Do corals select zooxanthellae by alternative discharge? |
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Authors: | Hiroshi Yamashita Go Suzuki Takeshi Hayashibara Kazuhiko Koike |
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Affiliation: | (1) Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, 1-4-4 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan;(2) Ishigaki Tropical Station Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, Fisheries Research Agency, Fukai-Ohta, Ishigaki Okinawa, 907-0451, Japan; |
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Abstract: | Loss of zooxanthellae (dinoflagellate Symbiodinium) from corals will sometimes lead to mass mortality of corals. To detect and quantify Symbiodinium released from corals, we developed a zooxanthellae “trap” and a quantitative PCR (qPCR) system with Symbiodinium clades A–F-specific primer sets. The trap was attached to a branch or the surface of several wild stony corals, and the water
samples within the traps, including released Symbiodinium, were subjected to qPCR. All tested corals released clade C Symbiodinium at estimates of ~5,900 cells h−1 cm−2 of coral surface. Although all tested Pocillopora eydouxi harboured both clades C and D, some of these colonies released only clade C or released a lesser amount of clade D than that
in the tissues. Our Symbiodinium quantification system revealed that wild hermatypic corals constantly release Symbiodinium to the environment. Our result suggests that some corals may discharge certain clades of Symbiodinium alternatively. |
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