Changes to coral health and metabolic activity under oxygen deprivation

PeerJ

article

James W.A. Murphy¹  Robert H. Richmond¹ 

[1] Kewalo Marine Laboratory, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa

关键词: Montipora capitata;    Anoxia;    Hypoxia;    Enzyme activity;    Alanopine dehydrogenase;    Strombine dehydrogenase;    Ecological resilience;    Coral metabolism;    Corals;    Hawaii;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.1956

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

On Hawaiian reefs, the fast-growing, invasive algae Gracilaria salicornia overgrows coral heads, restricting water flow and light, thereby smothering corals. Field data shows hypoxic conditions (dissolved oxygen (DO2) < 2 mg/L) occurring underneath algal mats at night, and concurrent bleaching and partial tissue loss of shaded corals. To analyze the impact of nighttime oxygen-deprivation on coral health, this study evaluated changes in coral metabolism through the exposure of corals to chronic hypoxic conditions and subsequent analyses of lactate, octopine, alanopine, and strombine dehydrogenase activities, critical enzymes employed through anaerobic respiration. Following treatments, lactate and octopine dehydrogenase activities were found to have no significant response in activities with treatment and time. However, corals subjected to chronic nighttime hypoxia were found to exhibit significant increases in alanopine dehydrogenase activity after three days of exposure and strombine dehydrogenase activity starting after one overnight exposure cycle. These findings provide new insights into coral metabolic shifts in extremely low-oxygen environments and point to ADH and SDH assays as tools for quantifying the impact of hypoxia on coral health.

【 授权许可】

CC BY