Historical temperature variability affects coral response to heat stress

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dc.contributor.authorCarilli, JEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorDonner, SDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHartmann, ACen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2014-05-15T04:31:47Zen_AU
dc.date.available2014-05-15T04:31:47Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2012-03-30en_AU
dc.date.statistics2014-05-15en_AU
dc.description.abstractCoral bleaching is the breakdown of symbiosis between coral animal hosts and their dinoflagellate algae symbionts in response to environmental stress. On large spatial scales, heat stress is the most common factor causing bleaching, which is predicted to increase in frequency and severity as the climate warms. There is evidence that the temperature threshold at which bleaching occurs varies with local environmental conditions and background climate conditions. We investigated the influence of past temperature variability on coral susceptibility to bleaching, using the natural gradient in peak temperature variability in the Gilbert Islands, Republic of Kiribati. The spatial pattern in skeletal growth rates and partial mortality scars found in massive Porites sp. across the central and northern islands suggests that corals subject to larger year-to-year fluctuations in maximum ocean temperature were more resistant to a 2004 warm-water event. In addition, a subsequent 2009 warm event had a disproportionately larger impact on those corals from the island with lower historical heat stress, as indicated by lower concentrations of triacylglycerol, a lipid utilized for energy, as well as thinner tissue in those corals. This study indicates that coral reefs in locations with more frequent warm events may be more resilient to future warming, and protection measures may be more effective in these regions. © 2012 Carilli et al.en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumbere34418en_AU
dc.identifier.citationCarilli, J., Donner, S. D., & Hartmann, A. C. (2012). Historical temperature variability affects coral response to heat stress. PLOS ONE, 7(3), Article Number e34418. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0034418en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc4743en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203en_AU
dc.identifier.issue3en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitlePLOS ONEen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0034418en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/5576en_AU
dc.identifier.volume7en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherPublic Libray of Scienceen_AU
dc.subjectSeasen_AU
dc.subjectClimatic changeen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmental effectsen_AU
dc.subjectCoralsen_AU
dc.subjectBleachingen_AU
dc.subjectKiribatien_AU
dc.titleHistorical temperature variability affects coral response to heat stressen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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