Exploring manganese supplementation as a way of increasing coral thermal tolerance

England, Hadley F.

Exploring manganese supplementation as a way of increasing coral thermal tolerance

England, Hadley F.

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2026

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	England, Hadley F.
dc.date.accessioned	2026-10-18T23:55:05Z
dc.date.available	2026-10-18T23:55:05Z
dc.date.issued	2026
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/197234
dc.description	University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Science.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.description.abstract	Manganese (Mn) is a critical trace element for all life on Earth, particularly for photosynthetic holobionts such as corals where it plays an essential role in the maintenance of symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae under thermal stress. Corals rely on their relationship with Symbiodiniaceae, exchanging nutrients with them to survive and thrive in oligotrophic waters, where they form large coral reef ecosystems. However, the world’s oceans continue to warm due to climate change, and consequently, coral reefs are set to become one of the first functionally extinct ecosystems, placing over 1 billion people at risk of displacement, unemployment and starvation. While traditional conservation strategies such as marine protected areas and coral out planting are playing a vital role in their protection and restoration, they are unlikely to safeguard reefs under the projected climate regimes. As a result, there is growing investment in active intervention strategies that enhance the resilience of corals to thermal stress. One strategy that is being explored involves the use of targeted elemental and nutrient supplementation during periods of thermal stress as a way to enhance coral resilience. However, our understanding of the fundamental role of key trace metals like Mn on coral physiology remains poorly resolved, hindering our understanding of the suitability of such interventions. Consequently, this thesis focuses on advancing knowledge of the essential role of dissolved Mn in Cnidarian-algal symbiosis, exploring the physiological impact non-toxic Mn supplementation has on Cnidarians during periods of thermal stress and developing new phenotyping methods. The knowledge obtained from this thesis looks to advance our understanding on the suitability of Mn supplementation as an active intervention during periods of increased thermal stress.	en_US.UTF-8
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US.UTF-8
dc.relation	https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/197234/1/thesis.pdf
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	© 2026 Hadley F. England
dc.rights	au.edu.uts.lib/cph
dc.title	Exploring manganese supplementation as a way of increasing coral thermal tolerance	en_US.UTF-8
dc.type	Thesis
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*

Abstract:

Manganese (Mn) is a critical trace element for all life on Earth, particularly for photosynthetic holobionts such as corals where it plays an essential role in the maintenance of symbiosis with Symbiodiniaceae under thermal stress. Corals rely on their relationship with Symbiodiniaceae, exchanging nutrients with them to survive and thrive in oligotrophic waters, where they form large coral reef ecosystems. However, the world’s oceans continue to warm due to climate change, and consequently, coral reefs are set to become one of the first functionally extinct ecosystems, placing over 1 billion people at risk of displacement, unemployment and starvation. While traditional conservation strategies such as marine protected areas and coral out planting are playing a vital role in their protection and restoration, they are unlikely to safeguard reefs under the projected climate regimes. As a result, there is growing investment in active intervention strategies that enhance the resilience of corals to thermal stress. One strategy that is being explored involves the use of targeted elemental and nutrient supplementation during periods of thermal stress as a way to enhance coral resilience. However, our understanding of the fundamental role of key trace metals like Mn on coral physiology remains poorly resolved, hindering our understanding of the suitability of such interventions. Consequently, this thesis focuses on advancing knowledge of the essential role of dissolved Mn in Cnidarian-algal symbiosis, exploring the physiological impact non-toxic Mn supplementation has on Cnidarians during periods of thermal stress and developing new phenotyping methods. The knowledge obtained from this thesis looks to advance our understanding on the suitability of Mn supplementation as an active intervention during periods of increased thermal stress.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/197234