Physiological and symbiotic flexibility of reef-building corals to new habitats: insights from clonal colony transplants.
Abstract
Global decline of coral reefs shows varied responses to environmental stress, highlighting the need to understand these differences. The physiological plasticity of coral hosts and their microalgal symbionts can allow the coral holobiont to thrive in diverse marine environments, suggesting new strategies for effective restoration. To investigate local environmental influence on the physiology of two Caribbean coral species (Acropora palmata and Orbicella faveolata), clonal colonies from a land-based nursery were transferred to nearshore and offshore reefs for one year. After transfer to coral reef habitats, both coral species shifted in photopigmentation and host energy reserves. Acropora palmata also shifted dominant symbionts and altered growth. Stable isotopes identified higher autotrophic proportions of metabolic carbon and higher photosynthesis rates in transplanted colonies compared to those in the land-based nursery. Synthesis and applications. These findings improve our understanding of coral acclimatization and physiological plasticity, highlighting potential side effects of domestication. As coral restoration accelerates globally, this knowledge is crucial for guiding efforts and conserving endangered ecosystems by supplying considerations for improving coral-rearing systems and providing information on genera-specific acclimatization to transplant sites.