Benthic light availability is readily affected by natural drivers of an ecosystem and by anthropogenic-induced stressors. Rapid urbanization in coastal regions can induce light variability for reef-building corals that use photosynthesis as a primary form of energy. However, very little data exists on the photosynthesis of light-limited coral species and their acclimation responses to an additional light variability. This experimental study explored the effects of two contrasting light intensities: high light (HL) (95% increase to in situ light) and low light (LL) (8–10% of in situ light) on three locally dominant coral species. Turbinaria mesenterina, Porites lutea, and Goniopora cellulosa were collected from a 4-m depth from the turbid regions of Pulau Kendi in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. This study documented current photobiological responses of all species and rapid photoacclimation responses only for T. mesenterina in HL treatment. All three species incurred photoinactivation under LL stress; however, T. mesenterina was photosynthetically healthier for an extended period of the experiment. P.lutea recorded partial photoacclimation and non-recovering photoprotectants to both light stresses. While G. cellulosa incurred rapid declines in photosynthetic yields along with no photoacclimation responses. The data obtained for this geographic range of turbid water corals is important as additional light stress from point-source pollutants and global urbanization activities are expected to increase. Improving our understanding of their responses to environmental change will be central to global coral reef conservation efforts andcan be used for effective management practices in targeted coral conservation and rehabilitation approaches for turbid habitats.

底栖光的可用性很容易受到生态系统的自然驱动因素和人为引起的压力因素的影响。沿海地区的快速城市化可能会导致使用光合作用作为主要能量形式的造礁珊瑚的光照变化。然而，关于光限制珊瑚物种的光合作用及其对额外光变化的适应反应的数据很少。本实验研究探讨了两种对比光强度的影响：高光 (HL)（原位光增加 95%）和低光 (LL)（原位光的 8-10%）对三种当地优势珊瑚物种的影响。Turbinaria mesenterina、Porites lutea和Goniopora cellulosa从马来西亚半岛北部的肯迪岛浑浊地区的 4 米深处收集。该研究记录了所有物种的当前光生物反应和仅对HL 治疗中的T. mesenterina 的快速光驯化反应。所有三个物种都在 LL 胁迫下发生光灭活；然而，T. mesenterina在长时间的实验中光合作用更健康。P.lutea记录了对两种光应力的部分光驯化和非恢复光保护剂。虽然G. cellulosa导致光合产量迅速下降，并且没有光驯化反应。由于来自点源污染物和全球城市化活动的额外光应力预计会增加，因此针对这一地理范围内的浑水珊瑚获得的数据很重要。提高我们对它们对环境变化的反应的理解将是全球珊瑚礁保护工作的核心，并可用于有针对性的珊瑚保护和混浊栖息地恢复方法的有效管理实践。