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Acroporids in northwestern Philippines with varied thermotolerance host similar photosymbionts1.75 MB
Preprint (Author's original)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Preprint (Author's original)CC BY V4.0, Open
Preprint
Acroporids in northwestern Philippines with varied thermotolerance host similar photosymbionts
Research Square
05/03/2026
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Abstract
Coral reefs worldwide are threatened by rapid warming of the oceans, yet many corals persist despite thermal stress. Reefs in northwestern Philippines, which are frequently exposed to elevated temperatures (29–30°C, mean monthly maximum), present an opportunity to examine inter-colony variation in thermotolerance and its correlation with Symbiodiniaceae, the coral’s microalgal symbiotic partner. In this study, we assessed the thermotolerance of individual colonies of three Acropora species, A. digitifera, A. millepora, and A. cf. tenuis, from a reef in Anda, Pangasinan, Philippines. Thermotolerance varied within and among species. ITS2 metabarcoding revealed that the corals host four closely related strains of Cladocopium patulum (formerly referred to as “type C3u”). However, inter- and intra-specific differences in thermotolerance did not show strong correlation with symbiont composition. These findings suggest that while Symbiodiniaceae communities may contribute to heat resilience in corals, they do not solely explain the marked difference in thermotolerance among individuals.
Details
- Title
- Acroporids in northwestern Philippines with varied thermotolerance host similar photosymbionts
- Creators
- John Bennedick Quijano - University of the Philippines DilimanJake Ivan P Baquiran - University of the Philippines DilimanMadeleine JH van Oppen - Australian Institute of Marine SciencePatrick C Cabaitan - University of the Philippines DilimanPeter L Harrison - Southern Cross UniversityCecilia Conaco - University of the Philippines Diliman
- Publisher
- Research Square
- Grant note
- This study was funded by a grant from the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (QMSR-MRRD- MEC-295-1449) awarded to PCC and CC, and by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (FIS/2019/123) awarded to PLH, MJHvO, PCC, and CC.
- Identifiers
- 991013358014002368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Preprint