Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
C. D. Standish, T. B. Chalk, M. Saeed, F. Lei, M. C. Buckingham, C. D'Angelo, J. Wiedenmann, G. L. Foster
Summary: This study examined the geochemical responses of tropical corals Acropora polystoma and Porites lichen to nutrient enrichment and depletion. Results showed that nutrient imbalances and depletions have an impact on the elemental and isotopic composition of coral skeletons, as well as the internal carbonate chemistry. Variations in nutrient concentration or imbalance can greatly affect reconstructed sea surface temperatures and ocean or calcification pH.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Wenshuai Li, Xiao-Ming Liu, Kun Wang, Yongfeng Hu, Atsushi Suzuki, Toshihiro Yoshimura
Summary: Potassium participates in coral biological activities and its isotope fractionation is important for interpreting coral records. This study evaluates the distribution and variation of potassium isotopes in the skeleton of corals and identifies the influence of biotic and abiotic controls on potassium partitioning and isotope fractionation. The findings highlight the role of physiological modulation in the phase distribution of potassium in coral skeletons and its isotopic variation.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Tal Zaquin, Assaf Malik, Jeana L. Drake, Hollie M. Putnam, Tali Mass
Summary: The study reveals the evolutionary process dominated by the co-option of genes that originated before the cnidarian diversification. Each of the three species of scleractinians appears to express a unique set of ancient genes, as well as a substantial proportion of independently evolved proteins. In addition, non-random clustering of multiple SOM proteins within scleractinian-specific branches suggests the conservation of protein function between distinct species.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eric N. Chiles, Ariana S. Huffmyer, Crawford Drury, Hollie M. Putnam, Debashish Bhattacharya, Xiaoyang Su
Summary: Corals form symbiotic relationships with dinoflagellate algae, bacteria, and other microbes, and nitrogen metabolism plays an important role in symbiotic regulation. Using stable isotope tracing, it was found that nitrogen assimilation in the coral holobiont may be compartmentalized, with different regions showing different nitrogen metabolism rates.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yee Cheng Lim, Chiu-Wen Chen, Yu-Rong Cheng, Chih-Feng Chen, Cheng-Di Dong
Summary: This study collected seawater, sediments, and wild scleractinian corals from coral reef areas near Liuqiu Island, Taiwan to investigate the abundance, characteristics, and impacts of microplastics (MPs) on coral cover. The results showed high levels of MPs in the coral, seawater, and sediments, indicating a potential threat to coral reef ecosystems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Claudia Tatiana Galindo-Martinez, Arelys Chaparro, Susana Enriquez, Roberto Iglesias-Prieto
Summary: The upregulation of animal chromoproteins reduces the internal light intensity of bleached corals, facilitating coral recovery and symbiont tissue re-colonization. This finding is of significance for future coral restoration efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Si Tuan Vo, Son Lam Ho, Kim Hoang Phan, Van Than Doan, Van Long Nguyen, Peter Lynton Harrison
Summary: This study monitored the spawning patterns of coral species in Nha Trang Bay, Vietnam and found variations in spawning time and duration among different species. Although the spawning time varied among species, the overall spawning period of corals in Nha Trang Bay was found to be from March to May, indicating an extended spawning period.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yun-Ju Sun, Laura F. Robinson, Ian J. Parkinson, Joseph A. Stewart, Wanyi Lu, Dalton S. Hardisty, Qian Liu, James Kershaw, Michele Lavigne, Tristan J. Horner
Summary: The distribution of dissolved iodine in seawater is sensitive to multiple biogeochemical cycles. This study presents the potential of using the iodine-to-calcium ratio (I/Ca) in deep-sea scleractinian corals as an indicator of past seawater iodate concentrations. The results highlight the strong biological control during iodate incorporation into deep-sea coral skeletons and provide valuable insights into historical seawater oxygen levels.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alice C. A. Blanckaert, Tom Biscere, Renaud Grover, Christine Ferrier-Pages
Summary: A study found that the hard coral Turbinaria reniformis and the soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum have different physiological responses to different nitrogen to phosphorus ratios. Hard corals are more sensitive to the ratio, while soft corals only uptake when nitrogen and phosphorus are present simultaneously. This study helps predict how different coral species will respond to nitrogen to phosphorus ratios under eutrophic conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Rosemarie Christine Baron-Szabo
Summary: New coral material from the Schrattenkalk Formation in southern Germany, western Austria, and Switzerland includes 56 species from 35 genera of 21 families. The coral fauna is dominated by colonial forms, with most belonging to the cerioid-plocoid and branching categories. The fossils provide insights into taxonomic assignment, stratigraphic distribution, and paleoenvironmental relationships in the region.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katarzyna Frankowiak, Ewa Roniewicz, Jaroslaw Stolarski
Summary: This study investigated the symbiotic relationship between Carnian corals and zooxanthellae in the Italian Dolomites, revealing potential widespread occurrence of this partnership. The findings suggest that Carnian scleractinian corals exhibited ecological adaptations similar to modern symbiotic corals, indicating that coral-algal symbiosis may have preceded the reef bloom at the end of the Triassic.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Natalie Travaglione, Richard Evans, Molly Moustaka, Michael Cuttler, Damian P. Thomson, James Tweedley, Shaun Wilson
Summary: This study assessed the variation in heterotrophy of three coral genera (Acropora spp., Porites spp., and Platygyra spp.) among different turbidity levels in the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia. The results showed that heterotrophy increased in all three coral genera in highly turbid environments. Porites spp. preferred heterotrophy across all turbidity levels, while Platygyra spp. and Acropora spp. showed lower heterotrophy in sites with lower turbidity. This suggests that some scleractinian corals can adjust their feeding strategies based on turbidity levels.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jia Tang, Zhongjie Wu, Lu Wan, Wenqi Cai, Shiquan Chen, Xingjuan Wang, Jian Luo, Zhi Zhou, Jianmin Zhao, Senjie Lin
Summary: Through investigating the distribution of microplastics in the environment and inhabiting organisms, it was found that microplastics have a preferential enrichment in organisms and show a clear correlation with the symbiotic density in corals. Different species of corals exhibit differential stress responses to microplastics, with large-polyp corals showing higher tolerance.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tomihiko Higuchi, Kentaro Tanaka, Kotaro Shirai, Ikuko Yuyama, Takuma Mezaki, Naoto Takahata, Yuji Sano
Summary: This study used stable isotope labelling and NanoSIMS analysis to clarify how sulfate in seawater is assimilated by corals and zooxanthellae at the cellular level. The results showed that coral hosts can directly absorb sulfate ions without assistance from zooxanthellae, and that assimilated sulfur can be retained in corals for at least 2 days.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Mathilde Godefroid, Sam Dupont, Marc Metian, Laetitia Hedouin
Summary: This review synthesized the literature on the effects of seawater acidification on tropical scleractinians under laboratory-controlled conditions. The results showed that the number of affected biological categories increased with higher levels of pH intensity, particularly in calcification and reproduction. However, the diversity in experimental designs hindered the ability to determine the modulation role of coral life stages, genera, or duration of exposure.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)