@article{fdi:010057097,
  title = {{B}ioerosion by euendoliths decreases in phosphate-enriched skeletons of living corals},
  author = {{G}odinot, {C}. and {T}ribollet, {A}line and {G}rover, {R}. and {F}errier-{P}ages, {C}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{W}hile the role of microboring organisms, or euendoliths, is relatively well known in dead coral skeletons, their function in live corals remains poorly understood. {T}hey are suggested to behave like ectosymbionts or parasites, impacting their host's health. {H}owever, the species composition of microboring communities, their abundance and dynamics in live corals under various environmental conditions have never been explored. {H}ere, the effect of phosphate enrichment on boring microorganisms in live corals was tested for the first time. {S}tylophora pistillata nubbins were exposed to 3 different treatments (phosphate concentrations of 0, 0.5 and 2.5 mu mol l(-1)) during 15 weeks. {A}fter 15 weeks of phosphate enrichment, petrographic thin sections were prepared for observation with light microscopy, and additional samples were examined with scanning electron microscopy ({SEM}). {E}uendoliths comprised mainly phototrophic {O}streobium sp. filaments. {R}are filaments of heterotrophic fungi were also observed. {F}ilaments were densely distributed in the central part of nubbins, and less abundant towards the apex. {U}nexpectedly, there was a visible reduction of filament abundance in the most recently calcified apical part of phosphate-enriched nubbins. {T}he overall abundance of euendoliths significantly decreased, from 9.12 +/- 1.09% of the skeletal surface area in unenriched corals, to 5.81 +/- 0.77% and 5.27 +/- 0.34% in 0.5 and 2.5 mu mol l(-1)-phosphate enriched corals respectively. {SEM} observations confirmed this decrease. {R}ecent studies have shown that phosphate enrichment increases coral skeletal growth and metabolic rates, while it decreases skeletal density and resilience to mechanical stress. {W}e thus hypothesize that increased skeletal growth in the presence of phosphate enrichment occurred too fast for an effective expansion of euendolith growth. {T}hey could not keep up with coral growth, so they became diluted in the apex areas as nubbins grew with phosphate enrichment. {R}esults from the present study suggest that coral skeletons of {S}. pistillata will not be further weakened by euendoliths under phosphate enrichment.},
  keywords = {},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}iogeosciences},
  volume = {9},
  numero = {7},
  pages = {2377--2384},
  ISSN = {1726-4170},
  year = {2012},
  DOI = {10.5194/bg-9-2377-2012},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010057097},
}