Adaptation of reef corals to life in acidified water

Capacity of physiological modifications of the chemistry of the coral calcifying fluid that contains the molecules necessary for the formation of the skeleton is an adaptation of hexacorals to life in acidified seawater. In the published paper, the calcification patterns of Porites and Diploastrea, two reef-building scleractinian coral genera common in the Pacific Ocean, are shown to differ: Porites corals increase the aragonite saturation state of the calcifying fluid at higher temperatures, whereas Diploastrea shows a steady saturation state across the temperature gradient. This physiological difference will likely influence future survival of these corals under ongoing climate change.

Figure: Biological mediation of the carbonate chemistry of the coral calcifying fluid in two reef-building scleractinian coral genera Porites and Diploastrea.