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The Use of Lipids and Fatty Acids to Measure the Trophic Plasticity of the Coral Stylophora subseriata

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Lipids

Abstract

Following up on previous investigations on the stress resistance of corals, this study assessed the trophic plasticity of the coral Stylophora subseriata in the Spermonde Archipelago (Indonesia) along an eutrophication gradient. Trophic plasticity was assessed in terms of lipid content and fatty acid composition in the holobiont relative to its plankton (50–300 μm) food as well as the zooxanthellae density, lipid, FA and chlorophyll a content. A cross-transplantation experiment was carried out for 1.5 months in order to assess the trophic potential of corals. Corals, which live in the eutrophied nearshore area showed higher zooxanthellae and chlorophyll a values and higher amounts of the dinoflagellate biomarker FA 18:4n-3. Their lipid contents were maintained at similar to levels from specimens further away from the anthropogenic impact source going up to 14.9 ± 0.9 %. A similarity percentage analysis of the groups holobiont, zooxanthellae and plankton >55 μm found that differences between the FA composition of the holobiont and zooxanthellae symbionts were more distinct in the site closer to the shore, thus heterotrophic feeding became more important. Transplanted corals attained very similar zooxanthellae, chlorophyll a and lipid values at all sites as the specimens originating from those sites, which indicates a high potential for trophic plasticity in the case of a change in food sources, which makes this species competitive and resistant to eutrophication.

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Abbreviations

ARA:

Arachidonic acid

DHA:

Docosahexaenoic acid

DM:

Dry mass

EPA:

Eicosapentaenoic acid

FA:

Fatty acid(s)

PC:

Principal component

PCA:

Principal component analysis

PUFA:

Polyunsaturated fatty acid(s)

TFA:

Total fatty acid(s)

SFA:

Saturated fatty acid(s)

SIMPER:

Similarity percentage

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under a bilateral German–Indonesian project (SPICE). Further support was given by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). We want to thank the scientists, students, and technicians of the Center for Coral Reef Research (CCRR) at the Hasanuddin University for their great support in organization, field work and space acquisition at the university as well as at the Marine Station on the island Barang Lompo. Special thanks to Petra Wencke, Anna Schukat, Britta Grote, and Martin Greave for help and advice within the lipid analyses.

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  1. J. Seemann

    Present address: Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstr. 74-100, 12249, Berlin, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Fahrenheitstr. 6, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    J. Seemann & Y. Sawall

  2. Leibniz Institute for Marine Science, Düsternbrookerweg 20, 24105, Kiel, Germany

    Y. Sawall

  3. Universität Bremen, Leobener Str., NW2, 28334, Bremen, Germany

    H. Auel

  4. Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Am Alten Hafen 26, 27568, Bremerhaven, Germany

    C. Richter

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  1. J. Seemann
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  3. H. Auel
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  4. C. Richter
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Correspondence to J. Seemann.

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Seemann, J., Sawall, Y., Auel, H. et al. The Use of Lipids and Fatty Acids to Measure the Trophic Plasticity of the Coral Stylophora subseriata . Lipids 48, 275–286 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-012-3747-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-012-3747-1

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