Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Frontiers in Marine Science
Volume
10
Publisher
Frontiers
School
School of Science / Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research
RAS ID
60209
Funders
Australian Research Council Linkage Grant awarded to Zoe Richards a/ Schmidt Oceans Institute, through support of RV Falkor Voyage FK210409 / Australian Institute of Marine Science and Parks Australia through the collaborative project (to KM) for the 2021 Ashmore Reef Mesophotic Reef Survey and Sampling Project
Grant Number
ARC Number : LP160101508
Grant Link
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP160101508
Abstract
Mesophotic corals live at ~30-150 m depth and can sustain metabolic processes under light-limited conditions by enhancing autotrophy through specialized photoadaptations or increasing heterotrophic nutrient acquisition. These acclimatory processes are often species-specific, however mesophotic ecosystems are largely unexplored and acclimation limits for most species are unknown. This study examined mesophotic coral ecosystems using a remotely operated vehicle (Ashmore Reef, Western Australia at 40 – 75m depth) to investigate the trophic ecology of five species of scleractinian coral (from genera Leptoseris, Pachyseris, and Craterastrea) using stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) of host and symbiont tissues and protein concentration. Trophic strategies were analyzed between species and between overall corals sampled above and below the end-photic point, where light is only 1% of surface irradiance. Results showed species-specific differences in resource use. Leptoseris hawaiiensis, L. scabra, and P. speciosa had similar Δ13C values (δ13C host - δ13C symbiont) approaching zero ( < 0.5 ‰) which indicated greater dependence on symbiont autotrophy. In contrast, Leptoseris glabra and Craterastrea levis had higher Δ13C values (1.4 to 3.5 ‰) which indicated a greater reliance on external carbon sources. The latter two species also demonstrated tight nitrogen recycling within the holobiont, exhibiting low Δ15N values (host δ15N - symbiont δ15N = < 0.5 ‰), compared to more autotrophic species (Δ15N = > 1.2 ‰). Some species demonstrated the ability to maintain metabolic processes despite substantially reduced light availability (0.5 – 2% of surface irradiance). This research challenges our knowledge of acclimation limits for many scleractinian corals and contributes novel information for Ashmore Reef, the Western Australia region and mesophotic ecosystems in general, and critically examines common methods used to interpretate trophic ecology with bulk stable isotopes δ13C and δ15N.
DOI
10.3389/fmars.2023.1089746
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Carmignani, A., Radice, V. Z., McMahon, K. M., Holman, A. I., Miller, K., Grice, K., & Richards, Z. (2023). Levels of autotrophy and heterotrophy in mesophotic corals near the end photic zone. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, Article 1089746. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1089746