Limited acclimation of early life stages of the coral Seriatopora hystrix from mesophotic depth to shallow reefs.

ABSTRACT: Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs, reefs between 30 and 150 m depth) have been hypothesized to contribute to shallow reef recovery through the recruitment of larvae. However, few studies have directly examined this. Here we used mesophotic colonies of Seriatopora hystrix, a depth generalist coral, to investigate the effect of light intensity on larval behavior and settlement through ex situ experiments. We also investigated juvenile survival, growth, and physiological acclimation in situ. Bleached larvae and a significant reduction in settlement rates were found when the mesophotic larvae were exposed to light conditions corresponding to shallow depths (5 and 10 m) ex situ. The in situ experiments showed that mesophotic juveniles survived well at 20 and 40 m, with juveniles in shaded areas

SUBMITTER: Prasetia R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9329301 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature