1
|
Slattery M, Lesser MP, Rocha LA, Spalding HL, Smith TB. Function and stability of mesophotic coral reefs. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:585-598. [PMID: 38413283 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The function and stability of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) have been extensively studied in recent years. These deep reefs are characterized by local physical processes, particularly the steep gradient in irradiance with increasing depth, and their impact on trophic resources. Mesophotic reefs exhibit distinct zonation patterns that segregate shallow reef biodiversity from ecologically unique deeper communities of endemic species. While mesophotic reefs are hypothesized as relatively stable refuges from anthropogenic stressors and a potential seed bank for degraded shallow reefs, these are site-specific features, if they occur at all. Mesophotic reefs are now known to be susceptible to many of the same stressors that are degrading shallow reefs, suggesting that they require their own specific conservation and management strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marc Slattery
- Department of BioMolecular Science, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA; School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Luiz A Rocha
- Department of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | | | - Tyler B Smith
- University of the Virgin Islands, Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, St Thomas, VI 00802-9990, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pankey MS, Gochfeld DJ, Gastaldi M, Macartney KJ, Clayshulte Abraham A, Slattery M, Lesser MP. Phylosymbiosis and metabolomics resolve phenotypically plastic and cryptic sponge species in the genus Agelas across the Caribbean basin. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17321. [PMID: 38529721 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Fundamental to holobiont biology is recognising how variation in microbial composition and function relates to host phenotypic variation. Sponges often exhibit considerable phenotypic plasticity and also harbour dense microbial communities that function to protect and nourish hosts. One of the most prominent sponge genera on Caribbean coral reefs is Agelas. Using a comprehensive set of morphological (growth form, spicule), chemical and molecular data on 13 recognised species of Agelas in the Caribbean basin, we were able to define only five species (=clades) and found that many morphospecies designations were incongruent with phylogenomic and population genetic analyses. Microbial communities were also strongly differentiated between phylogenetic species, showing little evidence of cryptic divergence and relatively low correlation with morphospecies assignment. Metagenomic analyses also showed strong correspondence to phylogenetic species, and to a lesser extent, geographical and morphological characters. Surprisingly, the variation in secondary metabolites produced by sponge holobionts was explained by geography and morphospecies assignment, in addition to phylogenetic species, and covaried significantly with a subset of microbial symbionts. Spicule characteristics were highly plastic, under greater impact from geographical location than phylogeny. Our results suggest that while phenotypic plasticity is rampant in Agelas, morphological differences within phylogenetic species affect functionally important ecological traits, including the composition of the symbiotic microbial communities and metabolomic profiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M S Pankey
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - D J Gochfeld
- National Center for Natural Products Research and Environmental Toxicology, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - M Gastaldi
- Escuela Superior de Ciencias Marinas-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Antonio Oeste, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - K J Macartney
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| | - A Clayshulte Abraham
- Division of Environmental Toxicology, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - M Slattery
- Division of Environmental Toxicology, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - M P Lesser
- Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lesser MP, Sabrina Pankey M, Slattery M, Macartney KJ, Gochfeld DJ. Microbiome diversity and metabolic capacity determines the trophic ecology of the holobiont in Caribbean sponges. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:112. [PMID: 37938762 PMCID: PMC9723761 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00196-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are increasingly recognized as an ecologically important taxon on coral reefs, representing significant biomass and biodiversity where sponges have replaced scleractinian corals. Most sponge species can be divided into two symbiotic states based on symbiont community structure and abundance (i.e., the microbiome), and are characterized as high microbial abundance (HMA) or low microbial abundance (LMA) sponges. Across the Caribbean, sponge species of the HMA or LMA symbiotic states differ in metabolic capacity, as well as their trophic ecology. A metagenetic analysis of symbiont 16 S rRNA and metagenomes showed that HMA sponge microbiomes are more functionally diverse than LMA microbiomes, offer greater metabolic functional capacity and redundancy, and encode for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Stable isotope analyses showed that HMA and LMA sponges primarily consume dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from external autotrophic sources, or live particulate organic matter (POM) in the form of bacterioplankton, respectively, resulting in a low degree of resource competition between these symbiont states. As many coral reefs have undergone phase shifts from coral- to macroalgal-dominated reefs, the role of DOM, and the potential for future declines in POM due to decreased picoplankton productivity, may result in an increased abundance of chemically defended HMA sponges on tropical coral reefs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
| | - M Sabrina Pankey
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Marc Slattery
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, Division of Pharmacognosy, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA
| | - Keir J Macartney
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Earth, Environmental and Marine Sciences, Port Isabel, TX, 78958, USA
| | - Deborah J Gochfeld
- National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA
| |
Collapse
|