Coral bleaching: photosynthetic impacts on symbiotic dinoflagellates

"Global climate change is leading to the rise of ocean temperatures and is triggering mass coral bleaching events on reefs around the world. This involves the expulsion of the symbiotic dinoflagellate algae, known as zooxanthellae, from the coral host. Coral bleaching is believed to occur as a result of damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of these symbionts, although the specific site of initial impact is yet to be conclusively resolved. This thesis examined a number of sites within the light reactions of photosynthesis and evaluated the efficiency of photoprotective heat dissipating pathways." -- Thesis (Ph.D.)University of Technology, Sydney 2008.