Bleaching causes loss of disease resistance within the threatened coral species Acropora cervicornis.

ABSTRACT: Determining the adaptive potential of foundation species, such as reef-building corals, is urgent as the oceans warm and coral populations decline. Theory predicts that corals may adapt to climate change via selection on standing genetic variation. Yet, corals face not only rising temperatures but also novel diseases. We studied the interaction between two major stressors affecting colonies of the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis: white-band disease and high water temperature. We determined that 27% of A. cervicornis were disease resistant prior to a thermal anomaly. However, disease resistance was largely lost during a bleaching event because of more compromised coral hosts or increased pathogenic dose/virulence. There was no tradeoff between disease resistance and tem

SUBMITTER: Muller EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6133546 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature