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)
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)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Elad Nehoray Rachmilovitz, Omri Shabbat, Maayan Yerushalmy, Baruch Rinkevich
Summary: Accurate identification of scleractinian coral species is crucial for biodiversity estimates, reef monitoring, conservation, restoration, and reef management. This study presents the first DNA barcoding reference library for coral species in Eilat, Red Sea, based on the COI gene, targeting stony coral species from shallow reefs. The results highlight the limitations of COI for delimitation of stony coral species.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(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
Environmental Sciences
Ziwei Yang, Chuanliang Wu, Junying Zhu, Xinxing Geng, Yaxing Liu, Yufang Zhang, Weiyan Duan
Summary: By examining the physiological parameters of corals and zooxanthellae in Sanya Bay coral reef areas in winter and summer, it was found that water temperature and salinity were the main factors affecting their physiological variations. High temperature/low salinity aquatic environment in summer reduced the density and chlorophyll a+c2 content of zooxanthellae, resulting in high superoxide dismutase and caspase3 activities. Turbidity was also an important factor affecting the physiological characteristics of coral-zooxanthellae symbionts. Overall, these findings have important implications for understanding and protecting coral reef communities in Sanya Bay.
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
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joseph A. Stewart, Ivo Strawson, James Kershaw, Laura F. Robinson
Summary: Anthropogenic carbon emissions are causing a decline in seawater pH, and its effect on marine calcifiers remains uncertain. This study explores the biocalcification of stylasterid corals and their resilience to ocean acidification using boron isotopes and other measurements. The findings suggest that stylasterids exhibit contrasting biocalcification to scleractinian corals, raising questions about their ability to withstand ocean acidification.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
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
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
Limnology
Chloe Carbonne, Nuria Teixido, Billy Moore, Alice Mirasole, Thomas Guttierez, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Steeve Comeau
Summary: The study shows that the Mediterranean corals, Cladocora caespitosa and Astroides calycularis, are able to survive in future ocean acidification conditions for at least 6 months, regardless of their environmental history, pH treatment, and trophic strategy.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
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
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexandre C. Siqueira, Wolfgang Kiessling, David R. Bellwood
Summary: The study finds that biotic interactions among reef corals have a significant impact on the macroevolutionary patterns of coral diversity. Staghorn corals, in particular, affect the fossil diversity trajectories of other coral groups.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
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)
