Heterotrophy mitigates the response of the temperate coral Oculina arbuscula to temperature stress.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration have caused global average sea surface temperature (SST) to increase by approximately 0.11°C per decade between 1971 and 2010 - a trend that is projected to continue through the 21st century. A multitude of research studies have demonstrated that increased SSTs compromise the coral holobiont (cnidarian host and its symbiotic algae) by reducing both host calcification and symbiont density, among other variables. However, we still do not fully understand the role of heterotrophy in the response of the coral holobiont to elevated temperature, particularly for temperate corals. Here, we conducted a pair of independent experiments to investigate the influence of heterotrophy on the response of the temperate scleractinian coral

SUBMITTER: Aichelman HE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5058543 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature