Photoacclimation of Stylophora pistillata to light extremes: metabolism and calcification

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 334:93-102 (2007) - doi:10.3354/meps334093 Photoacclimation of Stylophora pistillata to light extremes: metabolism and calcification Tali Mass1,2,*, Shai Einbinder1,3,4, Eran Brokovich1,3, Nadav Shashar1,5, Razi Vago6, Jonathan Erez7, Zvy Dubinsky2 1The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences at Eilat, PO Box 469, Eilat 88103, Israel 2The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel 3Evolution Systematics and Ecology Department, Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel 4Israel Maritime College, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret 40297, Israel 5Department of Life Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel 6Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel 7Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel *Email: tmass81@pob.huji.ac.il ABSTRACT: The hermatypic coral Stylophora pistillata has a wide bathymetric distribution (0 to 70 m). Within this range, light intensity decreases exponentially. Deep-water colonies are generally planar in morphology, with the upper part being dark and the bottom-facing part pale. Shallow-water colonies are generally subspherical and ivory in coloration. We studied the effects of photoacclimation on photosynthesis, respiration, and calcification in S. pistillata colonies along its bathymetric range over a reef profile (5 to 65 m) in Eilat, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, during winter and summer, using a submersible respirometer. Respiration rate, light-saturated rate of photosynthesis (Pmax), compensation light intensity (Ec), and light intensity of incipient saturation (Ek), all decreased with depth. In contrast, the efficiency of photosynthesis (α) increased with depth. All colonies displayed ‘light-enhanced calcification’ during daytime and decreasing calcification rates with depth. These results indicate an adjustment in harvesting and utilization of light by the algal symbionts to the light environment. At all light intensities except the lowest ones, there was a consistent ratio of calcification to photosynthesis, in agreement with the concept of light-enhanced calcification. In the deepest, low-light corals, there was no evidence for support of calcification by photosynthesis, and we assume that these colonies subsist mainly by preying on zooplankton. KEY WORDS: Photosynthesis · Calcification · Dissolved oxygen · pH · Total alkalinity · Stylophora pistillata · Deep coral reef Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 334. Online publication date: March 26, 2007 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research.