Positive Interactions Under Ocean Warming and Acidification: Crustose Coralline Algae Holobionts Enhance Gorgonian Larval Settlement Under Climate Change.

ABSTRACT: Crustose coralline algae (CCA) and their bacterial communities can emit chemical cues favoring coral larval settlement. Indeed, larvae of Eunicella singularis (white gorgonian) preferentially settle on CCA. Here, we investigated the effect of two Mediterranean CCA holobionts, Macroblastum dendrospermum and Lithophyllum stictiforme, on E. singularis larvae settlement and their bacterial communities, after warming and acidification treatments. We exposed CCA to temperature and pH expected for 2100 (SSP5-8.5) and to a marine heatwave event. Larval settlement increased 1.8-2.7 times in the presence of CCA exposed to warming and acidification compared to non-exposed CCA. High abundance of bacteria belonging to the Pirellulaceae family was observed in all CCA, while a higher abundance of monosac

SUBMITTER: Manea E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12702612 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature