Nutrient Availability and Metabolism Affect the Stability of Coral–Symbiodiniaceae Symbioses

2019/04/12 by Luke A. Morris, Christian R. Voolstra, Kate M. Quigley +2 · 8 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine and coastal plant biology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.tim.2019.03.004

openalex publication_date 2019/04/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03

Abstract

Coral reefs rely upon the highly optimized coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis, making them sensitive to environmental change and susceptible to anthropogenic stress. Coral bleaching is predominantly attributed to photo-oxidative stress, yet nutrient availability and metabolism underpin the stability of symbioses. Recent studies link symbiont proliferation under nutrient enrichment to bleaching; however, the interactions between nutrients and symbiotic stability are nuanced. Here, we demonstrate how bleaching is regulated by the forms and ratios of available nutrients and their impacts on autotrophic carbon metabolism, rather than algal symbiont growth. By extension, historical nutrient conditions mediate host-symbiont compatibility and bleaching tolerance over proximate and evolutionary timescales. Renewed investigations into the coral nutrient metabolism will be required to truly elucidate the cellular mechanisms leading to coral bleaching.

Citations

• Reef Corals: Mutualistic Symbioses Adapted to Nutrient-Poor Environments

Cited by

• A review of the current knowledge of the flow of carbon and energy in scleractinian corals
• The influence of symbiont identity and nitrogen source on the thermal disruption of carbon and nitrogen cycling in a model cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis
• Host Evaluation: Reliance on Symbionts: A new metric for quantifying nutrient exchange in nutritional mutualisms
• Moderate levels of dissolved iron stimulate cellular growth and increase lipid storage in Symbiodinium sp.
• Positive feedbacks in coastal reef social-ecological systems can maintain coral dominance
• Coral Reef Microorganisms in a Changing Climate
• Reef state and performance as indicators of cumulative impacts on coral reefs
• Chronic low-level nutrient enrichment benefits coral thermal performance in a fore reef habitat
• Mutualism breakdown underpins evolutionary rescue in an obligate cross-feeding bacterial consortium

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• Symbiodiniaceae algal symbionts of Pocillopora damicornis larvae provide more carbon to their coral host under elevated levels of acidification and temperature
• Community dynamics and physiology of Symbiodinium spp. before, during, and after a coral bleaching event
• Reef Corals: Mutualistic Symbioses Adapted to Nutrient-Poor Environments
• Beneficial Microorganisms for Corals (BMC): Proposed Mechanisms for Coral Health and Resilience
• The Host Coral Bleaching Response Viewed Through the Lens of Multi‐Omics