[Coral-List] Fluorescence of A. palmata/cervicornis under LED lighting.

Damien Beri beridl at g.cofc.edu
Mon Oct 23 20:06:57 EDT 2017


Thanks for sharing this Tim I’m going to check out  that reference! Can’t wait for that read. 

On the topic of white lighting and fluorescence I do agree.  Some corals will fluoresce under actinic 420nm lighting whilst being grown under white lighting.  There is however a great deal of understanding that most corals loose the fluorescent pigments under predominant white light, ie sunlight.  In my experience growing certain corals under primarily white lighting LEDs which includes a mixture of various spectrums, a lot of corals can turn more brown but still maintain their overall color but do loose majority fluorescence even while illuminated under actinic lighting.  This is what coral harvesters do abroad, they collect, grow out, and wait for the colors to appear for their pricing. 

But, when corals are subjected to strict lighting in the 380-500nm range for even just a week they begin to develop these fluorescent pigments/proteins when they had none before. 

It’s my understanding that any light below 420nm is harmful.  But, if corals can make fluorescent proteins which absorb this light and decrease the energy of it by releasing energy in the form of light and heat as is the normal thermal response for corals shouldn’t there be more research on how a coral like A. Palmata/ cervicornis would react when grown under conditions which normally boost the color/protein of other corals? Especially if these proteins/pigments are the reaction of harmful light. Bleaching, thermal stress, it plays into the whole thing.   

In all honesty, based off the responses from some other contributors from this thread is seems the tips, at times of A cervicornis and A palmata glow green.  I would almost guarantee at this point that given the proper lighting and trace element supply, you could turn A cervicornis into a highlighter in about a month! 

Warm regards,
Damien Beri



Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 23, 2017, at 1:32 PM, Tim Wijgerde <wijgerde at coralpublications.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Damien,
> 
> If you study the work by Cecilia D'Angelo et al., it seems the production of bright, (non-)fluorescent colours in corals is stimulated by blue light. However, you don't need light that is optically blue, only a full spectrum white light source which has sufficient blue in its emitted spectrum. To properly reveal FP's, a blue/actinic light source is required. If you photograph them under blue or actinic light, combined with a yellow long-pass filter, they will look fluorescent green. Such footage is great promotion for these species if you want to share it with the public at large.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Tim
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Damien Beri
> Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2017 1:58 AM
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: [Coral-List] Fluorescence of A. palmata/cervicornis under LED lighting.
> 
> Hello Coral-list,
> 
> Has anyone grown A. palmata or A. cervicornis under high powered LEDs used for commercial coral aquaculture? I am curious if these corals, given time grown under intense but specific spectrum LED lighting would fluoresce like many Acropora sp. It’s my understanding aquaculture has mainly been 10-20k metal halides.  The advancement of modern LEDs could show their beauty much more and help give these endangered corals more of a fight. Even if it’s just time a lapse of a single branch fluorescing.
> 
> What is the scientific value to figuring something like this out?
> 
> Warm regards,
> Damien Beri
> 
> 
> 
> 
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