The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals
Many coral reef communities thriving in inshore coastal waters characterised by chronically high natural turbidity (>5 mg l-1) have adapted to low light (<200 µmol photons m-2 s-1) and high sedimentation rates (>10 mg cm-2 d-1). Yet, short (hours) acute sediment stress events driven by wind...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Inter-Research
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/11508 |
| _version_ | 1848747824866394112 |
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| author | Browne, Nicola Precht, E. Last, K. Todd, P. |
| author_facet | Browne, Nicola Precht, E. Last, K. Todd, P. |
| author_sort | Browne, Nicola |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Many coral reef communities thriving in inshore coastal waters characterised by chronically high natural turbidity (>5 mg l-1) have adapted to low light (<200 µmol photons m-2 s-1) and high sedimentation rates (>10 mg cm-2 d-1). Yet, short (hours) acute sediment stress events driven by wind waves, dredging operations involving suction or screening, or shipping activities with vessel wake or propeller disturbance, can result in a rise in turbidity above the natural background level. Although these may not be lethal to corals given the time frame, there could be a considerable impact on photo-trophic energy production. A novel sediment delivery system was used to quantify the effects of 3 acute sediment resuspension stress events (turbidity = 100, 170, 240 mg l-1; sedimentation rates = 4, 9, 13 mg cm-2 h-1) on 3 inshore turbid water corals common in the Indo-Pacific (Merulina ampliata, Pachyseris speciosa and Platygyra sinensis). Coral photo-physiology response (respiration, net photosynthesis, and maximum quantum yield) was measured immediately after 2 h of exposure. The respiration rate increased (from 0.72-1.44 to 0.78-1.76 µmol O2 cm-2 h-1) as the severity of the acute sediment resuspension event increased, whereas the photosynthetic rate declined (from 0.25-0.41 to -0.19-0.25 µmol O2 cm-2 h-1). Merulina was the least tolerant to acute sediment resuspension, with a photosynthesis and respiration ratio (P/R ratio) of <1.0 when turbidity levels reached >170 mg l-1, while Platygyra was most tolerant (P/R > 1.0). Fluorescence yield data suggest that the rapid photo-acclimation ability of Platygyra enabled it to maintain a positive carbon budget during the experiments, illustrating species-specific responses to acute sediment stress events. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:55:18Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-11508 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T06:55:18Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Inter-Research |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-115082017-09-13T14:55:43Z The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals Browne, Nicola Precht, E. Last, K. Todd, P. Mesocosm experiments Singapore Coral photosynthesis Sedimentation Sediment resuspension Turbidity Many coral reef communities thriving in inshore coastal waters characterised by chronically high natural turbidity (>5 mg l-1) have adapted to low light (<200 µmol photons m-2 s-1) and high sedimentation rates (>10 mg cm-2 d-1). Yet, short (hours) acute sediment stress events driven by wind waves, dredging operations involving suction or screening, or shipping activities with vessel wake or propeller disturbance, can result in a rise in turbidity above the natural background level. Although these may not be lethal to corals given the time frame, there could be a considerable impact on photo-trophic energy production. A novel sediment delivery system was used to quantify the effects of 3 acute sediment resuspension stress events (turbidity = 100, 170, 240 mg l-1; sedimentation rates = 4, 9, 13 mg cm-2 h-1) on 3 inshore turbid water corals common in the Indo-Pacific (Merulina ampliata, Pachyseris speciosa and Platygyra sinensis). Coral photo-physiology response (respiration, net photosynthesis, and maximum quantum yield) was measured immediately after 2 h of exposure. The respiration rate increased (from 0.72-1.44 to 0.78-1.76 µmol O2 cm-2 h-1) as the severity of the acute sediment resuspension event increased, whereas the photosynthetic rate declined (from 0.25-0.41 to -0.19-0.25 µmol O2 cm-2 h-1). Merulina was the least tolerant to acute sediment resuspension, with a photosynthesis and respiration ratio (P/R ratio) of <1.0 when turbidity levels reached >170 mg l-1, while Platygyra was most tolerant (P/R > 1.0). Fluorescence yield data suggest that the rapid photo-acclimation ability of Platygyra enabled it to maintain a positive carbon budget during the experiments, illustrating species-specific responses to acute sediment stress events. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/11508 10.3354/meps10714 Inter-Research fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Mesocosm experiments Singapore Coral photosynthesis Sedimentation Sediment resuspension Turbidity Browne, Nicola Precht, E. Last, K. Todd, P. The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| title | The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| title_full | The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| title_fullStr | The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| title_full_unstemmed | The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| title_short | The photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| title_sort | photo-physiological costs associated with acute sediment stress events in three near-shore turbid water corals |
| topic | Mesocosm experiments Singapore Coral photosynthesis Sedimentation Sediment resuspension Turbidity |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/11508 |