Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Japan.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2013 Mar 15;68(1-2):93-8. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.12.017. Epub 2013 Jan 13.
Symbiotic and aposymbiotic juvenile corals, which were grown in the laboratory from the gametes of the scleractinian coral Acropora digitifera and had settled down onto plastic culture plates, were observed with a microscope under different nutrient conditions. The symbiotic corals successfully removed the surrounding benthic microalgae (BMA), whereas the aposymbiotic corals were in close physical contact with BMA. The areal growth rate of the symbiotic corals was significantly higher than that of the aposymbiotic corals. The addition of nutrients to the culture seawater increased the chlorophyll a content in the symbiotic coral polyps and enhanced the growth of some of the symbiotic corals, however the average growth rate was not significantly affected, most likely because of the competition with BMA. The comparison between the symbiotic and aposymbiotic juvenile corals showed that the establishment of a symbiotic association could be imperative for post-settlement juvenile corals to survive in high-nutrient seawater.
共生和非共生幼年珊瑚，是从石珊瑚 Acropora digitifera 的配子在实验室中培育出来的，并已附着在塑料培养板上，在不同营养条件下用显微镜进行了观察。共生珊瑚成功地清除了周围的底栖微藻（BMA），而非共生珊瑚则与 BMA 紧密接触。共生珊瑚的面积增长率明显高于非共生珊瑚。向培养液中添加营养物质会增加共生珊瑚虫体内的叶绿素 a 含量，并促进一些共生珊瑚的生长，但平均增长率没有显著影响，这很可能是因为与 BMA 的竞争。共生和非共生幼年珊瑚的比较表明，共生关系的建立对于附着后幼年珊瑚在高营养海水中的生存可能是至关重要的。
