Acclimatization of a coral-dinoflagellate mutualism at a CO₂ vent.

ABSTRACT: Ocean acidification caused by shifts in ocean carbonate chemistry resulting from increased atmospheric CO₂ concentrations is threatening many calcifying organisms, including corals. Here we assessed autotrophy vs heterotrophy shifts in the Mediterranean zooxanthellate scleractinian coral Balanophyllia europaea acclimatized to low pH/high pCO₂ conditions at a CO₂ vent off Panarea Island (Italy). Dinoflagellate endosymbiont densities were higher at lowest pH Sites where changes in the distribution of distinct haplotypes of a host-specific symbiont species, Philozoon balanophyllum, were observed. An increase in symbiont C/N ratios was observed at low pH, likely as a result of increased C fixation by higher symbiont cell densities. δ¹³C values of the

SUBMITTER: Prada F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9849335 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature