Heterotrophic plasticity and resilience in bleached corals

Andréa G. Grottoli (), Lisa J. Rodrigues and James E. Palardy
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Andréa G. Grottoli: Ohio State University
Lisa J. Rodrigues: Villanova University
James E. Palardy: Brown University

Nature, 2006, vol. 440, issue 7088, 1186-1189

Abstract: Cultivating corals Elevated seawater temperatures are causing widespread coral bleaching and mortality, and threaten to damage some of these important ecosystems irreversibly. Bleaching occurs when the symbiotic microalgae that normally provide corals with food are released from the host coral, which then loses its pigment and appears almost white. Some corals survive bleaching, but the mechanisms that ensure survival are poorly understood. To date, studies have focused on the microalgae: the role of coral host physiology in bleaching and recovery has been largely overlooked. A study of bleached and recovering corals from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii now shows that the host can have a significant role in coral recovery and resilience. Increased coral feeding on zooplankton can provide an alternative food source and dramatically enhance coral survival in bleaching events.

Date: 2006
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DOI: 10.1038/nature04565

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