No apparent trade-offs associated with heat tolerance in a reef-building coral.

Lachs, L; Humanes, A; Pygas, DR; Bythell, JC; Mumby, PJ; Ferrari, R; Figueira, WF; Beauchamp, E; East, HK; Edwards, AJ; Golbuu, Y; Martinez, HM; Sommer, B; van der Steeg, E; Guest, JR

No apparent trade-offs associated with heat tolerance in a reef-building coral.

Lachs, L Humanes, A Pygas, DR Bythell, JC Mumby, PJ Ferrari, R Figueira, WF Beauchamp, E East, HK Edwards, AJ Golbuu, Y Martinez, HM Sommer, B

van der Steeg, E Guest, JR

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Publisher:: NATURE PORTFOLIO
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Commun Biol, 2023, 6, (1), pp. 400
Issue Date:: 2023-04-12

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Lachs, L
dc.contributor.author	Humanes, A
dc.contributor.author	Pygas, DR
dc.contributor.author	Bythell, JC
dc.contributor.author	Mumby, PJ
dc.contributor.author	Ferrari, R
dc.contributor.author	Figueira, WF
dc.contributor.author	Beauchamp, E
dc.contributor.author	East, HK
dc.contributor.author	Edwards, AJ
dc.contributor.author	Golbuu, Y
dc.contributor.author	Martinez, HM
dc.contributor.author	Sommer, B https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0617-7790
dc.contributor.author	van der Steeg, E
dc.contributor.author	Guest, JR
dc.date.accessioned	2024-03-15T03:25:13Z
dc.date.available	2023-03-24
dc.date.available	2024-03-15T03:25:13Z
dc.date.issued	2023-04-12
dc.identifier.citation	Commun Biol, 2023, 6, (1), pp. 400
dc.identifier.issn	2399-3642
dc.identifier.issn	2399-3642
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176766
dc.description.abstract	As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will likely be under strong selection. Yet trade-offs between heat tolerance and other life history traits could compromise natural adaptation or assisted evolution. This is particularly important for ecosystem engineers, such as reef-building corals, which support biodiversity yet are vulnerable to heatwave-induced mass bleaching and mortality. Here, we exposed 70 colonies of the reef-building coral Acropora digitifera to a long-term marine heatwave emulation experiment. We tested for trade-offs between heat tolerance and three traits measured from the colonies in situ - colony growth, fecundity, and symbiont community composition. Despite observing remarkable within-population variability in heat tolerance, all colonies were dominated by Cladocopium C40 symbionts. We found no evidence for trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Contrary to expectations, positive associations emerged with growth, such that faster-growing colonies tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Collectively, our results suggest that these corals exist on an energetic continuum where some high-performing individuals excel across multiple traits. Within populations, trade-offs between heat tolerance and growth or fecundity may not be major barriers to natural adaptation or the success of assisted evolution interventions.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	NATURE PORTFOLIO
dc.relation.ispartof	Commun Biol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1038/s42003-023-04758-6
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.subject.classification	32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Thermotolerance
dc.subject.mesh	Coral Reefs
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Heat-Shock Response
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Heat-Shock Response
dc.subject.mesh	Coral Reefs
dc.subject.mesh	Thermotolerance
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Thermotolerance
dc.subject.mesh	Coral Reefs
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Heat-Shock Response
dc.title	No apparent trade-offs associated with heat tolerance in a reef-building coral.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	6
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-03-15T03:25:12Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	6
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will likely be under strong selection. Yet trade-offs between heat tolerance and other life history traits could compromise natural adaptation or assisted evolution. This is particularly important for ecosystem engineers, such as reef-building corals, which support biodiversity yet are vulnerable to heatwave-induced mass bleaching and mortality. Here, we exposed 70 colonies of the reef-building coral Acropora digitifera to a long-term marine heatwave emulation experiment. We tested for trade-offs between heat tolerance and three traits measured from the colonies in situ - colony growth, fecundity, and symbiont community composition. Despite observing remarkable within-population variability in heat tolerance, all colonies were dominated by Cladocopium C40 symbionts. We found no evidence for trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Contrary to expectations, positive associations emerged with growth, such that faster-growing colonies tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Collectively, our results suggest that these corals exist on an energetic continuum where some high-performing individuals excel across multiple traits. Within populations, trade-offs between heat tolerance and growth or fecundity may not be major barriers to natural adaptation or the success of assisted evolution interventions.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176766