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Acroporids in northwestern Philippines with varied thermotolerance host similar photosymbionts
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DOI：10.1007/s00338-026-02923-x.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Coral reefs worldwide are threatened by rapid warming of the oceans, yet many corals persist despite thermal stress. Reefs in northwestern Philippines are frequently exposed to elevated temperatures (maximum monthly mean sea surface temperature of 29–30 °C, based on long-term records), presenting an opportunity to examine intercolony variation in thermotolerance among coral populations exposed to thermal stress. Whether this variation correlates with the identity of Symbiodiniaceae, the coral’s microalgal symbiotic partner, remains an important question for understanding the mechanisms underlying coral thermal resilience. In this study, we assessed the thermotolerance of individual colonies of three Acropora species, A. digitifera, A. millepora, and A. cf. tenuis, from a reef in Anda, Pangasinan, Philippines, using controlled heat-stress assays to evaluate survival and bleaching response. Thermotolerance varied within and among species, yet ITS2 metabarcoding of Symbiodiniaceae communities revealed that the corals host four closely related strains of Cladocopium patulum (formerly referred to as “type C3u”). Inter- and intraspecific differences in thermotolerance did not show strong correlation with symbiont composition. These findings suggest that while Symbiodiniaceae communities may contribute to heat resilience in corals, they do not solely explain the marked difference in thermotolerance among individuals.
Keywords:
Acropora digitifera
Acropora millepora
Acropora cf. tenuis
Heat tolerance
ITS2 metabarcoding
Bolinao-Anda Reef Complex (BARC)
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