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Rapid adaptive responses to climate change in corals

Author

Listed:
  • Gergely Torda

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
    Australian Institute of Marine Science)

  • Jennifer M. Donelson

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University)

  • Manuel Aranda

    (Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST))

  • Daniel J. Barshis

    (Old Dominion University)

  • Line Bay

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
    Australian Institute of Marine Science)

  • Michael L. Berumen

    (Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST))

  • David G. Bourne

    (Australian Institute of Marine Science
    College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University)

  • Neal Cantin

    (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

  • Sylvain Foret

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
    Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University)

  • Mikhail Matz

    (University of Texas)

  • David J. Miller

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
    James Cook University)

  • Aurelie Moya

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University)

  • Hollie M. Putnam

    (University of Rhode Island)

  • Timothy Ravasi

    (KAUST Environmental Epigenetic Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Madeleine J. H. van Oppen

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
    Australian Institute of Marine Science
    School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne)

  • Rebecca Vega Thurber

    (Oregon State University)

  • Jeremie Vidal-Dupiol

    (IFREMER
    IFREMER, IHPE UMR 5244, University Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, University Montpellier)

  • Christian R. Voolstra

    (Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST))

  • Sue-Ann Watson

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University)

  • Emma Whitelaw

    (La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science)

  • Bette L. Willis

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
    College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University)

  • Philip L. Munday

    (ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University)

Abstract

Pivotal to projecting the fate of coral reefs is the capacity of reef-building corals to acclimatize and adapt to climate change. Transgenerational plasticity may enable some marine organisms to acclimatize over several generations and it has been hypothesized that epigenetic processes and microbial associations might facilitate adaptive responses. However, current evidence is equivocal and understanding of the underlying processes is limited. Here, we discuss prospects for observing transgenerational plasticity in corals and the mechanisms that could enable adaptive plasticity in the coral holobiont, including the potential role of epigenetics and coral-associated microbes. Well-designed and strictly controlled experiments are needed to distinguish transgenerational plasticity from other forms of plasticity, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and their relative importance compared with genetic adaptation.

Suggested Citation

  • Gergely Torda & Jennifer M. Donelson & Manuel Aranda & Daniel J. Barshis & Line Bay & Michael L. Berumen & David G. Bourne & Neal Cantin & Sylvain Foret & Mikhail Matz & David J. Miller & Aurelie Moya, 2017. "Rapid adaptive responses to climate change in corals," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 7(9), pages 627-636, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:7:y:2017:i:9:d:10.1038_nclimate3374
    DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3374
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    Cited by:

    1. Shannon G. Klein & Cassandra Roch & Carlos M. Duarte, 2024. "Systematic review of the uncertainty of coral reef futures under climate change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Trevor H. Booth & Paul R. Muir, 2020. "Climate change impacts on Australia's eucalypt and coral species: Comparing and sharing knowledge across disciplines," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(5), September.
    3. Reguero, Borja G. & Beck, Michael W. & Schmid, David & Stadtmüller, Daniel & Raepple, Justus & Schüssele, Stefan & Pfliegner, Kerstin, 2020. "Financing coastal resilience by combining nature-based risk reduction with insurance," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    4. Marie E. Strader & Kate M. Quigley, 2022. "The role of gene expression and symbiosis in reef-building coral acquired heat tolerance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Staffieri, Irene & Sitko, Nicholas J. & Maluccio, John A., 2023. "Sustaining enrolment when rains fail: School feeding, rainfall shocks and schooling in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    6. Yanting Chen & Zhaoxia Liu & Jacques Régnière & Liette Vasseur & Jian Lin & Shiguo Huang & Fushi Ke & Shaoping Chen & Jianyu Li & Jieling Huang & Geoff M. Gurr & Minsheng You & Shijun You, 2021. "Large-scale genome-wide study reveals climate adaptive variability in a cosmopolitan pest," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    7. Laura Baldassarre & Hua Ying & Adam M. Reitzel & Sören Franzenburg & Sebastian Fraune, 2022. "Microbiota mediated plasticity promotes thermal adaptation in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.

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