Dataset: Coral physiology data from a short-term heating experiment using samples collected from Nikko Bay and Rebotel Reef in Palau in the spring of 2018

On-land experiments were run at the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC). Coral fragments from two species of coral: Psammacora digitata and Pocillopora verrucosa, were originally collected from Nikko Bay, Palau (7°14.93′N, 134°14.149′E) at 5 meters depth, and Rebotel Reef, Palau (7°32.48′N, 134° 49.34′E) at 7.5 meters depth.

Coral collection and heating experiments were run in the same fashion as detailed in the Hoadley et al. (2019) (see related reference listed below), with the following exceptions:

The experimental system was held indoors, and lighting was provided by LEDs (CREE LED XP-G3, cool white) set to diurnal intensity ramping by digital controllers (Storm X, Coralux). Corals were supplied with a continuous flow of seawater (at 1 liter per minute) with water flow in each treatment bin supplemented with a submersible powerhead pump (Sicce Micra – 90 gallons per hour). Coral skeletal surface area was calculated by 3-D scanning (HDI 120, LMI Technologies).