Feasibility of using ATP as an index for environmental stress on hermatypic coral

Abstract

ATP concentration was studied in several species of coral in coastal waters of S Taiwan. Interspecific variation in ATP concentration in six coral species ranged from 8.2±1.3 to 52.6±14.8 μg g-1. In an experiment of short-term desiccation stress, ATP content in Acropora hyacinthus dropped drastically from 67.0±13.7 to 7.9±6.1 μg g-1. During a bleaching event, ATP concentration in A. hyacinthus dropped significantly but recovered gradually to normal values several months later. An annual survey of ATP variation in A. formosa showed a high peak between December-April with lower values in other months, perhaps in response to fluctuating temperature. In view of the significant rapid response of coral ATP content to stress and the rise in concentration during a recovery phase of months, the amount of ATP in living coral could be a feasible parameter for monitoring environmental stress in living coral. -from Authors