Symbiosis; Taiwan; Temperature; Republic of Korea; Taiwan; South Korea; Climate change; Non-reefal; Eco-physiology; High-latitude; Fv/Fm
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143628

Adaptation and/or acclimatization through various mechanisms have been suggested to help some tropical coral species to overcome temperature-induced bleaching that is intensifying with climate change; however, while much research has been done on the physiological responses of tropical and subtropical corals to stress, little is known about these responses in corals in marginal environments—e.g., high-latitude and non-reefal communities. In this study, we examined the thermal-tolerant physiology of the flowerpot coral, Alveopora japonica, endemic to the high-latitude Jeju Island (33.39°N), South Korea and Oulastrea crispata and Coelastrea aspera from the subtropical non-reefal coral community on the Penghu Islands (23.34°N), Taiwan. Analysis of physiological parameters; photochemical efficiency, Chlorophyll pigment, Symbiodiniaceae cell number and host soluble proteins - showed that A. japonica can survive through a wide range of temperature stresses (10–32 °C) over a period of 8 days without showing signs of bleaching. In addition, corals O. crispata and C. aspera withstood temperature stresses of up to 33 °C and repeated temperature fluctuations without bleaching. Our results indicate that, under large seasonal variations and asymmetrical daily fluctuations in temperature, corals currently living in marginal environments could have thermal plasticity, allowing them to survive in the future climate change scenarios. This study reiterates the importance of studying the eco-physiology of corals that are generally ignored because of their neutral or positive responses to stress. [Display omitted] •Corals in marginal locations are subjected to harsh environmental conditions.•Dominant corals from Jeju-South Korea and Penghu-Taiwan were subject to various temperature stress regimes.•Response to high and low temperature stress and short-term temperature fluctuations did not affect coral physiology.•Some corals from marginal locations might have potential to survive the effects of climate change.