The effect of coral polyp sizes and coral exudates on picoeukaryote dynamics in a controlled environment

Scientia Marina

Kwee Siong Tew¹  Fung-Chi Ko¹  Pei-Jie Meng¹  Ying-Pin Wang²  Jimmy Kuo³ 

[1] Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University - National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium;Institute of Marine Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, National Dong Hwa University;National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium - Institute of Marine Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University;

关键词: scleractinian corals;    stylophora pistillata;    montipora stellata;    picoeukaryotes;    grazing;    coral exudates;   

DOI  :  10.3989/scimar.03405.02A

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

We examined the ability of scleractinian corals with different polyp sizes to remove picoeukaryotes by predation and the effect of coral exudates on picoeukaryote growth. Experiments were conducted by adding picoeukaryotes to Stylophora pistillata (SP) and Montipora stellata (MS). Within six hours the picoeukaryote concentration in the SP and MS tanks was significantly lower than the control without corals. SP showed higher overall activity than MS, and the particle removal activity of MS decreased in light conditions. Picoeukaryotes exposed to SP exudates grew significantly denser than those exposed to MS exudates or those in water without coral exudates. Dissolved organic carbon concentrations in the SP tanks were also significantly higher. We concluded that the picoeukaryote removal rates were higher in S. pistillata than in M. stellata, and coral exudates can reciprocally enhance picoeukaryote growth.

【 授权许可】

Unknown