Advancement of Research on the growth of Acropora Palmata and Cervicornis corals activating heterotrophic feeding
For years studies of pelagic-benthic coupling in coral reefs have focused on zooplankton rather than phytoplankton. Something that we have recently been able to investigate more deeply thanks to (Easyreefs) and non-profit associations (REEFERS Project https://reefersproject.org & SECORE International https://www.secore.org & FUNDEMAR https://www.fundemardr.org ). This is because examination of coral gut contents does not allow estimation of grazing rates for small, soft-bodied prey such as picoplankton, phytoplankton, and nanoplankton, because they are rapidly digested.
Therefore, it is necessary to adapt the data collection strategies to analyze some questions such as:
We share a review, we find it very interesting to mention the following points;
Sorokin (1973) was one of the first to suggest that corals consume organic phosphorus in the form of plankton rather than inorganic phosphorus in the same concentrations, suggesting a potential role for corals in this ingestion.
The photosynthates translocated by zooxanthellae are sometimes considered "junk food" (Falkowski et al., 1984) deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus and amino acids (Battey & Patton, 1987), which are essential nutrients for growth, so the supplies external food are considered a very important nutritional factor.
The research is carried out in the FUNDEMAR laboratories in the Dominican Republic. We collect gametes of Acropora Cervicornis and Acropora Palmata in the FUNDEMAR Nurseries located on the Bayahibe reefs, using the SECORE International gamete collection method; the subsequent fertilization was carried out in ex situ laboratories.
The investigation began 5 days after the settlement of the primary polyps, it should be noted that zooxanthellae were not inoculated during the month that the investigation lasted.
Partial results:
The results on growth show a 65 % increase in carbonate fixation from respiration, CHAR factor (Muscatine et, 1970) growth in the Mix (EasyBooster+EasyspsEVO) treatments, around 55 % in the treatment phytoplankton and approximately 60 % in zooplankton. Taking into account that they did not have any contribution from autotrophy or zooxanthelas, food represents 100 % of the daily metabolic requirements. The control treatment was carried out with filtered seawater, in order to discriminate errors or subjective analyzes of the experiment.
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For years studies of pelagic-benthic coupling in coral reefs have focused on zooplankton rather than phytoplankton. Something that we have recently been able to investigate more deeply thanks to (Easyreefs) and non-profit associations (REEFERS Project https://reefersproject.org & SECORE International https://www.secore.org & FUNDEMAR https://www.fundemardr.org ). This is because examination of coral gut contents does not allow estimation of grazing rates for small, soft-bodied prey such as picoplankton, phytoplankton, and nanoplankton, because they are rapidly digested.
Therefore, it is necessary to adapt the data collection strategies to analyze some questions such as:
Do corals eat phytoplankton?
Do they grow the same if I feed phytoplankton or zooplankton?
And if I feed with phytoplankton and zooplankton?
We share a review, we find it very interesting to mention the following points;
- Heterotrophy accounts for 0-66% of the fixed carbon incorporated into coral skeletons and can satisfy 15-35% of the daily metabolic requirements in healthy corals and up to 100% in bleached corals, or subjected to high temperatures where translocation by zooxanthellae is affected, reducing efficiency and nutritional contribution.
- Apart from this carbon input, diet is important for most scleractinian corals, as nitrogen, phosphorous and other nutrients that the coral's symbiotic algae cannot supply through photosynthesis must come from phytoplankton capture , zooplankton, particles or dissolved compounds. As the scientific evidence has shown.
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2008.00058.x
Sorokin (1973) was one of the first to suggest that corals consume organic phosphorus in the form of plankton rather than inorganic phosphorus in the same concentrations, suggesting a potential role for corals in this ingestion.
The photosynthates translocated by zooxanthellae are sometimes considered "junk food" (Falkowski et al., 1984) deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus and amino acids (Battey & Patton, 1987), which are essential nutrients for growth, so the supplies external food are considered a very important nutritional factor.
The research is carried out in the FUNDEMAR laboratories in the Dominican Republic. We collect gametes of Acropora Cervicornis and Acropora Palmata in the FUNDEMAR Nurseries located on the Bayahibe reefs, using the SECORE International gamete collection method; the subsequent fertilization was carried out in ex situ laboratories.
The investigation began 5 days after the settlement of the primary polyps, it should be noted that zooxanthellae were not inoculated during the month that the investigation lasted.
Growth control
Fig.1: X-axis, size of the polyps (1-3mm); Y axis, Time (days); Treatments: 1.Control (Filter Sea Water), 2.Phytoplankton (Easybooster), 3.Mixture of Phytoplankton and zooplankton (EasyFarm), 4.Zooplankton (EasyspsEVO). The points on the line of each treatment correspond to the superpolyps, (probably they are settlements of other coral species).Partial results:
The results on growth show a 65 % increase in carbonate fixation from respiration, CHAR factor (Muscatine et, 1970) growth in the Mix (EasyBooster+EasyspsEVO) treatments, around 55 % in the treatment phytoplankton and approximately 60 % in zooplankton. Taking into account that they did not have any contribution from autotrophy or zooxanthelas, food represents 100 % of the daily metabolic requirements. The control treatment was carried out with filtered seawater, in order to discriminate errors or subjective analyzes of the experiment.
We hope you like our preview
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