Projects per year
Abstract
Light spectrum plays a key role in the biology of symbiotic corals, with blue light resulting in higher coral growth, zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a content and photosynthesis rates as compared to red light. However, it is still unclear whether these physiological processes are blue-enhanced or red-repressed. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of blue and red light on the health, zooxanthellae density, photophysiology and colouration of the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata over 6 weeks. Coral fragments were exposed to blue, red, and combined 50/50% blue red light, at two irradiance levels (128 and 256 µmol m-2 s-1). Light spectrum affected the health/survival, zooxanthellae density, and NDVI (a proxy for chlorophyll a content) of S. pistillata. Blue light resulted in highest survival rates, whereas red light resulted in low survival at 256 µmol m-2 s-1. Blue light also resulted in higher zooxanthellae densities compared to red light at 256 µmol m-2 s-1, and a higher NDVI compared to red and combined blue red light. Overall, our results suggest that red light negatively affects the health, survival, symbiont density and NDVI of S. pistillata, with a dominance of red over blue light for NDVI.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e92781 |
Journal | PLoS ONE |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Keywords
- green fluorescent protein
- reef-building corals
- chlorophyll biosynthesis
- zinc toxicity
- cell-cycle
- zooxanthellae
- photosynthesis
- aquaculture
- performance
- pigments
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Dive into the research topics of 'Red Light Represses the Photophysiology of the Scleractinian Coral Stylophora pistillata'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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FORCE: Future of Reefs in a Changing Environment (FORCE): An ecosystem approach to managing Caribbean coral reefs in the face of climate change
1/01/10 → 31/05/14
Project: EU research project