In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region
Cold-water corals (CWC) can be found throughout a wide range of latitudes (79°N–78°S). Since they lack the photosymbiosis known for most of their tropical counterparts, they may thrive below the euphotic zone. Consequently, their growth predominantly depends on the prevalent environmental conditions...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.757702/full |
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| author | Susann Rossbach Susann Rossbach Felix Ivo Rossbach Felix Ivo Rossbach Verena Häussermann Verena Häussermann Günter Försterra Jürgen Laudien |
| author_facet | Susann Rossbach Susann Rossbach Felix Ivo Rossbach Felix Ivo Rossbach Verena Häussermann Verena Häussermann Günter Försterra Jürgen Laudien |
| author_sort | Susann Rossbach |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cold-water corals (CWC) can be found throughout a wide range of latitudes (79°N–78°S). Since they lack the photosymbiosis known for most of their tropical counterparts, they may thrive below the euphotic zone. Consequently, their growth predominantly depends on the prevalent environmental conditions, such as general food availability, seawater chemistry, currents, and temperature. Most CWC communities live in regions that will face CaCO3 undersaturation by the end of the century and are thus predicted to be threatened by ocean acidification (OA). This scenario is especially true for species inhabiting the Chilean fjord system, where present-day carbonate water chemistry already reaches values predicted for the end of the century. To understand the effect of the prevailing environmental conditions on the biomineralization of the CWC Tethocyathus endesa, a solitary scleractinian widely distributed in the Chilean Comau Fjord, a 12-month in situ experiment was conducted. The in situ skeletal growth of the test corals was assessed at two sites using the buoyant weight method. Sites were chosen to cover the naturally present carbonate chemistry gradient, with pH levels ranging between 7.90 ± 0.01 (mean ± SD) and 7.70 ± 0.02, and an aragonite saturation (Ωarag) between 1.47 ± 0.03 and 0.98 ± 0.05. The findings of this study provide one of the first in situ growth assessments of a solitary CWC species, with a skeletal mass increase of 46 ± 28 mg per year and individual, at a rate of 0.03 ± 0.02% day. They also indicate that, although the local seawater chemistry can be assumed to be unfavorable for calcification, growth rates of T. endesa are comparable to other cold-water scleractinians in less corrosive waters (e.g., Lophelia pertusa in the Mediterranean Sea). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:29:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1bc0e0d9472749a2a6853848451a59fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:29:35Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-1bc0e0d9472749a2a6853848451a59fa2022-12-21T19:39:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452021-12-01810.3389/fmars.2021.757702757702In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord RegionSusann Rossbach0Susann Rossbach1Felix Ivo Rossbach2Felix Ivo Rossbach3Verena Häussermann4Verena Häussermann5Günter Försterra6Jürgen Laudien7Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, GermanyRed Sea Development Company, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaFaculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, GermanyHuinay Foundation, Puerto Montt, ChileHuinay Foundation, Puerto Montt, ChileDepartamento de Vinculación con el Medio, Facultad de Economía y Negocios, Universidad San Sebastian, Puerto Montt, ChileFacultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), Valparaíso, ChileAlfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, GermanyCold-water corals (CWC) can be found throughout a wide range of latitudes (79°N–78°S). Since they lack the photosymbiosis known for most of their tropical counterparts, they may thrive below the euphotic zone. Consequently, their growth predominantly depends on the prevalent environmental conditions, such as general food availability, seawater chemistry, currents, and temperature. Most CWC communities live in regions that will face CaCO3 undersaturation by the end of the century and are thus predicted to be threatened by ocean acidification (OA). This scenario is especially true for species inhabiting the Chilean fjord system, where present-day carbonate water chemistry already reaches values predicted for the end of the century. To understand the effect of the prevailing environmental conditions on the biomineralization of the CWC Tethocyathus endesa, a solitary scleractinian widely distributed in the Chilean Comau Fjord, a 12-month in situ experiment was conducted. The in situ skeletal growth of the test corals was assessed at two sites using the buoyant weight method. Sites were chosen to cover the naturally present carbonate chemistry gradient, with pH levels ranging between 7.90 ± 0.01 (mean ± SD) and 7.70 ± 0.02, and an aragonite saturation (Ωarag) between 1.47 ± 0.03 and 0.98 ± 0.05. The findings of this study provide one of the first in situ growth assessments of a solitary CWC species, with a skeletal mass increase of 46 ± 28 mg per year and individual, at a rate of 0.03 ± 0.02% day. They also indicate that, although the local seawater chemistry can be assumed to be unfavorable for calcification, growth rates of T. endesa are comparable to other cold-water scleractinians in less corrosive waters (e.g., Lophelia pertusa in the Mediterranean Sea).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.757702/fullCWCcalcificationin situ growthscleractiniancoral |
| spellingShingle | Susann Rossbach Susann Rossbach Felix Ivo Rossbach Felix Ivo Rossbach Verena Häussermann Verena Häussermann Günter Försterra Jürgen Laudien In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region Frontiers in Marine Science CWC calcification in situ growth scleractinian coral |
| title | In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region |
| title_full | In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region |
| title_fullStr | In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region |
| title_short | In situ Skeletal Growth Rates of the Solitary Cold-Water Coral Tethocyathus endesa From the Chilean Fjord Region |
| title_sort | in situ skeletal growth rates of the solitary cold water coral tethocyathus endesa from the chilean fjord region |
| topic | CWC calcification in situ growth scleractinian coral |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.757702/full |
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