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Rates of apical septal extension of Desmophyllum dianthus: effect of association with endolithic photo-autotrophs

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Abstract

It has been hypothesized that endolithic photo-autotrophs inside the skeleton of cold-water corals may have a mutualistic relationship with the coral host positively affecting coral calcification. This study investigated the effect of endolithic photo-autotrophs on the apical septal extension of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus at Fjord Comau, southern Chile (42.41°–42.15°S, 72.5°W). The fluorescent staining agent calcein was used to document the linear apical extension of septae for a period of one and a half years between 2006 and 2007. The results showed a severe reduction in extension rates associated with the presence of endolithic photo-autotrophs. Infested individuals grew about half as fast as non-infested polyps with a median value of 1.18 μm day−1 compared to 2.76 μm day−1. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, these results point toward a parasitic relationship between D. dianthus and its endolithic photo-autotrophs potentially impairing coral fitness. However, further data on physiological parameters and other aspects of the calcification process are necessary to confirm these findings.

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Claudio Richter, Kerstin Beyer, Marlene Wall, Lars Beierlein, Johannes Freitag, Sebastian Baumgarten and Tristan Chipchase for supporting CH in her research and the staff of the Huinay Scientific field station for helping to complete the field work for this study (Liz Atwood, David Thompson, Russell Smart, Michelle Marcotte, Josh Biro). PhW was supported by a travel grant from the Fonds Léopold III pour l’Exploration et la Conservation de la Nature. This is publication nr. 82 of Huinay Scientific Field Station.

Ethical statement

To conduct the experiments for this study, the permission to collect samples and the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) permission were obtained in compliance with the laws in Chile where the study was conducted.

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  1. Christiane Hassenrück

    Present address: Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstarße 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Marine Science, Am Alten Hafen 26, 27568, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Christiane Hassenrück & Carin Jantzen

  2. Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avda. Brasil 2950, Valparaíso, Chile

    Günter Försterra & Verena Häussermann

  3. Department of Invertebrates, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (IRSNB/KBIN), Rue Vautier, 29, 1000, Brussels, Belgium

    Philippe Willenz

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  1. Christiane Hassenrück
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  4. Verena Häussermann
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Correspondence to Christiane Hassenrück.

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Communicated by M. Kühl.

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Hassenrück, C., Jantzen, C., Försterra, G. et al. Rates of apical septal extension of Desmophyllum dianthus: effect of association with endolithic photo-autotrophs. Mar Biol 160, 2919–2927 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2281-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-013-2281-x

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