[Low water temperature tolerance and responding mode of scleractinian corals in Sanya Bay]

In an experimental temperature-regulated mesocosm, the low water temperature tolerance of five dominant scleractinian coral species Pavona decussate, Acropora pulchra, Acropora florida, Acropora valida, and Porites lutea in Sanya Bay was investigated, and their responding modes to the cold water stress were analyzed. The tolerance of test corals to low water temperature was closely related to their morphologies, with the branching corals being the most vulnerable to bleaching and death by separating the symbiotic polyps from their skeletons. The lethal low water temperature for branching Acropora corals was 14 degrees C lasting for 3 days, and that for foliose P. decussate was 12 degrees C lasting for 10 days. Massive P. lutea corals responded to low water temperature by forming mucus membrane, which helped to prevent the further losing of symbiotic algae. The corals showing strong tolerance to high water temperature also had strong tolerance to low water temperature, and had similar responding modes to both high and low water temperature, i.e., the corals didn't extend their tentacle first, followed by the continuous release of mucus and the discharge of symbiotic zooxanthellae, and finally, bleached and died.