Photosynthetica 2002, 40(3):423-429 | DOI: 10.1023/A:1022635327172

Patterns in Fluorescence over a Caribbean Reef Slope: the Coral Genus Madracis

M.J.A. Vermeij1, L. Delvoye1, G. Nieuwland2, R.P.M. Bak1
1 University of Amsterdam, IBED, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2 Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands

Patterns of fluorescence and colony tissue, colour were studied (field observations and epifluorescence microscopy) in six species of the coral genus Madracis over depth from 10 to 60 m at a reef slope in Curaçao. Two functions showed up: (1) Decrease in number of colourmorphs (n = 25) with depth suggests a photo-protective function where short wavelengths (e.g. UV) are transformed to long wavelengths, (2) Green fluorescence, observed in four species over their entire depth range, transforms radiation to wavelengths useful for photosynthesis. The observed patterns in fluorescence between species did not correspond to the current taxonomic classification. Our results do not support the usefulness of fluorescence as a taxonomic tool in corals.

Additional key words: Agaricia; chlorophyll; colourmorph; Montastraea; radiation wavelength; species differences; taxonomy

Published: September 1, 2002  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Vermeij, M.J.A., Delvoye, L., Nieuwland, G., & Bak, R.P.M. (2002). Patterns in Fluorescence over a Caribbean Reef Slope: the Coral Genus Madracis. Photosynthetica, 40(3), 423-429. doi: 10.1023/A:1022635327172
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Bak, R.P.M.: Coral reefs and their zonation in the Netherlands Antilles.-Stud. geol. 4: 3-16, 1977. Go to original source...
    2. Boelen, P., Obernosterer, I., Vink, A.A., Buma, A.G.J.: Attenuation of biologically effective UV radiation in tropical Atlantic waters measured with a biochemical DNA dosimeter.-Photochem. Photobiol. 69: 34-40, 1999. Go to original source...
    3. Calkins, J., Thordardottir, T.: The ecological significance of solar UV radiation on aquatic organisms.-Nature 283: 563-566, 1980. Go to original source...
    4. Catala-Stucki, R.: Fluorescence effects from corals irradiated with ultra-violet rays.-Nature 183: 949, 1959. Go to original source...
    5. Deheyn, D., Jangoux, M.: Colour varieties as sibling species in the polychromatic ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata): Evidence from inheritance of body color and luminescence characters.-J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 234: 219-234, 1999. Go to original source...
    6. Delvoye, L.: The histological basis of tissue fluorescence in the hermatypic coral Agaricia agaricites (Linnaeus, 1758).-Proceedings 6th International Conference on Coelenterate Biology. Pp. 143-150. Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden 1995.
    7. Diekmann, O.E., Bak, R.P.M., Stam, W.T., Olsen, J.L.: Molecular genetic evidence for reticulate speciation in the coral genus Madracis from a Caribbean fringing reef slope.-Mar. Biol. 139: 221-233, 2001. Go to original source...
    8. Dove, S.G., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Ranganathan, S.: Major color patterns of reef-building corals are due a family of GFP-like proteins.-Coral Reefs 19: 197-204, 2001. Go to original source...
    9. Dring, M.J.: The Biology of Marine Plants.-Edward Arnold, London 1982.
    10. Fenner, D.P.: Species distinctions among several Caribbean stony corals.-Bull. mar. Sci. 53: 1099-1116, 1993.
    11. Gleason, D.F.: Sedimentation and distributions of green and brown morphs of the Caribbean coral Porites astreoides Lamarck.-J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 230: 73-89, 1998. Go to original source...
    12. Haylor, G.S., Thorpe, J.P., Carter, M.A.: Genetic and ecological differentiation between color morphs of the common intertidal sea anemone Actinia equina.-Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 16: 281-289, 1984. Go to original source...
    13. Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Jones, R.J.: Photoinhibition and photoprotection in symbiotic dinoflagellates from reef-building corals.-Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 183: 73-86, 1999. Go to original source...
    14. Jokiel, P.L., Lesser, M.P., Ondrusek, M.E.: UV-absorbing compounds in the coral Pocillopora damicornis: Interactive effects of UV radiation, photosynthetically active radiation, and water flow.-Limnol. Oceanogr. 42: 1468-1473, 1997. Go to original source...
    15. Jokiel, P.J., York, R.H., Jr.: Solar ultraviolet photobiology of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis and symbiotic zooxanthellae.-Bull. mar. Sci. 32: 301-315, 1982.
    16. Kawaguti, S.: On the physiology of corals. VI. Studies of the pigments.-Contrib. Paleo Trop. Biol. Stat. 2: 616-673, 1944.
    17. Kawaguti, S.: The effect of green fluorescent pigment on the productivity of the reef corals.-Micronesia 5: 313, 1969.
    18. Lang, J.C.: Whatever works: the variable importance of skeletal and of non-skeletal characters in sclerotinian taxonomy.-Paleont. Amer. 54: 18-44, 1984.
    19. Logan, A., Halcrow, K., Tomascik, T.: UV excitation-fluorescence in polyp tissue of certain scleractinian corals from Barbados and Bermuda.-Bull. mar. Sci. 46: 807-813, 1990.
    20. Manica, A., Carter, R.W.: Morphological and fluorescence analysis of the Montastrea annularis species complex in Florida.-Mar. Biol. 137: 889-906, 2000. Go to original source...
    21. Mazel, C.H.: Spectral measurements of fluorescence emission in Caribbean cnidarians.-Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 120: 185-191, 1995. Go to original source...
    22. Morin, J.G., Hastings, J.: Biochemistry of the bioluminescence of colonial hydroids and other coelenterates.-J. Cell Physiol. 77: 313-318, 1971. Go to original source...
    23. Nagelkerken, I., Bak, R.P.M.: Differential regeneration of artificial lesions among sympatric morphs of the Caribbean corals Porites astreoides and Stephanocoenia michelinii.-Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 163: 279-283, 1998. Go to original source...
    24. Philips, C.E.S.: Fluorescence of sea anemones.-Nature 119: 747, 1927. Go to original source...
    25. Richmond, R.H.: Energetics, competency, and long-distance dispersal of planula larvae of the coral Pocillopora damicornis.-Mar. Biol. 93: 527-533, 1987. Go to original source...
    26. Salih, A., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Cox, G.: Photoprotection of symbiotic dinoflagellates by fluorescent pigments in reef corals.-In: Greenwood, J.G., Hall, N.J. (ed.): Proc. Austr. Coral Reef Soc. 75th Anniversary Conference, Heron Island October 1997. Pp. 217-230. School of Marine Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane 1998.
    27. Schlichter, D.: Coral host improves photosynthesis of endosymbiontic algae.-Naturwissenschaften 77: 447-450, 1990. Go to original source...
    28. Schlichter, D., Fricke, H.W.: Mechanisms of amplification of photosynthetically active radiation in the symbiotic deep-water coral Leptoseris fragilis.-Hydrobiologia 216: 389-394, 1991. Go to original source...
    29. Schlichter, D., Fricke, H.W., Weber, W.: Light harvesting by wavelength transformation in a symbiotic coral of the Red Sea twilight zone.-Mar. Biol. 91: 403-407, 1986. Go to original source...
    30. Schlichter, D., Meier, U., Fricke, H.W.: Improvement of photosynthesis in zooxanthellate corals by autofluorescent chromatophores.-Oecologia 99: 124-131, 1994. Go to original source...
    31. Song, P.S., Koka, P., Prézelin, B.B., Haxo, F.T.: Molecular topology of the photosynthetic light-harvesting pigment complex, peridinin-chlorophyll a-protein, from marine dinoflagellates.-Biochemistry 15: 4422-4427, 1976. Go to original source...
    32. Takabayashi, M., Hoegh-Guldberg, O.: Ecological and physiological differences between two color morphs of the coral Pocillopora damicornis.-Mar. Biol. 123: 705-714, 1995. Go to original source...
    33. Titlyanov, E.A., Shaposhnikova, M.G., Zvalinskiï, V.I.: Photosynthesis and adaptation of corals to irradiance: I. Contents and native states of photosynthetic pigments in symbiotic microalga.-Photosynthetica 14: 413-421, 1980.
    34. Titlyanov, E.A., Titlyanova, T.V., Loya, Y., Yamazato, K.: Degradation and proliferation of zooxanthellae in planulae of the hermatypic coral Stylophora pistillata.-Mar. Biol. 130: 471-477, 1998. Go to original source...
    35. Vermeij, M.J.A., Bak, R.P.M.: How are coral populations structured by light? Marine light regimes and the distribution of Madracis.-Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 233: 105-116, 2002a. Go to original source...
    36. Vermeij, M.J.A., Bak, R.P.M.: Species-specific population structure of closely related coral morphospecies along a depth gradient (5-60 m) over a Caribbean reef slope.-Bull. mar. Sci., in press, 2002b.
    37. Veron, J.E.N.: Corals in Space and Time.-Cornell University Press, 1995.
    38. Veron, J.E.N.: Corals of the World.-Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 2000.
    39. Wells, J.W.: New and old corals from Jamaica.-Bull. mar. Sci. 23: 16-55, 1973a.
    40. Wells, J.W.: Two new hermatypic corals from the West Indies.-Bull. mar. Sci. 23: 925-932, 1973b.

    Return to the content