If ocean acidification does cause Symbiodinium loss in corals, then that could alter the physical properties of the coral tissue in a way that increases thermal bleaching. As symbionts are lost from a coral, sources points of light absorption are lost and the amount of scattered light within the tissue per remaining symbiont cell increases (Enriquez et al., 2005). This increases the photonic stress on each remaining symbiont, leading to further loss of symbionts, a positive feedback that enhances coral bleaching (Enriquez et al., 2005).