Acropora pruinosa is one of the coral species from the genus Acropora. This coral reef is found around Japan and the Pacific Ocean. A. pruinosa lives in colonies in clear waters, especially in rocky coastal areas. A. pruinosa has a branching coral shape that is small and full of wrinkles. The axial corallite or the tip of the branch tends to be elongated and pipe-shaped. While the radial corallites or the side of the branch are mostly short. This coral reef is often found in brown and greenish colors.
The growth of A. pruinosa is fast compared to other species, but this species is very vulnerable to environmental changes. The influence of its habitat in tropical and subtropical oceans forces it to adapt to prolonged hot temperatures. A. pruinosa is known to rapidly stress in prolonged heat. As a result, the coral quickly undergoes tissue necrosis and sloughing. Necrosis is cell damage that can cause premature death of cells and tissues. Sloughing is the process of the emergence of dead tissue that can inhibit the wound healing process. So, it can be concluded that the appearance of slough in coral reefs indicates necrosis in tissues and cells. The bleaching of the coral reef characterizes the beginning of the process.
The benefits of A. pruinosa are like the functions of coral reefs in general, consisting of ecological and social benefits. Some of the benefits of coral reefs are as life support for other aquatic life. Coral reefs become a place to live and a food source for small fish. The existence of A. pruinosa which is quite abundant on the coast can break the waves so as not to damage the beach. In addition, the presence of these coral reefs, especially in tropical areas, can help reduce the impact of global warming. Another economic benefit of A. pruinosa is that it can be used as a medicinal and cosmetic ingredient because it contains anti-biotic and anti-cancer compounds.

Writer: Muhammad Ichwan Firmansyah

References

Schoepf, V., Carrion, S. A., Pfeifer, S. M., Naugle, M., Dugal, L., Bruyn, J., & McCulloch, M. T. (2019). Stress-resistant corals may not acclimatize to ocean warming but maintain heat tolerance under cooler temperatures. Nature Communications, 10(1). doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12065-0

Yu, X., Yu, K., Huang, W., Liang, J., Qin, Z., Chen, B., … Liao, Z. (2020). Thermal acclimation increases heat tolerance of the scleractinian coral Acropora pruinosa. Science of The Total Environment, 139319.