Chlorophyll-like compounds as novel biomarkers of stress in corals
2006; Inter-Research; Volume: 325; Linguagem: Inglês
10.3354/meps325137
ISSN1616-1599
AutoresK. E. McDougall, Stuart W. Gibb, Kenneth G. Boyd, BE Brown,
Tópico(s)Marine Sponges and Natural Products
ResumoMEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 325:137-144 (2006) - doi:10.3354/meps325137 Chlorophyll-like compounds as novel biomarkers of stress in corals K. E. McDougall1,*, S. W. Gibb1, K. G. Boyd1, B. E. Brown1,2 1Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College, UHI Millennium Institute, Castle Street, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7JD, UK 2School of Biology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK *Email: kathleen.mcdougall@thurso.uhi.ac.uk ABSTRACT: The appearance of bleached or pale-coloured corals at numerous locations around the world over the last 3 decades has been linked to various environmental stressors. However, the role and fate of zooxanthellar pigments in response to such stress has received little attention. We provide new insights into the adaptive response of coral zooxanthellae to environmental stress, based upon the analysis of chlorophyll pigments using high performance liquid chromatography. Manipulative field experiments were used to monitor induction and recovery of the reef coral Goniastrea aspera from photo-damage. Over a 6 d period the production of up to 6 compounds with very similar light absorbance spectra to chlorophyll a (chl a) was observed. Higher concentrations of a sub-set of these products were observed in response to elevated solar radiation levels. The fact that the same chl a-like compounds were consistently observed under the same experimental conditions means that they may have significant potential as biomarkers of stress in corals and may also provide a means of fingerprinting environmental stress in corals. KEY WORDS: Coral bleaching · Stress biomarkers · Symbiotic algae · Chlorophyll a · HPLC Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 325. Online publication date: November 07, 2006 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2006 Inter-Research.
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