Pushing the limits: expanding the temperature tolerance of a coral photosymbiont through differing selection regimes

Hugo J. Scharfenstein*, Lesa M. Peplow, Carlos Alvarez-Roa, Matthew R. Nitschke, Wing Yan Chan, Patrick Buerger, Madeleine J. H. van Oppen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

• Coral thermal bleaching resilience can be improved by enhancing photosymbiont thermal tolerance via experimental evolution. While successful for some strains, selection under stable temperatures was ineffective at increasing the thermal threshold of an already thermo-tolerant photosymbiont (Durusdinium trenchii). Corals from environments with fluctuating temperatures tend to have comparatively high heat tolerance. Therefore, we investigated whether exposure to temperature oscillations can raise the upper thermal limit of D. trenchii

• We exposed a D. trenchii strain to stable and fluctuating temperature profiles, which varied in oscillation frequency. After 2.1 yr (54–73 generations), we characterised the adaptive responses under the various experimental evolution treatments by constructing thermal performance curves of growth from 21 to 31°C for the heat-evolved and wild-type lineages. Additionally, the accumulation of extracellular reactive oxygen species, photophysiology, photosynthesis and respiration rates were assessed under increasing temperatures. 

• Of the fluctuating temperature profiles investigated, selection under the most frequent oscillations (diurnal) induced the greatest widening of D. trenchii's thermal niche. Continuous selection under elevated temperatures induced the only increase in thermal optimum and a degree of generalism. 

• Our findings demonstrate how differing levels of thermal homogeneity during selection drive unique adaptive responses to heat in a coral photosymbiont.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2130-2145
Number of pages16
JournalNew Phytologist
Volume243
Issue number6
Early online date24 Jul 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2024

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

  • adaptation
  • assisted evolution
  • corals
  • experimental evolution
  • marine microalgae
  • Symbiodiniaceae
  • thermal selection
  • thermal tolerance

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