Reconstruction of long-term sublethal effects of warming on a temperate coral in a climate change hotspot.

ABSTRACT: The impact of warming on zooxanthellate corals is widespread, from tropical to temperate seas, with its associated mortalities causing global concern. The temperate coral Cladocora caespitosa is the only zooxanthellate coral with reef building capacity in the Mediterranean Sea, a climate change hotspot with warming rates triple the global average. During the past two decades, C. caespitosa populations have suffered severe mortality events associated with marine heatwaves (MHWs). However, with monitoring efforts beginning, at best, in the 2000s, the occurrence of MHWs before that period, as well as the sublethal effects of these events remain poorly understood. Here, we use sclerochronology to reconstruct the histories of past stress events and long-term sublethal effects on C. caespitosa i

SUBMITTER: Vergotti MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11730637 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature