Comparison of physiological and transcriptome responses of corals to strong light and high temperature

Coral reefs are essential for marine ecology and biodiversity. Global climate change has resulted in severe coral reef degradation, partly via coral bleaching, which is caused by rising sea temperatures and solar light intensity. In this study, we examined the impact of strong light (300 µmol.m−2.s−1) and high temperature (33°C) on the growth, immunity, and gene expression of Galaxea fascicularis. Strong light caused coral bleaching in the absence of high sea temperatures, while no obvious bleaching was observed under high temperature alone. The effect of strong light on calcification rate of G. fascicularis is significantly weaker than that of high temperature. Both strong light and high temperatures significantly affected the immune enzyme activity of G. fascicularis symbionts, with the former having a strong effect on their photosystem. Temperature affected the digestive system, replication and repair, and cell growth and death of coral hosts, as indicated by transcriptomics analysis. These results provide a valuable for strategies to mitigate coral bleaching. Teaser: We explored the effects of strong light exposure and high temperature on coral reefs and their symbiont algae.