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High abundances of zooxanthellate zoantharians (Palythoa and Zoanthus) at multiple natural analogues: potential model anthozoans?

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Abstract

Whilst natural analogues for future ocean conditions such as CO2 seeps and enclosed lagoons in coral reef regions have received much recent research attention, most efforts in such locations have focused on the effects of prolonged high CO2 levels on scleractinian corals and fishes. Here, we demonstrate that the three species of zooxanthellate zoantharians, hexacorallian non-calcifying “cousins” of scleractinians, are common across five coral reef natural analogue sites with high CO2 levels in the western Pacific Ocean, in Japan (n = 2), Palau, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia (n = 1 each). These current observations support previously reported cases of high Palythoa and Zoanthus abundance and dominance on various impacted coral reefs worldwide. The results demonstrate the need for more research on the ecological roles of zooxanthellate zoantharians in coral reef systems, as well as examining other “understudied” taxa that may become increasingly important in the near future under climate change scenarios. Given their abundance in these sites combined with ease in sampling and non-CITES status, some zoantharian species should make excellent hexacoral models for examining potential resilience or resistance mechanisms of anthozoans to future high pCO2 conditions.

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Acknowledgements

This project contributes towards the International CO2 Natural Analogues (ICONA) Network. JDR, BPH, SA, SW, EK, and TR were partially funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Core-to-Core Program (Grant Number: JPJSCCA20210006). Sampling in Bouraké was granted by ICONA. At Bouraké, we are indebted to M. Dumas and J. Giraud for their help during fieldwork operations, and to Greg and Esmeralda Peccard for their amazing support. Sampling at Ambitle CO2 seep in PNG was financed by the French National Research Agency (ANR; project CARIOCA grant agreement no. ANR15CE02-0006-01, 2015), by the French grant scheme Fonds Pacifique (project AMBITLE grant agreement no. 1598, 2016), and by the Flotte Océanographique Française for using the research vessel Alis. For Shikinejima, we thank the technical staff at Shimoda Marine Research Center and aboard RV Tsukuba II, University of Tsukuba, for their assistance and the fisheries agencies of Nijima/Shikine Island (Tokyo Prefecture) for their support. JDR’s work in Palau was supported by the JST/JICA P-CoRIE project. The staffs of Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) are thanked for logistic support. Work at Iwotorishima was supported by an OIST KICKS grant entitled “Japanese volcanic CO2 vents—natural laboratories to study the behaviour and adaptation of marine organisms to acidifying oceans” to TR, HK, and JDR. We thank the captain and crew of the Yosemiya III, and cruise member Y. Ide (Oceanic Planning Corp.) for their support and advice at Iwotorishima. H. Takamiyagi (OIST) provided support at Iwotorishima and in New Caledonia. Two anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology (MISE) Lab, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    James Davis Reimer & Emmeline A. Jamodiong

  2. Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    James Davis Reimer

  3. Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, 415-0025, Japan

    Sylvain Agostini, Ben P. Harvey & Shigeki Wada

  4. Palau International Coral Reef Center, M Dock, Koror, Palau

    Yimnang Golbuu

  5. Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-Son, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan

    Michael Izumiyama, Erina Kawai & Timothy Ravasi

  6. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Hajime Kayanne

  7. Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    Haruko Kurihara

  8. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

    Timothy Ravasi

  9. ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia

    Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa

  10. labex ICONA International CO2 Natural Analogue Network, Shimoda, Japan

    James Davis Reimer, Sylvain Agostini, Ben P. Harvey, Michael Izumiyama, Erina Kawai, Hajime Kayanne, Haruko Kurihara, Timothy Ravasi, Shigeki Wada & Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa

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  1. James Davis Reimer
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  2. Sylvain Agostini
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Reimer, J.D., Agostini, S., Golbuu, Y. et al. High abundances of zooxanthellate zoantharians (Palythoa and Zoanthus) at multiple natural analogues: potential model anthozoans?. Coral Reefs 42, 707–715 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-023-02381-9

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