Gammon, M.J.,
Tracey, D.M.,
Marriott, P.M.,
Cummings, V.J.
and Davy, S.K.
2018
The physiological
response of the
deep-sea coral
Solenosmilia variabilis
to ocean acidification.
PeerJ 6: e5236,
doi: 10.7717/peerj.5236.
NOTE:
"Scleractinian corals in deep,
cold-water environments
are predicted to be affected
by global change, such as
ocean acidification (OA),
much sooner than corals
in surface waters of
more temperate regions."
Yet "the response
of deep-sea corals
to OA, and resulting
low carbonate
saturation levels,
is poorly understood."
SUMMARY:
This deep-sea coral
is resistant to ocean
acidification ( OA ).
After 12 months
in lower pH seawater
conditions:
(1)
"the colonies were
generally robust
to OA conditions
( there was
no mortality )"
(2)
there was
"no treatment effect
on mortality of polyps
or linear growth trends,"
and
(3)
"respiration rates
also varied
independently
of pH."
(4)
There was
a slight color loss:
( "a difference of 5.28%
between the percentage
of initial color remaining
between treatment
and control groups" ).
But a small color loss
"is not surprising given
that deep-sea corals
are difficult to maintain
in a healthy state
in aquaria; indeed,
to our knowledge,
S. variabilis has never
previously been maintained
for more than a few weeks
in this state."
DETAILS:
The five marine
researchers
investigated
the one-year
response of OA
on a long-lived,
fragile scleractinian
coral species
( Solenosmilia variabilis )
from New Zealand.
They collected
live colonies
from the deep ocean
east of New Zealand,
and maintained them
in a controlled-
laboratory setting
at the
National Institute of
Atmospheric Research's
Marine Environmental
Manipulation Facility,
in Wellington under
ambient pH
(7.88; pCO2 of 519)
or reduced pH
(7.65; pCO2 of 920,
ΩAR= 0.69).