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Modification of light utilization for skeletal growth by water flow in the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis

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Abstract

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the importance of water flow for skeletal growth (rate) becomes higher with increasing irradiance levels (i.e. a synergistic effect) and that such effect is mediated by a water flow modulated effect on net photosynthesis. Four series of nine nubbins of G. fascicularis were grown at either high (600 μE m−2 s−1) or intermediate (300 μE m−2 s−1) irradiance in combination with either high (15–25 cm s−1) or low (5–10 cm s−1) flow. Growth was measured as buoyant weight and surface area. Photosynthetic rates were measured at each coral’s specific experimental irradiance and flow speed. Additionally, the instantaneous effect of water flow on net photosynthetic rate was determined in short-term incubations in a respirometric flowcell. A significant interaction was found between irradiance and water flow for the increase in buoyant weight, the increase in surface area, and specific skeletal growth rate, indicating that flow velocity becomes more important for coral growth with increasing irradiance levels. Enhancement of coral growth with increasing water flow can be explained by increased net photosynthetic rates. Additionally, the need for costly photo-protective mechanisms at low flow regimes could explain the differences in growth with flow.

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Acknowledgments

This research is part of the European CORALZOO project that aims at improving coral husbandry techniques for sustainable coral breeding in zoo’s and public aquaria. In this project, scientists and aquarists collaborate to provide a scientific basis for coral husbandry techniques. The experiment described in this paper was aimed to determine the effect of interaction between light and water flow on growth of scleractinian corals. This work was funded by the European Commission (Project CORALZOO-012547). We thank Eric Karruppannan, Evert Janssen and VINK kunststoffen B.V. for helping us with the design and construction of the respirometric flowcell. Additionally, we like to thank Imke Crucq for performing the additional measurements to determine the instantaneous effect of water flow on net photosynthetic rate. All procedures described herein comply with current laws of the Netherlands. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aquaculture and Fisheries, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Miriam Schutter, Johan Verreth & Ronald Osinga

  2. Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Miriam Schutter & René H. Wijffels

  3. Experimental Zoology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Sander Kranenbarg

Authors
  1. Miriam Schutter
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  2. Sander Kranenbarg
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  3. René H. Wijffels
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  4. Johan Verreth
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  5. Ronald Osinga
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Correspondence to Ronald Osinga.

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Communicated by R. H. Richmond.

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Schutter, M., Kranenbarg, S., Wijffels, R.H. et al. Modification of light utilization for skeletal growth by water flow in the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis . Mar Biol 158, 769–777 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1605-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1605-3

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