Ultraviolet radiation prevents bleaching in the Mediterranean coral Oculina patagonica
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Published source details
Fine M., Banin E., Israely T., Rosenberg E. & Loya Y. (2002) Ultraviolet radiation prevents bleaching in the Mediterranean coral Oculina patagonica. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 226, 249-254.
Published source details Fine M., Banin E., Israely T., Rosenberg E. & Loya Y. (2002) Ultraviolet radiation prevents bleaching in the Mediterranean coral Oculina patagonica. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 226, 249-254.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery Action Link |
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Transplant wild grown coral onto natural substrate Action Link |
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Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery
A replicated, controlled study in 2000 at a laboratory near Sdot-Yam, Israel (Fine et al. 2002) found that stony coral Oculina patagonica fragments exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) did not show signs of bleaching, and levels of the bacteria Vibrio shiloi, known to cause bleaching, were undetectable compared to fragments shielded from UVR. After 25 days, none of the 20 fragments infected with Vibrio shiloi and exposed to direct sunlight with UVR showed any signs of bleaching. All 20 fragments infected and then exposed to direct sunlight but shielded from UVR showed total bleaching (100% loss of pigmentation) after 10 days. After 8 hours the number of V. shiloi detected in infected fragments exposed to UVR decreased by 97% and was no longer detectable after 10 hours. The number of V. shiloi in infected fragments shielded from UVR increased from 42,000 to 25 million/cm2 after six hours and remained constant for seven days. Ten uninfected control fragments did not show any sign of bleaching whether they were exposed to or shielded from UVR. Forty stony coral Oculina patagonica fragments were each infected with the bacteria Vibrio shiloi (42,000/cm2). Twenty fragments were placed in a tank and exposed to direct sunlight, the other 20 were exposed to direct sunlight but were shielded from UVR by a 5 mm Plexiglass cover that blocks 100% UVR but allows 95% visible light through. Ten control fragments not infected with V. shiloi were placed in direct sunlight (five with and five without UVR shielding).
(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)
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Transplant wild grown coral onto natural substrate
A replicated study in 2000 at a coral reef near Sdot-Yam, Israel (Fine et al. 2002) found that exposing stony coral Oculina patagonica fragments to higher levels of ultraviolet radiation by transplanting to shallower depths led to a reduction in bleaching and Vibrio shiloi bacteria that cause bleaching compared to fragments transplanted deeper. Three months after transplanting, no bleaching was recorded on the fragments that remained at 0.8 m deep or fragments transplanted from 4 m deep to 0.8 m. Bleaching (approx. 5% of each colony) was recorded on 8% of intact colonies growing at 0.8 m. By contrast, >90% of fragments remaining at 4 m and intact colonies, and 100% of fragments transplanted from 0.8 m to 4 m showed bleaching (32–35% of surface area bleached). Vibrio shiloi was not detected in eight non-bleached fragments transplanted from 4 m to 0.8 m but was detected in the eight bleached fragments transplanted from 0.8 m to 4 m. In May 2000, two fragments (7 cm3) were taken from each of 24 Oculina patagonica colonies at 0.8 m and 4 m deep. Twenty-four fragments were each glued to the substrate at their original depth, the other 24 were swapped so fragments from 0.8 m were transplanted to 4 m and vice versa. Bleaching was monitored monthly for seven months. In August 2000, eight transplanted fragments from each depth were collected and examined for the presence of Vibrio shiloi.
(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)
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