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Xiao Z, Feng C, Gao B, Huang Y, Long L, Yang F. Marine macroalgae and their associated bacterial communities affect larval settlement and survivorship of the coral Pocillopora damicornis. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 199:106597. [PMID: 38875898 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Macroalgae play crucial roles as major habitat-forming organisms in marine ecosystems, having significant impacts on coral recruitment and reef recovery. However, the interactions between marine macroalgae and coral larvae remain poorly understood. Furthermore, little is known whether differences in bacterial assemblages associated with macroalgae may play roles in this process. Here, we comprehensively investigated the impacts of different macroalgae and their associated microbiomes on larval settlement and survival of coral Pocillopora damicornis. The results revealed significant variations in larval settlement and survival rates when exposed to different macroalgal species. The highest settlement rate, reaching 90%, was observed in the presence of the red alga Hypnea pannosa, followed by green algae Caulerpa serrulata, C. racemosa, and brown algae Turbinaria gracilis, Sargassum polycystum. Correspondingly, similarities in bacterial compositions were observed between H. pannosa and C. racemosa, as well as between T. gracilis and S. polycystum, implying associated bacterial may be related with the algal functions. Furthermore, macroalgae that facilitate larval settlement exhibited higher abundances of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) associated with the metabolism of dimethylsulfoniopropionate or the antagonism of known coral pathogens. However, the brown alga Padina boryana failed to induce larval settlement with survival rate of zero after 120 h. The algal species harbored more abundances of ASVs related to Rhizobiaceae. These findings highlight the significant impact of macroalgae and their associated microbiomes on coral recruitment, as they influence both larval settlement and survival rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiliang Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Cheng Feng
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Bohai Gao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Yi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Lijuan Long
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; Guangdong Provincial Observation and Research Station for Coastal Upwelling Ecosystem, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
| | - Fangfang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
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Bourne DG, Sato Y, Smith HA. Microbes guide corals looking to find a home. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:120-121. [PMID: 38071163 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are facing unprecedented anthropogenic pressures impacting critical processes such as recruitment of juvenile corals. Through larval choice assays and co-occurrence network analyses, a recent study by Turnlund et al. identified microbial taxa within reef biofilms that positively correlate and therefore have potential key roles in inducing coral settlement.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia.
| | - Yui Sato
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Hillary A Smith
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW 2052, Australia
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Randall CJ, Giuliano C, Stephenson B, Whitman TN, Page CA, Treml EA, Logan M, Negri AP. Larval precompetency and settlement behaviour in 25 Indo-Pacific coral species. Commun Biol 2024; 7:142. [PMID: 38297134 PMCID: PMC10830509 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05824-3] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of coral larval precompetency periods and maximum competency windows is fundamental to understanding coral population dynamics, informing biogeography and connectivity patterns, and predicting reef recovery following disturbances. Yet for many species, estimates of these early-life history metrics are scarce and vary widely. Furthermore, settlement cues for many taxa are not known despite consequences to habitat selection. Here we performed a comprehensive experimental time-series investigation of larval settlement behaviour, for 25 Indo-Pacific broadcast-spawning species. To investigate the duration of precompetency, improve predictions of the competency windows, and compare settlement responses within and amongst species, we completed replicated and repeated 24-hour assays that exposed larvae to five common settlement cues. Our study revealed that larval competency in some broadcast-spawning species begins as early as two days post fertilization, but that the precompetency period varies within and between species from about two to six days, with consequences for local retention and population connectivity. We also found that larvae of some species are competent to settle beyond 70 days old and display complex temporal settlement behaviour, challenging the assumption that competency gradually wanes over time and adding to the evidence that larval longevity can support genetic connectivity and long-distance dispersal. Using these data, we grouped coral taxa by short, mid and long precompetency periods, and identified their preferred settlement cues. Taken together, these results inform our understanding of larval dynamics across a broad range of coral species and can be applied to investigations of population dynamics, connectivity, and reef recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly J Randall
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
- AIMS@JCU, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | | | | | - Taylor N Whitman
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Cathie A Page
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Eric A Treml
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Murray Logan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrew P Negri
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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