S. Alutoin et al., Effects of the multiple stressors copper and reduced salinity on the metabolism of the hermatypic coral Porites lutea, MAR ENV RES, 52(3), 2001, pp. 289-299
This study investigates the physiological responses in the hermatypic coral
Porites lutea when exposed to a combination of reduced salinity (from ambi
ent 30 psu to 20 psu) and two concentrations of copper (CuSO4), 10 mug l(-1
) and 30 mug l(-1). Corals were exposed for 14 h and changes in metabolism
in terms of primary production rate per chlorophyll a and respiration per s
urface area (cm(2)) were used as measures of stress. The results showed no
significant changes in respiration rate in any of the treatments compared w
ith controls, or between treatments. The primary production rate, however,
displayed a more complex pattern. Corals exposed to reduced salinity, 30 mu
g l(-1) copper. and the combination of the two stressors significantly redu
ced the production rate, whereas corals exposed to 10 mug l(-1) only, remai
ned unaffected. However, adding 10 mug l(-1) copper to reduced salinity did
not affect the production rate thus indicating an antagonistic effect. (C)
2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.