Contrasting physiological adaptation strategies to natural environmental change in two Red Sea coral holobionts.

ABSTRACT: Coral holobionts acquire energy and nutrients from heterotrophic feeding, Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis, and additional metabolic functions (e.g. nitrogen (N) fixation) from associated bacterial communities. Since symbioses often require stable environmental conditions, corals in environments with seasonal variability have likely evolved adaptation strategies by either maintaining (i.e. regulating) or shifting (i.e. conforming) key functional traits, but empirical data is needed. We investigated carbon (C) and N elemental and stable isotope ratios alongside bacterial community composition in the hydrocoral Millepora dichotoma and the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata every two months over one year. These data were integrated with environmental parameters to investi

SUBMITTER: Thobor BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12903954 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature