Coral reefs constitute some of the most prolific and diverse ecosystems on our planet, but also among the most threatened. This thesis investigates the effects of environmental stressors on corals’ metabolism and symbiont diversity. Paper I shows that the coral Turbinaria mesenterina withstood a single stressor while a combination of two stressors (decreased salinity and increased seawater temperature) lead to decreased metabolism. Increased seawater temperature in combination with two stressors (enhanced nutrients and decreased salinity) lead to rapid mortality of all specimens. Paper II shows that chronic stress in combination with increased seawater temperature affects coral species differently. Porites lutea did not show any difference in response to temperature increase, regardless of environmental disturbance history, while Galaxea fascicularis’ metabolism was negatively affected in chronically disturbed corals but not in corals from less disturbed areas. The main explanation for the difference in response between the two species is different compositions of endosymbionts as found in paper III. P. lutea only harboured the symbiont C15, regardless of environment, whilst D1a dominated the nearshore G. fascicularis and C1 dominated offshore corals. In paper IV there was a clear inshore-offshore pattern of D1a along the whole coast of Vietnam, where D1a dominated inshore. In contrast, the five symbionts belonging to group C displayed a strong latitudinal gradient, with diversity increasing from north to south. The coral host showed higher diversity offshore than inshore. The thesis emphasizes the importance of improving water quality (paper I and II) and protecting marginal areas since tolerant coral hosts and symbionts can be found there (paper III and IV), as well as safeguarding areas with high symbiont diversity (paper IV) to increase the ability of corals to withstand future environmental changes. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.

Over the last four decades, coral reefs have suffered a ~50% decline of across the tropics. Consequently, most research efforts have focused on the impacts of anthropogenic pressures on corals, including ocean warming, ocean acidification, and overfishing. However, recent discoveries indicate that coral reefs are becoming increasingly vulnerable to acute deoxygenation events, which can drive severe and widespread coral bleaching, and in some cases, mortality of corals and other reef organisms. On unimpacted coral reefs, dissolved oxygen (DO) availability can vary between 50% and 200% air saturation, depending on the location, proximity to the open-ocean, and time of the day. During the daytime, Symbiodiniaceae spp. produce more O$_2$ than the coral host can consume, releasing excess O$_2$ to the surrounding tissues. However, at nighttime Symbiodiniaceae spp. cease O$_2$ production. Hence, corals may suffer to O$_2$ deprivation at nighttime when the photosynthesis ceases, and holobiont respiration consumes oxygen. To assess the O$_2$ thresholds and aftereffects of two Red Sea coral species: ${{P. lobata}}$ and ${{G. fascicularis}}$ corals were exposed to reduced DO concentrations. Coral fragments from both species were exposed to one control treatment (6.8 mg O$_2$ l$^{−1}$) and three reduced DO concentrations treatments (5.25 mg O$_2$ l$^{−1}$, 3.5 mg O$_2$ l$^{−1}$, and 1.25 mg O$_2$ l$^{−1}$). Experiments were held at a stable temperature (32°C ± 0.25) and stable pH levels (pH 8.2 ± 0.08). Corals in these experiments displayed different thresholds to low O$_2$ concentrations. ${{P. lobata}}$ coral fragments didn’t exhibit any bleaching symptoms throughout complete experiment. However, ${{G. fascicularis}}$ fragments showed signs of bleaching after the third night of exposure to the low O$_2$ treatment (1.25 mg O$_2$ l$^{−1}$). Physiological variables such as maximum and effective photochemical efficiency, Chl ${{a}}$, cell density, and dark respiration experienced the lowest values under the low O$_2$ treatment for both species. These results highlight the need for further experimental assessments of deoxygenation thresholds for corals across the globe. These assessments are of great importance to create better conservation strategies for the preservation of coral reefs.