Different functional traits among closely related algal symbionts dictate stress endurance for vital Indo-Pacific reef-building corals.

ABSTRACT: Reef-building corals in the genus Porites are one of the most important constituents of Indo-Pacific reefs. Many species within this genus tolerate abnormally warm water and exhibit high specificity for particular kinds of endosymbiotic dinoflagellates that cope with thermal stress better than those living in other corals. Still, during extreme ocean heating, some Porites exhibit differences in their stress tolerance. While corals have different physiological qualities, it remains unknown whether the stability and performance of these mutualisms is influenced by the physiology and genetic relatedness of their symbionts. We investigated two ubiquitous Pacific reef corals, Porites rus and Porites cylindrica, from warmer inshore and cooler offshore reef systems in Palau. While these corals ha

SUBMITTER: Hoadley KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9291761 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature