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Metabolic plasticity of the corals Porites lutea and Diploastrea heliopora exposed to large amplitude internal waves

  • C. Roder
  • C. Jantzen
  • G. M. Schmidt
  • G. Kattner
  • N. Phongsuwan
  • C. Richter

Abstract

The metabolic plasticity of the two mounding coral species Porites lutea (Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1860) and Diploastrea heliopora (Lamarck, 1816) was investigated in the Similan Islands (Thailand), an offshore Andaman Sea island group subjected to large amplitude internal waves (LAIW). Nutrient concentrations were highly correlated with LAIW intensity and contributed to 3- and 10-fold higher symbiont densities in P. lutea and D. heliopora, respectively, along with elevated pigment concentrations, protein content, host tissue, and symbiont biomass. The comparison of LAIW-exposed and LAIW-sheltered island faces, and LAIW-intense and LAIW-weak years suggests a species-specific metabolic plasticity to LAIW, where D. heliopora benefits more from increased nutrient and organic matter availability than P. lutea. The ubiquitous LAIW in Southeast Asia and beyond may provide so far unexplored clues to coral acclimatization to disturbances on various scales, and hence, a potential key to coral resilience to climate change.

Cite this activity

Roder C., Jantzen C., Schmidt G.M., Kattner G., Phongsuwan N. and Richter C. (2011) Metabolic plasticity of the corals Porites lutea and Diploastrea heliopora exposed to large amplitude internal waves. Coral Reefs 30(S1): 57-69. 10.1007/s00338-011-0722-x

Details

Title Metabolic plasticity of the corals Porites lutea and Diploastrea heliopora exposed to large amplitude internal waves
Date 01.06.2011
Journal Coral Reefs
Issue S1
Volume 30
Pages 57-69
DOI 10.1007/s00338-011-0722-x
Open Access Status Closed Access

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