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Trace Metal Limitation And Its Role In Oxidative Stress Of Coral Algal Symbionts; Implications For Thermally Induced Coral Bleaching Events., Katrina Lynn Iglic
Trace Metal Limitation And Its Role In Oxidative Stress Of Coral Algal Symbionts; Implications For Thermally Induced Coral Bleaching Events., Katrina Lynn Iglic
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Coral bleaching, the process in which corals expel their photosynthetic symbionts (Genus Symbiodinium), is caused by high temperature and irradiance stress. The synergistic effect of each stressor is the generation of damaging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS), which are normally mitigated physiologically by antioxidant enzyme activity. Antioxidant enzymes require iron, copper, manganese and zinc in their structure and the limited nature of these trace metals in reef environments may enhance ROS production under elevated temperature and irradiance. The hypothesis tested within this thesis was that a limited availability of the trace metals Fe, Mn, Cu and …