Montastraea cavernosa corallite structure demonstrates distinct morphotypes across shallow and mesophotic depth zones in the Gulf of Mexico

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 26;14(3):e0203732. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203732. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

This study assessed morphological variation of the depth-generalist coral Montastraea cavernosa across shallow and mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) using thirteen corallite metrics. While corallite structure differed significantly across sites, we observed that mean corallite diameters were smaller and spacing was greater in mesophotic corals as compared to shallow corals. Additional corallite variation, including greater mean corallite height of mesophotic samples, are hypothesized to be photoadaptive responses to low light environments. Multivariate analyses also revealed two distinct morphotypes identified by significant variation in corallite spacing with >90% accuracy. A 'shallow' morphotype was characterized by larger, more closely-spaced corallites, while a 'depth-generalist' type exhibited smaller, further-spaced corallites. Variable presence of morphotypes within some sites suggests genotypic influence on corallite morphology as there was a slight, but significant, impact of morphotype on genetic structure within shallow zones in the Flower Garden Banks. Patterns of increased algal symbiont (Symbiodiniaceae) density and chlorophyll concentration were retained in the depth-generalist morphotype even in shallow zones, identifying multiple photoadaptive strategies between morphotypes. The results of this study suggest that morphological variation among M. cavernosa represents a combination of genotypic variation and phenotypic plasticity rather than responses to environmental stimuli alone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthozoa / anatomy & histology*
  • Anthozoa / classification
  • Anthozoa / physiology*
  • Dinoflagellida / physiology*
  • Ecosystem*
  • Symbiosis*

Grants and funding

This research was funded to JDV by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (http://explore.noaa.gov) under awards NA09OAR4320073 and NA14OAR4320260 to the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research and Technology (CIOERT) at Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) and to JDV by the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (https://coastalscience.noaa.gov) under award NA11NOS4780045 to the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) at the University of Miami. Additional funding was provided to JDV by the Banbury Foundation through the Robertson Coral Reef Research and Conservation Program (http://www.fau.edu/hboi/meh/crrobertson.php) at HBOI, and to MSS by graduate student fellowships/grants from Florida Atlantic University (http://www.fau.edu/graduate/current-students/fellowships-and-awards.php). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.