Effects of ocean acidification and warming on a temperate versus a tropical coral

Global climate change is predicted to transform ocean ecosystems as warmer temperatures and acidifying waters make these environments more inhospitable for many marine species. Some species may respond to these abiotic factors by shifting their ranges to newly hospitable environments; however, there have been few comparisons of how more temperate versus more tropical species may respond to shifting conditions resulting from climate change. Here, we evaluated how more temperate versus more tropical congeneric corals (Oculina arbuscula from temperate North Carolina and Oculina diffusa from subtropical Florida) responded to elevated temperature and carbon dioxide levels similar to those predicted to occur in coastal North Carolina within the next century.