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Anthropogenic pollution is driving an increase in the frequency and severity of seawater hypoxic events in coastal marine ecosystems. Although hypoxia decreases physiological performance in coral and sea anemone (phylum Cnidaria) larvae, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unexplored. Here, larvae of the reef-building corals Galaxea fascicularis and Porites astreoides and the estuarine sea anemone Nematostella vectensis were exposed to normoxia or a simulated hypoxic event (6 h at <2 mg dissolved O2 l−1), and their metabolomic response was quantified at the end of the exposure period using targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Baseline metabolite profiles (81 amino acids, acylcarnitines, organic acids and nucleotides) were broadly divergent between the three species, with the corals displaying a reliance on nitrogen cycling through amino acid metabolism, whereas N. vectensis relied on nucleotide metabolism. By contrast, several changes in metabolite abundances under hypoxia were shared (e.g. increases in lactate) and suggest the upregulation of glycolysis, lactic acid fermentation and fatty acid β-oxidation as conserved mechanisms for energy production under hypoxia. Changes in these pathways were correlated with adverse physiological outcomes, including conserved declines in swimming behavior and growth. Importantly, life history traits affecting metabolism influenced hypoxia responses. For example, P. astreoides larvae, which possess algal endosymbionts, displayed the least severe metabolic response to hypoxia among these species, possibly owing to symbiont resources. Overall, these findings demonstrate that hypoxia disrupts metabolic performance in coral and sea anemone larvae through conserved and divergent pathways, emphasizing the need to limit drivers of ocean deoxygenation.
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Hypoxia threatens coral and sea anemone early life stages
Seawater hypoxia is increasing globally and can drive declines in organismal performance across a wide range of marine taxa. However, the effects of hypoxia on early life stages (e.g., larvae and juveniles) are largely unknown, and it is unclear how evolutionary and life histories may influence these outcomes. Here, we addressed this question by comparing hypoxia responses across early life stages of three cnidarian species representing a range of life histories: the reef‐building coralGalaxea fascicularis, a broadcast spawner with horizontal transmission of endosymbiotic algae (family Symbiodiniaceae); the reef‐building coralPorites astreoides, a brooder with vertical endosymbiont transmission; and the estuarine sea anemoneNematostella vectensis, a non‐symbiotic broadcast spawner. Transient exposure of larvae to hypoxia (dissolved oxygen < 2 mg L−1for 6 h) led to decreased larval swimming and growth for all three species, which resulted in impaired settlement for the corals. Coral‐specific responses also included larval swelling, depressed respiration rates, and decreases in symbiont densities and function. These results indicate both immediate and latent negative effects of hypoxia on cnidarian physiology and coral–algal mutualisms specifically. In addition,G. fascicularisandP. astreoideswere sensitized to heat stress following hypoxia exposure, suggesting that the combinatorial nature of climate stressors will lead to declining performance for corals. However, sensitization to heat stress was not observed inN. vectensisexposed to hypoxia, suggesting that this species may be more resilient to combined stressors. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of reducing anthropogenic carbon emissions to limit further ocean deoxygenation and warming.
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- PAR ID:
- 10677950
- Publisher / Repository:
- ASLO
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Limnology and Oceanography
- Volume:
- 70
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0024-3590
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 684 to 699
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12798
