Physiological performance of the cold-water coral Dendrophyllia cornigera reveals its preference for temperate environments
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Gori, A. (Andrea); Reynaud, S. (Stéphanie); Orejas, C. (Covadonga); Gili, J.M. (Josep María); Ferrier-Pagès, C. (Christine)Editor's version
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-014-1159-9Date
2014Type
articleKeywords
Physiological ecologyThermal tolerance
Coral calcification
Coral growth
Coral respiration
Organic carbon fluxes
Abstract
Cold-water corals (CWCs) are key ecosystem
engineers in deep-sea benthic communities around the
world. Their distribution patterns are related to several
abiotic and biotic factors, of which seawater temperature is
arguably one of the most important due to its role in coral
physiological processes. The CWCDendrophyllia cornigerahas the particular ability to thrive in several locations
in which temperatures range from 11 to 17 C, but to be
apparently absent from most CWC reefs at temperatures
constantly below 11 C. This study thus aimed to assess the
thermal tolerance of this CWC species, collected in the
Mediterranean Sea at 12 C, and grown at the three relevant temperatures of 8, 12, and 16 C. This species displayed thermal tolerance to the large range of seawater
temperatures investigated, but growth, calcification, respiration, and total organic carbon (TOC) fluxes severely
decreased at 8 C compared to the in situ temperature of 12 C. Conversely, no significant differences ...