Raw data and R code for Tait et al. 2022
Seasonal changes in scleractinian coral physiology using the high latitude Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, as a case study Hugo Tait, Jessica Bellworthy, Maoz Fine, Michael Steinke
Abstract
Physiological status is commonly used to draw conclusions on coral health. Yet coralCoral physiological traits are strongly entrained influenced by environmental conditions on various temporal scales, particularly on high latitudesub-tropical reefs due to strong seasonality. Therefore, kKnowledge of the typical variability in key physiological traits is a prerequisite to interpreting experimental data and surveys of coral health following natural disturbances. events in nature. However, sSuch baseline data are often scarce absent and are region and species specific. Here, we present seasonal photosynthetic performance and physiology data from three dominant reef-building coral species in the Gulf of Aqaba (29N). A significantly lower maximum quantum yield was found in the summer versus winter for Pocillopora verrucosa (mean ± SD, summer: 0.52 ± 0.09, winter: 0.62 ± 0.04) and Stylophora pistillata (summer: 0.51 ± 0.10, winter: 0.62 ± 0.03). Saturation irradiance was significantly lower in winter compared to summer for P. verrucosa (summer: 249 ± 92, winter: 136 ± 32 µmol m-2 s-1) and Acropora sp.spp. (summer: 220 ± 60, winter: 132 ± 25 µmol m-2 s-1). Maximum electron transport rate for Acropora sp.spp. was significantly different between seasons had lower maximum electron transport rate in winter (summer 72 ± 11 µmol m-2 s-1, winter: 59 ± 12 µmol m-2 s-1). While seasonal differences in protein concentration were not observed, coral carbohydrate concentration was significantly higher in summer (179 ± 77 µg cm-2) compared to winter (109 ± 70 µg cm-2) for all species. Chlorophyll concentration was 82% higher in winter versus summer phenotypes offor S. pistillata but symbiont density did not vary seasonally for any species. These data describe the present physiological status of three regionally dominant species at bi-monthly resolution, serving as a reference for experimental studies and monitoring.