Stress testing 'coral in a box'

Date:
July 8, 2020
Source:
University of Konstanz
Summary:
Coral death is impacting oceans worldwide as a consequence of
climate change. The concern is that corals cannot keep pace with the
rate of ocean warming. In particular, because a temperature increase
of only one degree Celsius can make the difference between healthy
and dying coral reefs. Some corals, however, are more resistant
to increasing temperatures. In order to effectively protect coral
reef habitats, it is important to identify which corals and reef
sites are more resistant and thus have a greater chance of survival.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Coral death is impacting oceans worldwide as a consequence of climate
change.

The concern is that corals cannot keep pace with the rate of ocean
warming. In particular, because a temperature increase of only one
degree Celsius can make the difference between healthy and dying
coral reefs. Some corals, however, are more resistant to increasing temperatures. In order to effectively protect coral reef habitats, it
is important to identify which corals and reef sites are more resistant
and thus have a greater chance of survival.


==========================================================================
For this purpose, the research team led by Konstanz biologist Professor Christian Voolstra developed a rapid stress test to assess coral thermotolerance. The "Coral Bleaching Automated Stress System" (CBASS)
makes it possible to assess coral thermotolerance on site and within
a single day - - much faster than current experimental procedures that typically take several weeks to months in a laboratory. A description of
the test and a demonstration of its utility to resolve thermotolerance differences between close-by reef sites was published as an online early article on 21 June 2020 in the journal Global Change Biology.

The test system is highly mobile, can be deployed on boats, and is straightforward to use: Corals are placed in test boxes at the location
where they were collected and then subjected to thermal exposures at
different temperatures -- a type of stress test for the corals. Using
a standardized procedure, researchers can then record the results
and compare how different corals react to the same set of temperature exposures.

"We focused on building the test boxes with materials that are
available in almost any hardware store or shop selling aquarium
equipment. We want these test boxes to be used widely and this is
why we made all instructions for setting up the tests as well as
our results and evaluation methods freely available," Professor
Christian Voolstra states in reference to the online archive: https://github.com/reefgenomics/CBASSvsCLASSIC

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Konstanz. Original
written by Ju"rgen Graf.

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Christian R. Voolstra, Carol Buitrago‐Lo'pez, Gabriela
Perna, Anny
Ca'rdenas, Benjamin C. C. Hume, Nils Ra"decker, Daniel J. Barshis.

Standardized short‐term acute heat stress assays resolve
historical differences in coral thermotolerance across microhabitat
reef sites.

Global Change Biology, 2020; DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15148 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200708155526.htm

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