Symbiodiniaceae algal symbionts of Pocillopora damicornis larvae provide more carbon to their coral host under elevated levels of acidification and temperature.

ABSTRACT: Climate change destabilizes the symbiosis between corals and Symbiodiniaceae. The effects of ocean acidification and warming on critical aspects of coral survical such as symbiotic interactions (i.e., carbon and nitrogen assimilation and exchange) during the planula larval stage remain understudied. By combining physiological and stable isotope techniques, here we show that photosynthesis and carbon and nitrogen assimilation (H¹³CO₃^- and ¹⁵NH₄⁺) in Pocillopora damicornis coral larvae is enhanced under acidification (1000 µatm) and elevated temperature (32 °C). Larvae maintain high survival and settlement rates under these treatment conditions with no observed decline in symbiont densities or signs of bleaching. Acidification

SUBMITTER: Sun Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11573989 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature