Article
Changes in Pigmentation Associated with the Bleaching of Stony Corals
Limnology and Oceanography
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1989
Keywords
- Coral reefs
Abstract
Bleaching (loss of pigmentation) is a common response by corals to environmental stress. Changes in pigmentation and the processes that caused them were studied in Montastrea annularis during a natural bleaching event off southeast Florida. Chlorophyll c, peridinin, and diadinoxanthin levels were 35, 17, and 20 times higher in normal corals than in bleached ones. Two processes, loss of zooxanthellae from the coral and loss of pigments from the remaining zooxanthellae, contributed to bleaching. Loss of zooxanthellar pigment accounted for 72% of the decrease in Chl c. The two processes contributed about equally to reduced carotenoid levels.
DOI
10.4319/lo.1989.34.7.1331
Additional Comments
NOAA grant #: NA86AA-D-SG068; NSF grant #s: OCE87-45282, OCE87-11852
Disciplines
Citation Information
Kleppel, G. S., R. E. Dodge, and C. J. Reese. 1989. "CHANGES IN PIGMENTATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE BLEACHING OF STONY CORALS." Limnology and Oceanography no. 34 (7):1331-1335.
©1989, by the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc.