Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis

Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis

Reef-forming cnidarians are essential for maintaining ecological balance. Unfortunately, coral reefs are endangered due to coral bleaching, which interrupts mutualistic symbiosis between Symbiodiniaceae algae and their coral hosts. Bleaching events result in very high coral mortality and the rapid d...

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Autores principales: Olguín-López, Norma, Hernández-Elizárraga, Víctor H, Hernández-Matehuala, Rosalina, Rojas-Molina, Juana I, Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramón, Ibarra-Alvarado, César, Rojas Molina, Alejandra
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Publicado: Iniversidad Autónoma de Baja California 2023
Acceso en línea:https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3296
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spa
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author Olguín-López, Norma
Hernández-Elizárraga, Víctor H
Hernández-Matehuala, Rosalina
Rojas-Molina, Juana I
Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramón
Ibarra-Alvarado, César
Rojas Molina, Alejandra
spellingShingle Olguín-López, Norma
Hernández-Elizárraga, Víctor H
Hernández-Matehuala, Rosalina
Rojas-Molina, Juana I
Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramón
Ibarra-Alvarado, César
Rojas Molina, Alejandra
Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis
author_facet Olguín-López, Norma
Hernández-Elizárraga, Víctor H
Hernández-Matehuala, Rosalina
Rojas-Molina, Juana I
Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramón
Ibarra-Alvarado, César
Rojas Molina, Alejandra
author_sort Olguín-López, Norma
title Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis
title_short Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis
title_full Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis
title_fullStr Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis
title_full_unstemmed Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis
title_sort effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 el niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral millepora alcicornis
description Reef-forming cnidarians are essential for maintaining ecological balance. Unfortunately, coral reefs are endangered due to coral bleaching, which interrupts mutualistic symbiosis between Symbiodiniaceae algae and their coral hosts. Bleaching events result in very high coral mortality and the rapid deterioration of reef structures. Studies aimed at explaining the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of coral bleaching have been mainly conducted with anthozoans, while the impacts of thermal stress responsible for coral bleaching have been scarcely studied in hydrozoans, such as Millepora species (phylum Cnidaria, class Hydrozoa), which are the second most important reef-forming cnidarians. In the present study, the effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on symbiont abundance, exoskeleton structure, and the biochemical composition of Millepora alcicornis were analyzed. Unbleached M. alcicornis specimens exhibited a higher abundance of Breviolum and Durisdinium species, which suggests that unbleached hydrocoral colonies might counteract thermal stress by hosting thermotolerant symbionts of the Durisdinium genus. Bleached hydrocorals exhibited lower levels of calcification than unbleached hydrocorals as well as changes in the microstructure of trabeculae and zooid pores. In contrast, thermal stress did not affect total calcium carbonate and carbohydrate content. Bleached tissues showed significantly higher levels of protein and refractory material, whereas their lipid content decreased considerably. The present study provides evidence that bleached M. alcicornis colonies suffered a decline in calcification and changes in the structure of their exoskeletons after being exposed to the 2015–2016 El Niño. The significant decrease in lipid content suggests that M. alcicornis primarily uses energy stores to maintain vital cellular processes at the expense of calcification.
publisher Iniversidad Autónoma de Baja California
publishDate 2023
url https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3296
_version_ 1792095479490674688
spelling oai:cienciasmarinas.com.mx:article-32962024-02-08T22:54:21Z Effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on the biochemical composition, exoskeleton structure, and symbiont density of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis Efecto del estrés térmico causado por el evento El Niño 2015-2016 sobre la composición bioquímica, la estructura del exoesqueleto y la densidad de simbiontes del coral de fuego Millepora alcicornis Olguín-López, Norma Hernández-Elizárraga, Víctor H Hernández-Matehuala, Rosalina Rojas-Molina, Juana I Guevara-Gonzalez, Ramón Ibarra-Alvarado, César Rojas Molina, Alejandra bleaching Millepora alcicornis biochemical composition exoskeleton structure symbiont blanqueamiento Millepora alcicornia composición bioquímica estructura del exoskeleton Reef-forming cnidarians are essential for maintaining ecological balance. Unfortunately, coral reefs are endangered due to coral bleaching, which interrupts mutualistic symbiosis between Symbiodiniaceae algae and their coral hosts. Bleaching events result in very high coral mortality and the rapid deterioration of reef structures. Studies aimed at explaining the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of coral bleaching have been mainly conducted with anthozoans, while the impacts of thermal stress responsible for coral bleaching have been scarcely studied in hydrozoans, such as Millepora species (phylum Cnidaria, class Hydrozoa), which are the second most important reef-forming cnidarians. In the present study, the effects of thermal stress caused by the 2015–2016 El Niño on symbiont abundance, exoskeleton structure, and the biochemical composition of Millepora alcicornis were analyzed. Unbleached M. alcicornis specimens exhibited a higher abundance of Breviolum and Durisdinium species, which suggests that unbleached hydrocoral colonies might counteract thermal stress by hosting thermotolerant symbionts of the Durisdinium genus. Bleached hydrocorals exhibited lower levels of calcification than unbleached hydrocorals as well as changes in the microstructure of trabeculae and zooid pores. In contrast, thermal stress did not affect total calcium carbonate and carbohydrate content. Bleached tissues showed significantly higher levels of protein and refractory material, whereas their lipid content decreased considerably. The present study provides evidence that bleached M. alcicornis colonies suffered a decline in calcification and changes in the structure of their exoskeletons after being exposed to the 2015–2016 El Niño. The significant decrease in lipid content suggests that M. alcicornis primarily uses energy stores to maintain vital cellular processes at the expense of calcification. Los cnidarios formadores de arrecifes son esenciales en la ecología marina. Desafortunadamente, están amenazados por el fenómeno de blanqueamiento, el cual rompe la simbiosis mutualista entre algas de la familia Symbiodiniaceae y sus hospederos coralinos. El blanqueamiento causa un alto índice de mortalidad de corales y un rápido deterioro de las estructuras arrecifales. Los estudios dirigidos a explicar causas, mecanismos y consecuencias del blanqueamiento se han realizado principalmente con antozoos, mientras que los impactos del blanqueamiento de corales se han estudiado escasamente en especies de Millepora (phylum Cnidaria, clase Hydrozoa), que son los segundos constructores de arrecifes más importantes. En el presente estudio se analizó el efecto del estrés térmico causado por el evento El Niño 2015-2016 sobre la abundancia de simbiontes, la estructura del exoesqueleto y la composición bioquímica de Millepora alcicornis. Los especímenes sin blanquear de M. alcicornis contenían una mayor abundancia de especies de Breviolum y Durisdinium, lo que sugiere que las colonias de hidrocorales sin blanquear podrían estar contrarrestando el estrés térmico al albergar simbiontes termotolerantes del género Durisdinium. Los hidrocorales blanqueados mostraron niveles más bajos de calcificación y cambios en la microestructura de zooides y trabéculas. En contraste, el estrés térmico no modificó el contenido total de carbonato de calcio y carbohidratos en los hidrocorales. Los tejidos blanqueados mostraron niveles significativamente más altos de proteína y material refractario, mientras que su contenido de lípidos disminuyó considerablemente. El presente estudio muestra que las colonias blanqueadas de M. alcicornis sufrieron una disminución en la calcificación y cambios en la estructura de su exoesqueleto después de estar expuestas al estrés térmico provocado por el evento El Niño 2015-2016. La disminución significativa en el contenido de lípidos sugiere que M. alcicornis está utilizando sus reservas de energía principalmente para mantener sus procesos celulares vitales a expensas de la calcificación. Iniversidad Autónoma de Baja California 2023-06-29 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article Artículo Arbitrado application/pdf text/xml text/xml https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3296 10.7773/cm.y2023.3296 Ciencias Marinas; Vol. 49 (2023) Ciencias Marinas; Vol. 49 (2023) 2395-9053 0185-3880 eng spa https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3296/420420742 https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3296/420420842 https://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/3296/420420843 Copyright (c) 2023 Norma Olguín-López; Víctor H Hernández-Elizárraga, Rosalina Hernández-Matehuala, Juana I Rojas-Molina, Ramón Guevara-Gonzalez, César Ibarra-Alvarado, Alejandra Rojas Molina https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

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