DOI: 10.5061/dryad.np5hqc00m
title: The effects of dissolved organic matter supplements on the metabolism of corals under heat stress

description: Octocorals represent a major alternative group in the benthic community of
 reefs that have diverged from hexacoral dominance. Despite their
 phototrophic symbionts, supplementing their diet with heterotrophic
 sources may promote their growth, particularly when compared to hexacorals
 in bleaching conditions. However, limited comprehensive data exists on
 octocorals' trophic ecology, especially regarding their ability to
 feed on dissolved organic matter (DOM), which comprises the largest pool
 of organic matter in reefs. This study aims to investigate the ability of
 two octocorals (Sarcophyton glaucum and Lobophytum sp.) to feed on DOM and
 compare this ability to that of hexacorals, such as Stylophora pistillata
 and Turbinaria reniformis. The study measured the net fluxes of DOM under
 varying DOM concentrations and under heat stress. The results demonstrate
 that all coral species were net producers of DOM at ambient
 concentrations, but became net consumers once seawater was supplemented
 with DOM. Furthermore, our study highlights a relationship between coral
 physiological responses to heat stress and DOM uptake. Corals that
 increased (S. pistillata) or maintained (S. glaucum and Lobophytum sp.)
 their DOM uptake rates at high temperatures were the most resilient to
 heat stress. In contrast, T. reniformis exhibited lower DOM uptake rates
 at high temperatures, which was associated with significant bleaching.
 Understanding the ability of corals to feed on DOM may therefore provide
 insight on the resilience of species under ocean warming conditions.
description: # **Data from : The effects of dissolved organic matter supplements on the
 metabolism of corals under heat stress**
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.np5hqc00m](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.np5hqc00m) ## Description of the data and file structure This dataset includes data contained within the paper "The effects of dissolved organic matter supplements on the metabolism of corals under heat stress". **1.** Title of Dataset: Data from : The effects of dissolved organic matter supplements on the metabolism of corals under heat stress **2.** Study location: Aquarium experiment at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco **3.** Date of study: 2022 **4.** Treatments: two temperature treatments (control at 26°C, heat stress at 30°C) with four species (*Sarcophyton glaucum, Lobophytum sp., Stylophora pistillata, Turbinaria reniformis*) **5.** File structure One big data file has been provided containing several sheets. The first sheet « Physiology » and the second sheet « Tissue content » contains all physiological measurements and elemental tissue composition, respectively, for the four species at the two temperature treatments. The third and fourth sheets (« DOC fluxes » and « DON fluxes », respectively) contain the measurements of DOC and DON fluxes as a function of environmental parameters. Within the « DOC fluxes » and « DON fluxes » sheets, negative fluxes indicate net uptake rate of DOC or DON, whereas positive fluxes indicate net release rate by the coral. Missing values or extreme outliers are indicated with "n/a". **6.** Abbreviations used AFDW, ash-free dry weight; P:R,  daily contribution of photosynthesis to the holobiont respiratory requirements; rETR<sub>max</sub>, maximum relative electron transport rate; F<sub>v</sub>/F<sub>m</sub>, effective photosynthetic efficiency; C, carbon; N, nitrogen; P, phosphorus; DOC, dissolved organic carbon; DON, dissolved organic nitrogen