Physiological response data of large benthic foraminifera to episodic and sustained heat stress

Shallow marine ecosystems naturally experience fluctuating physicochemical conditions across spatial and temporal scales. Widespread coral-bleaching events, induced by prolonged heat stress, highlight the importance of how the duration and frequency of thermal stress influence the adaptive physiology of photosymbiotic calcifiers. Large benthic foraminifera harboring algal endosymbionts are major tropical carbonate producers and bioindicators of ecosystem health. Like corals, they are sensitive to thermal stress and bleach at temperatures temporarily occurring in their natural habitat and projected to happen more frequently. However, their thermal tolerance has been studied so far only by chronic exposure, so how they respond under more realistic episodic heat-event scenarios remains unknown. […]

浅海生态系统在空间和时间尺度上自然经历着物理化学条件的波动。由长期热应激引发的广泛珊瑚白化事件凸显了热应激的持续时间和频率对共生光合钙化生物的适应性生理学的影响的重要性。携带藻类共生体的巨型底栖有孔虫是主要的 tropical carbonate producers 和生态系统健康的生物指标。与珊瑚相似，它们对热应激敏感，并在其自然栖息地中临时出现的温度下漂白，且这种温度预计将更频繁地出现。然而，到目前为止，它们的热耐受性仅通过慢性暴露进行研究，因此在更具现实性的周期性热事件情景下它们的响应情况仍然是个未知数。