Responses of massive and branching coral species to the combined effects of water temperature and nitrate enrichment

Abstract The branching coral species Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus) and the massive coral species Porites lobata Dana were exposed for 30 days to different temperatures and nitrate concentrations to study the response of the coral–zooxanthella symbiosis. Results suggest that the effect of nitrate enrichment on the polyp–zooxanthella symbiosis varies according to the coral morphology. After the experimental period only 30% of P. damicornis colonies remained healthy, in contrast to 90% of P. lobata . The branching P. damicornis was significantly affected by the addition of nitrate, whereas P. lobata was significantly influenced by water temperature. The two species showed enhanced zooxanthella volume, and chlorophyll contents per cell under high nitrate concentrations. The reduced zooxanthellae density in both species indicated a detrimental influence of the interaction of high nitrate and high temperature. Tissue soluble proteins in P. lobata were significantly reduced by elevated temperature. Results showed that tissue soluble proteins and chlorophylls in P. lobata were from two- to three-fold higher than in P. damicornis . The number of zooxanthellae in P. lobata was double that of P. damicornis . Therefore, we suggest that the slow-growing species P. lobata is better able to cope with changing environmental conditions than the fast-growing coral P. damicornis.