Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41131223›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

Sterols are key to coral larvae survival, swimming capacity, and thermal tolerance.

Jennifer L Matthews, Natasha Bartels, Hannah Kish, Laura La Motta, Matthew P Padula, David J Hughes, Zoe J Crane, Craig Humphrey, Nadine Boulotte, Christine Roper and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Jennifer L MatthewsClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia. Jennifer.Matthews@uts.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2766-8671
Natasha BartelsClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
Hannah KishClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-1238-2918
Laura La MottaClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
Matthew P PadulaClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8283-0643
David J HughesNational Sea Simulator, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
Zoe J CraneNational Sea Simulator, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
Craig HumphreyNational Sea Simulator, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1303-036X
Nadine BoulotteAustralian Institute of Marine Science, PMB #3, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
Christine RoperClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6128-9387
Madeleine J H van OppenAustralian Institute of Marine Science, PMB #3, Townsville, QLD, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4607-0744
Jean-Baptiste RainaClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7508-0004
David J SuggettClimate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5326-2520

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Corals at very early life stages face high mortality bottlenecks, limiting natural stock-recruitment and the success of restoration and aquaculture strategies reliant on sexual reproduction. Nutrient availability and quality, particularly lipids, are critical for larval survival, dispersal, and settlement, yet the specific lipids influencing early-stage fitness remain unclear. Since measuring lipid depletion in non-surviving larvae is impractical, we developed a targeted supplementation approach to identify nutrients that enhance larval fitness. Supplementing Acropora spathulata larvae with nanoparticle-encapsulated triacylglycerols and sterols significantly improved swimming distance and speed, indicating enhanced dispersal potential. Supplementation with sterols, which are essential for cell structure and metamorphosis, also increased settlement rates. Furthermore, juveniles developed from larvae fed with sterols and omega-3-rich fish oils demonstrated superior performance under controlled and thermal stress conditions during the first six months, while those supplemented with Calanus oil also enhanced survival under elevated temperatures. Lipid profiling revealed key sphingolipids, glycerophospholipids, and fatty acids likely responsible for the improved fitness of fed larvae. Our approach highlights the critical role of lipid composition and availability during coral early life stages and demonstrates the potential of targeted nutritional supplementation to address nutrient deficiencies, enhance coral resilience, and support restoration and aquaculture efforts.

Indexed as

AnthozoaSterolsSwimmingThermotoleranceAnimalsLarvaSterols

Identifiers

PMID41131223
PMCPMC12550023

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.