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Natural spatial variability of algal endosymbiont density in the coral Acropora globiceps: a small-scale approach along environmental gradients around Moorea (French Polynesia)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2013

Ophélie Ladrière ,
Lucie Penin ,
Elodie Van Lierde ,
Jeremie Vidal-Dupiol ,
Mohsen Kayal ,
Stéphane Roberty ,
Mathieu Poulicek  and
Mehdi Adjeroud
Ophélie Ladrière
Affiliation:
Unit of Marine Ecology, Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology, University of Liège, allée du 6 août, 15, Bat. B6C, B-4000 Liège (Sart Tilman), Belgium
Lucie Penin*
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Écologie Marine, FRE CNRS UR 3560 ECOMAR, and Laboratoire d'Excellence ‘CORAIL’, Université de La Réunion, BP 7151, 97715 Saint-Denis Cedex 09, Réunion Island, France USR 3278 CNRS EPHE, Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement and Laboratoire d'Excellence ‘CORAIL’, Université de Perpignan 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
Elodie Van Lierde
Affiliation:
Unit of Marine Ecology, Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology, University of Liège, allée du 6 août, 15, Bat. B6C, B-4000 Liège (Sart Tilman), Belgium CNRS, Ecologie et Evolution des Interactions, UMR 5244 CNRS–UPVD, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan, France
Jeremie Vidal-Dupiol
Affiliation:
CNRS, Ecologie et Evolution des Interactions, UMR 5244 CNRS–UPVD, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan, France Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Ecologie et Evolution des Interactions, UMR 5244 CNRS–UPVD, 58 Auenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan, France
Mohsen Kayal
Affiliation:
USR 3278 CNRS EPHE, Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement and Laboratoire d'Excellence ‘CORAIL’, Université de Perpignan 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, U227 CoRéUs 2 ‘Biocomplexité des récifs coralliens de l'Indo-Pacifique’ and Laboratoire d'Excellence ‘CORAIL’, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa, New Caledonia
Stéphane Roberty
Affiliation:
Unit of Marine Ecology, Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology, University of Liège, allée du 6 août, 15, Bat. B6C, B-4000 Liège (Sart Tilman), Belgium
Mathieu Poulicek
Affiliation:
Unit of Marine Ecology, Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology, University of Liège, allée du 6 août, 15, Bat. B6C, B-4000 Liège (Sart Tilman), Belgium
Mehdi Adjeroud
Affiliation:
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, U227 CoRéUs 2 ‘Biocomplexité des récifs coralliens de l'Indo-Pacifique’ and Laboratoire d'Excellence ‘CORAIL’, BP A5, 98848 Nouméa, New Caledonia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: L. Penin, Laboratoire d'Écologie Marine, FRE CNRS UR 3560 ECOMAR and Laboratoire d'Excellence ‘CORAIL’, Université de La Réunion, BP 7151, 97715 Saint-Denis Cedex 09, Réunion Island, France email: lucie.penin@univ-reunion.fr
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Abstract

This study provides a baseline describing natural small scale variability of Symbiodinium density in the sentinel coral Acropora globiceps during the summer, under non-bleaching conditions. Spatial scales investigated range from the colony scale (1–10 cm, i.e. among branches of the same colony) to the reef scale (1–10 km, i.e. among stations distributed over several locations and depths), at Moorea Island, French Polynesia. The coral–Symbiodinium symbiosis is a key process in scleractinian coral physiology, and Symbiodinium density provides an easy-to-measure and inexpensive biomarker of this symbiosis health. Spatial variability of three major environmental factors: light intensity, sedimentation and water motion was also assessed to evaluate their potential link with Symbiodinium density. Density of Symbiodinium did not significantly differ within colonies or among colonies within a station. However, a marked depth gradient was observed, showing increasing density with increasing depth and decreasing light intensity. These observations provide an interesting reference for forthcoming comparisons with disturbed conditions, such as bleaching events.

Keywords

Symbiodinium densitymulti-scale variabilityscleractinian coralssymbiosisenvironmental gradients
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 1 , February 2014 , pp. 65 - 74
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013 

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