Scleractinian corals form the foundation of coral reefs by acquiring autotrophic nutrition from photosynthetic endosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae) and use feeding to obtain additional nutrition, especially when the symbiosis is compromised (i.e. bleaching). Juvenile corals are vulnerable to stress due to low energetic reserves and high demand for growth, which is compounded when additional stressors occur. Therefore, conditions that favour energy acquisition and storage may enhance survival under stressful conditions. To investigate the influence of feeding on thermal tolerance, we exposed Pocillopora acuta juveniles to temperature (ambient, 27.4°C versus cool, 25.9°C) and feeding treatments (fed versus unfed) for 30 days post-settlement and monitored growth and physiology, followed by tracking survival under thermal stress. Feeding increased growth and resulted in thicker tissues and elevated symbiont fluorescence. Under high-temperature stress (31–60 days post-settlement; ca 30.1°C), corals that were fed and previously exposed to cool temperature had 33% higher survival than other treatment groups. These corals demonstrated reduced symbiont fluorescence, which may have provided protective effects under thermal stress. These results highlight that the impacts of feeding on coral physiology and stress tolerance are dependent on temperature and as oceans continue to warm, early life stages may experience shifts in feeding strategies to survive.

石珊瑚通过从光合内共生体（共生体科）获取自养营养，并利用摄食来获取额外营养，特别是当共生受到损害（即白化）时，形成了珊瑚礁的基础。由于能量储备低和生长需求高，幼年珊瑚很容易受到压力，当出现额外的压力源时，情况会变得更加复杂。因此，有利于能量获取和储存的条件可能会提高压力条件下的生存率。为了研究摄食对耐热性的影响，我们在定居后将尖球菌幼虫暴露于温度（环境，27.4°C 与凉爽，25.9°C）和摄食处理（摄食与未摄食）下 30 天，并监测生长和生理学，然后跟踪热应激下的生存情况。进食会促进生长，导致组织变厚，共生体荧光增强。在高温胁迫下（定居后 31-60 天；约30.1°C），喂食且之前暴露于低温的珊瑚比其他处理组的存活率高 33%。这些珊瑚表现出共生体荧光减少，这可能在热应激下提供了保护作用。这些结果强调，摄食对珊瑚生理和应激耐受性的影响取决于温度，并且随着海洋持续变暖，早期生命阶段可能会经历摄食策略的转变以求生存。