Comparative physiology reveals heat stress disrupts acid-base homeostasis independent of symbiotic state in the model cnidarian Exaiptasia diaphana.

ABSTRACT: Climate change threatens the survival of symbiotic cnidarians by causing photosymbiosis breakdown in a process known as bleaching. Direct effects of temperature on cnidarian host physiology remain difficult to describe because heatwaves depress symbiont performance, leading to host stress and starvation. The symbiotic sea anemone Exaiptasia diaphana provides an opportune system to disentangle direct versus indirect heat effects on the host, as it can survive indefinitely without symbionts. We tested the hypothesis that heat directly impairs cnidarian physiology by comparing symbiotic and aposymbiotic individuals of two laboratory subpopulations of a commonly used clonal strain of E. diaphana, CC7. We exposed anemones to a range of temperatures (ambient, +2°C, +4°C and +6°C) for 15-18 days,

SUBMITTER: Allen-Waller LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10911193 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature