Dataset Information

Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing Acropora millepora larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis.

ABSTRACT: Here we describe an efficient and effective technique for rearing sexually-derived coral propagules from spawning through larval settlement and symbiont uptake with minimal impact on natural coral populations. We sought to maximize larval survival while minimizing expense and daily husbandry maintenance by experimentally determining optimized conditions and protocols for gamete fertilization, larval cultivation, induction of larval settlement by crustose coralline algae, and inoculation of newly settled juveniles with their dinoflagellate symbiont Symbiodinium. Larval rearing densities at or below 0.2 larvae mL^-1 were found to maximize larval survival and settlement success in culture tanks while minimizing maintenance effort. Induction of larval settlement via the addition of a ground mixture of diverse crustose coralline algae (CCA) is recommended, given the challenging nature of in situ CCA identification and our finding that non settlement-inducing CCA assemblages do not inhibit larval settlement if suitable assemblages are present. Although order of magnitude differences in infectivity were found between common Great Barrier Reef Symbiodinium clades C and D, no significant differences in Symbiodinium uptake were observed between laboratory-cultured and wild-harvested symbionts in each case. The technique presented here for Acropora millepora can be adapted for research and restoration efforts in a wide range of broadcast spawning coral species.

SUBMITTER: Pollock FJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5591638 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing <i>Acropora millepora</i> larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis.

Pollock F Joseph FJ Katz Sefano M SM van de Water Jeroen A J M JAJM Davies Sarah W SW Hein Margaux M Torda Gergely G Matz Mikhail V MV Beltran Victor H VH Buerger Patrick P Puill-Stephan Eneour E Abrego David D Bourne David G DG Willis Bette L BL

PeerJ 20170906

Here we describe an efficient and effective technique for rearing sexually-derived coral propagules from spawning through larval settlement and symbiont uptake with minimal impact on natural coral populations. We sought to maximize larval survival while minimizing expense and daily husbandry maintenance by experimentally determining optimized conditions and protocols for gamete fertilization, larval cultivation, induction of larval settlement by crustose coralline algae, and inoculation of newly ...[more]

PMID: 28894640

Similar Datasets

Project description:Coral reefs across the globe are threatened by warming oceans. The last few years have seen the worst mass coral bleaching events recorded, with more than one quarter of all reefs irreversibly impacted. Considering the widespread devastation, we need to increase our efforts to understanding the physiological and metabolic shifts underlying the breakdown of this important symbiotic ecosystem. Here, we investigated the proteome (PRIDE accession # PXD011668) of both host and symbionts of the reef-building coral Acropora millepora exposed to ambient (~ 28 °C) and elevated temperature (~ 32 °C for 2 days, following a five-day incremental increase) and explored associated biomolecular changes in the symbiont, with the aim of gaining new insights into the mechanisms underpinning the collapse of the coral symbiosis. We identified 1,230 unique proteins (774 host and 456 symbiont) in the control and thermally stressed corals, of which 107 significantly increased and 125 decreased in abundance under elevated temperature relative to the control. Proteins involved in oxidative stress and proteolysis constituted 29% of the host proteins that increased in abundance, with evidence of impairment to endoplasmic reticulum and cytoskeletal regulation proteins. In the symbiont, we detected a decrease in proteins responsible for photosynthesis and energy production (33% of proteins decreased in abundance), yet minimal signs of oxidative stress or proteolysis. Lipid stores increased > twofold despite reduction in photosynthesis, suggesting reduced translocation of carbon to the host. There were significant changes in proteins related to symbiotic state, including proteins linked to nitrogen metabolism in the host and the V-ATPase (-0.6 fold change) known to control symbiosome acidity. These results highlight key differences in host and symbiont proteomic adjustments under elevated temperature and identify two key proteins directly involved in bilateral nutrient exchange as potential indicators of symbiosis breakdown.

Dataset Information

Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing Acropora millepora larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis.

Publications

Coral larvae for restoration and research: a large-scale method for rearing <i>Acropora millepora</i> larvae, inducing settlement, and establishing symbiosis.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets