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Zarate D, Gary J, Li J. Flexibility in coral-algal symbiosis is positively correlated with the host geographic range. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14374. [PMID: 38361467 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14374] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Generalists are thought to adapt to broader ecological conditions compared to less flexible specialists. However, few studies have systematically tested what ecological or life-history traits are associated with organisms' ecological flexibility. Here, we used stony corals to test the relative effects of host traits and ecological factors on corals' flexibility to form photosymbioses with algae. We analysed data from 211 stony coral species to test if coral's geographic distribution, depth range, symbiont transmission mode or colony morphology predict coral-algal flexibility. We report a novel positive correlation between coral-algal flexibility and coral species' geographic range. Symbiont transmission mode was also a predictor of flexibility, albeit the result is less robust against sampling bias. Coral depth range and morphology did not show significant effects. We highlight that host-symbiont dispersal abilities, interactions and evolutionary histories likely contribute to the observed patterns. We urge conservation efforts to consider the ecological implications of coral-algal flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zarate
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jaclyn Gary
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Jingchun Li
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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2
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Longley R, Benucci GMN, Pochon X, Bonito G, Bonito V. Species-specific coral microbiome assemblages support host bleaching resistance during an extreme marine heatwave. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167803. [PMID: 37838063 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian assemblages are threatened by marine heat waves with coral survivorship depending on host genetics and microbiome composition. We documented an extreme marine heat wave in Fiji and the response of corals in two thermally stressed reef flats. Through high-throughput amplicon sequencing of 16S and ITS rDNA phylogenetic markers, we assessed coral microbiomes (Symbiodiniaceae, prokaryotes, fungi, and Apicomplexa) of paired bleached and unbleached colonies of four common coral species representative of dominant genera in the South Pacific. While all coral species exhibited one or more pathways to bleaching resistance, harboring assemblages composed primarily of thermally tolerant photosymbionts did not always result in host bleaching resistance. Montipora and Pocillopora species, which associate with diverse Symbiodiniaceae and vertically transmit their photosymbionts, fared better than Acropora, which acquire their photosymbionts from the environment, and Porites, which associate with a narrow photosymbiont assemblage. Prokaryotic and fungal beta diversity did not differ between bleached and unbleached conspecifics, however, the relative abundance of the fungus Malassezia globosa was significantly greater in unbleached colonies of Montipora digitata. Each coral species harbored distinct assemblages of Symbiodiniaceae, prokaryotes, and Apicomplexa, but not fungi, reiterating the importance of host genetics in structuring components of its microbiome. Terrestrial fungal and prokaryotic taxa were detected at low abundance across coral microbiomes, indicating that allochthonous microbial inputs occur, but that coral microbiomes remain dominated by marine microbial taxa. Our study offers valuable insights into the microbiome assemblages associated with coral tolerance to extreme water temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reid Longley
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA
| | | | - Xavier Pochon
- Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax Street East, Nelson 7010, New Zealand; Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Gregory Bonito
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA; Plant, Soil and Microbial Science Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824, MI, USA; Coral Coast Conservation Center, Votua Village, Fiji.
| | - Victor Bonito
- Coral Coast Conservation Center, Votua Village, Fiji; Reef Explorer Fiji, Votua Village, Fiji
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3
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Zhang Z, Liu Y, Zhao W, Ji M. Radiation impacts gene redundancy and biofilm regulation of cryoconite microbiomes in Northern Hemisphere glaciers. MICROBIOME 2023; 11:228. [PMID: 37848997 PMCID: PMC10583317 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01621-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glaciers harbor diverse microorganisms adapted to extreme conditions with high radiation, fluctuating temperature, and low nutrient availability. In glacial ecosystems, cryoconite granules are hotspots of microbial metabolic activity and could influences the biogeochemical cycle on glacier surface. Climate change could influence glacier dynamics by changing regional meteorological factors (e.g., radiation, precipitation, temperature, wind, and evaporation). Moreover, meteorological factors not only influence glacier dynamics but also directly or indirectly influence cryoconite microbiomes. However, the relationship of the meteorological factors and cryoconite microbiome are poorly understood. RESULTS Here, we collected 88 metagenomes from 26 glaciers distributed in the Northern Hemisphere with corresponding public meteorological data to reveal the relationship between meteorological factors and variation of cryoconite microbiome. Our results showed significant differences in taxonomic and genomic characteristics between cryoconite generalists and specialists. Additionally, we found that the biogeography of both generalists and specialists was influenced by solar radiation. Specialists with smaller genome size and lower gene redundancy were more abundant under high radiation stress, implying that streamlined genomes are more adapted to high radiation conditions. Network analysis revealed that biofilm regulation is a ubiquitous function in response to radiation stress, and hub genes were associated with the formation and dispersion of biofilms. CONCLUSION These findings enhance our understanding of glacier cryoconite microbiome variation on a hemispheric scale and indicate the response mechanisms to radiation stress, which will support forecasts of the ecological consequences of future climate change. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yongqin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Center for Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
| | - Weishu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- SJTU Yazhou Bay Institute of Deepsea Sci-Tech, Yongyou Industrial Park, Sanya, 572024, China
- International Center for Deep Life Investigation (IC-DLI), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Mukan Ji
- Center for Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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4
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Khen A, Wall CB, Smith JE. Standardization of in situ coral bleaching measurements highlights the variability in responses across genera, morphologies, and regions. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16100. [PMID: 37810774 PMCID: PMC10552771 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine heatwaves and regional coral bleaching events have become more frequent and severe across the world's oceans over the last several decades due to global climate change. Observational studies have documented spatiotemporal variation in the responses of reef-building corals to thermal stress within and among taxa across geographic scales. Although many tools exist for predicting, detecting, and quantifying coral bleaching, it remains difficult to compare bleaching severity (e.g., percent cover of bleached surface areas) among studies and across species or regions. For this review, we compiled over 2,100 in situ coral bleaching observations representing 87 reef-building coral genera and 250 species of common morphological groups from a total of 74 peer-reviewed scientific articles, encompassing three broad geographic regions (Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans). While bleaching severity was found to vary by region, genus, and morphology, we found that both genera and morphologies responded differently to thermal stress across regions. These patterns were complicated by (i) inconsistent methods and response metrics across studies; (ii) differing ecological scales of observations (i.e., individual colony-level vs. population or community-level); and (iii) temporal variability in surveys with respect to the onset of thermal stress and the chronology of bleaching episodes. To improve cross-study comparisons, we recommend that future surveys prioritize measuring bleaching in the same individual coral colonies over time and incorporate the severity and timing of warming into their analyses. By reevaluating and standardizing the ways in which coral bleaching is quantified, researchers will be able to track responses to marine heatwaves with increased rigor, precision, and accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adi Khen
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher B. Wall
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Jennifer E. Smith
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
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Amario M, Villela LB, Jardim-Messeder D, Silva-Lima AW, Rosado PM, de Moura RL, Sachetto-Martins G, Chaloub RM, Salomon PS. Physiological response of Symbiodiniaceae to thermal stress: Reactive oxygen species, photosynthesis, and relative cell size. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284717. [PMID: 37535627 PMCID: PMC10399794 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the physiological response to heat stress of three genetically different Symbiodiniaceae strains isolated from the scleractinian coral Mussismilia braziliensis, endemic of the Abrolhos Bank, Brazil. Cultures of two Symbiodinium sp. and one Cladocopium sp. were exposed to a stepwise increase in temperature (2°C every second day) ranging from 26°C (modal temperature in Abrolhos) to 32°C (just above the maximum temperature registered in Abrolhos during the third global bleaching event-TGBE). After the cultures reached their final testing temperature, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, single cell attributes (relative cell size and chlorophyll fluorescence), and photosynthetic efficiency (effective (Y(II)) and maximum (Fv/Fm) quantum yields) were measured within 4 h and 72 h. Non-photochemical coefficient (NPQ) was estimated based on fluorescence values. Population average ROS production was variable across strains and exposure times, reaching up a 2-fold increase at 32°C in one of the Symbiodinium sp. strains. A marked intrapopulation difference was observed in ROS production, with 5 to 25% of the cells producing up to 10 times more than the population average, highlighting the importance of single cell approaches to assess population physiology. Average cell size increases at higher temperatures, likely resulting from cell cycle arrest, whereas chlorophyll fluorescence decreased, especially in 4 h, indicating a photoacclimation response. The conditions tested do not seem to have elicited loss of photosynthetic efficiency nor the activation of non-photochemical mechanisms in the cells. Our results unveiled a generalized thermotolerance in three Symbiodiniaceae strains originated from Abrolhos' corals. Inter and intra-specific variability could be detected, likely reflecting the genetic differences among the strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Amario
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lívia Bonetti Villela
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Douglas Jardim-Messeder
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Transdução de Sinal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Plantas, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Arthur Weiss Silva-Lima
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Leão de Moura
- Laboratório de Monitoramento da Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biologia SAGE-COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto Sachetto-Martins
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Transdução de Sinal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Moreira Chaloub
- Laboratório de Estudos Aplicados em Fotossíntese, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sergio Salomon
- Laboratório de Fitoplâncton Marinho, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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6
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Tanvet C, Camp EF, Sutton J, Houlbrèque F, Thouzeau G, Rodolfo‐Metalpa R. Corals adapted to extreme and fluctuating seawater pH increase calcification rates and have unique symbiont communities. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10099. [PMID: 37261315 PMCID: PMC10227177 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Ocean acidification (OA) is a severe threat to coral reefs mainly by reducing their calcification rate. Identifying the resilience factors of corals to decreasing seawater pH is of paramount importance to predict the survivability of coral reefs in the future. This study compared corals adapted to variable pHT (i.e., 7.23-8.06) from the semi-enclosed lagoon of Bouraké, New Caledonia, to corals adapted to more stable seawater pHT (i.e., 7.90-8.18). In a 100-day aquarium experiment, we examined the physiological response and genetic diversity of Symbiodiniaceae from three coral species (Acropora tenuis, Montipora digitata, and Porites sp.) from both sites under three stable pHNBS conditions (8.11, 7.76, 7.54) and one fluctuating pHNBS regime (between 7.56 and 8.07). Bouraké corals consistently exhibited higher growth rates than corals from the stable pH environment. Interestingly, A. tenuis from Bouraké showed the highest growth rate under the 7.76 pHNBS condition, whereas for M. digitata, and Porites sp. from Bouraké, growth was highest under the fluctuating regime and the 8.11 pHNBS conditions, respectively. While OA generally decreased coral calcification by ca. 16%, Bouraké corals showed higher growth rates than corals from the stable pH environment (21% increase for A. tenuis to 93% for M. digitata, with all pH conditions pooled). This superior performance coincided with divergent symbiont communities that were more homogenous for Bouraké corals. Corals adapted to variable pH conditions appear to have a better capacity to calcify under reduced pH compared to corals native to more stable pH condition. This response was not gained by corals from the more stable environment exposed to variable pH during the 100-day experiment, suggesting that long-term exposure to pH fluctuations and/or differences in symbiont communities benefit calcification under OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Tanvet
- Centre IRD NouméaUMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle‐Calédonie, Ifremer)NouméaNew Caledonia
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMARPlouzanéFrance
- Labex ICONA, International CO2 Natural Analogues NetworkShimodaJapan
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jill Sutton
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMARPlouzanéFrance
| | - Fanny Houlbrèque
- Centre IRD NouméaUMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle‐Calédonie, Ifremer)NouméaNew Caledonia
- Labex ICONA, International CO2 Natural Analogues NetworkShimodaJapan
| | | | - Riccardo Rodolfo‐Metalpa
- Centre IRD NouméaUMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle‐Calédonie, Ifremer)NouméaNew Caledonia
- Labex ICONA, International CO2 Natural Analogues NetworkShimodaJapan
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7
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Baum JK, Claar DC, Tietjen KL, Magel JM, Maucieri DG, Cobb KM, McDevitt-Irwin JM. Transformation of coral communities subjected to an unprecedented heatwave is modulated by local disturbance. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabq5615. [PMID: 37018404 PMCID: PMC11318656 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Corals are imminently threatened by climate change-amplified marine heatwaves. However, how to conserve coral reefs remains unclear, since those without local anthropogenic disturbances often seem equally or more susceptible to thermal stress as impacted ones. We disentangle this apparent paradox, revealing that the relationship between reef disturbance and heatwave impacts depends upon the scale of biological organization. We show that a tropical heatwave of globally unprecedented duration (~1 year) culminated in an 89% loss of hard coral cover. At the community level, losses depended on pre-heatwave community structure, with undisturbed sites, which were dominated by competitive corals, undergoing the greatest losses. In contrast, at the species level, survivorship of individual corals typically declined as local disturbance intensified. Our study reveals both that prolonged heatwaves projected under climate change will still have winners and losers and that local disturbance can impair survival of coral species even under such extreme conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K. Baum
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Danielle C. Claar
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Washington State Department of Natural Resources, MS 47027, Olympia, WA 98504, USA
| | - Kristina L. Tietjen
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Jennifer M. T. Magel
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Dominique G. Maucieri
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Kim M. Cobb
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Institute at Brown University for Environment and Society, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Jamie M. McDevitt-Irwin
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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8
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Howe-Kerr LI, Grupstra CGB, Rabbitt KM, Conetta D, Coy SR, Klinges JG, Maher RL, McConnell KM, Meiling SS, Messyasz A, Schmeltzer ER, Seabrook S, Sims JA, Veglia AJ, Thurber AR, Thurber RLV, Correa AMS. Viruses of a key coral symbiont exhibit temperature-driven productivity across a reefscape. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:27. [PMID: 37009785 PMCID: PMC10068613 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00227-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Viruses can affect coral health by infecting their symbiotic dinoflagellate partners (Symbiodiniaceae). Yet, viral dynamics in coral colonies exposed to environmental stress have not been studied at the reef scale, particularly within individual viral lineages. We sequenced the viral major capsid protein (mcp) gene of positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses known to infect symbiotic dinoflagellates ('dinoRNAVs') to analyze their dynamics in the reef-building coral, Porites lobata. We repeatedly sampled 54 colonies harboring Cladocopium C15 dinoflagellates, across three environmentally distinct reef zones (fringing reef, back reef, and forereef) around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia over a 3-year period and spanning a reef-wide thermal stress event. By the end of the sampling period, 28% (5/18) of corals in the fringing reef experienced partial mortality versus 78% (14/18) of corals in the forereef. Over 90% (50/54) of colonies had detectable dinoRNAV infections. Reef zone influenced the composition and richness of viral mcp amino acid types ('aminotypes'), with the fringing reef containing the highest aminotype richness. The reef-wide thermal stress event significantly increased aminotype dispersion, and this pattern was strongest in the colonies that experienced partial mortality. These findings demonstrate that dinoRNAV infections respond to environmental fluctuations experienced in situ on reefs. Further, viral productivity will likely increase as ocean temperatures continue to rise, potentially impacting the foundational symbiosis underpinning coral reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carsten G B Grupstra
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kristen M Rabbitt
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dennis Conetta
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Samantha R Coy
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Oceanography, Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - J Grace Klinges
- Mote Marine Laboratory, Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration, Summerland Key, FL, USA
| | - Rebecca L Maher
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | | | - Sonora S Meiling
- University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, USA
| | - Adriana Messyasz
- Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | - Sarah Seabrook
- Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jordan A Sims
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
- Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
| | - Alex J Veglia
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
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9
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Puntin G, Sweet M, Fraune S, Medina M, Sharp K, Weis VM, Ziegler M. Harnessing the Power of Model Organisms To Unravel Microbial Functions in the Coral Holobiont. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 2022; 86:e0005322. [PMID: 36287022 PMCID: PMC9769930 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.00053-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stony corals build the framework of coral reefs, ecosystems of immense ecological and economic importance. The existence of these ecosystems is threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors that manifest in microbial dysbiosis such as coral bleaching and disease, often leading to coral mortality. Despite a significant amount of research, the mechanisms ultimately underlying these destructive phenomena, and what could prevent or mitigate them, remain to be resolved. This is mostly due to practical challenges in experimentation on corals and the highly complex nature of the coral holobiont that also includes bacteria, archaea, protists, and viruses. While the overall importance of these partners is well recognized, their specific contributions to holobiont functioning and their interspecific dynamics remain largely unexplored. Here, we review the potential of adopting model organisms as more tractable systems to address these knowledge gaps. We draw on parallels from the broader biological and biomedical fields to guide the establishment, implementation, and integration of new and emerging model organisms with the aim of addressing the specific needs of coral research. We evaluate the cnidarian models Hydra, Aiptasia, Cassiopea, and Astrangia poculata; review the fast-evolving field of coral tissue and cell cultures; and propose a framework for the establishment of "true" tropical reef-building coral models. Based on this assessment, we also suggest future research to address key aspects limiting our ability to understand and hence improve the response of reef-building corals to future ocean conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Puntin
- Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Marine Holobiomics Lab, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Michael Sweet
- Aquatic Research Facility, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Fraune
- Institute for Zoology and Organismic Interactions, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Koty Sharp
- Department of Biology, Marine Biology, and Environmental Science, Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Virginia M. Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Marine Holobiomics Lab, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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10
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Johnston EC, Cunning R, Burgess SC. Cophylogeny and specificity between cryptic coral species (Pocillopora spp.) at Mo'orea and their symbionts (Symbiodiniaceae). Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5368-5385. [PMID: 35960256 PMCID: PMC9805206 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The congruence between phylogenies of tightly associated groups of organisms (cophylogeny) reflects evolutionary links between ecologically important interactions. However, despite being a classic example of an obligate symbiosis, tests of cophylogeny between scleractinian corals and their photosynthetic algal symbionts have been hampered in the past because both corals and algae contain genetically unresolved and morphologically cryptic species. Here, we studied co-occurring, cryptic Pocillopora species from Mo'orea, French Polynesia, that differ in their relative abundance across depth. We constructed new phylogenies of the host Pocillopora (using complete mitochondrial genomes, genomic loci, and thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms) and their Symbiodiniaceae symbionts (using ITS2 and psbAncr markers) and tested for cophylogeny. The analysis supported the presence of five Pocillopora species on the fore reef at Mo'orea that mostly hosted either Cladocopium latusorum or C. pacificum. Only Pocillopora species hosting C. latusorum also hosted taxa from Symbiodinium and Durusdinium. In general, the Cladocopium phylogeny mirrored the Pocillopora phylogeny. Within Cladocopium species, lineages also differed in their associations with Pocillopora haplotypes, except those showing evidence of nuclear introgression, and with depth in the two most common Pocillopora species. We also found evidence for a new Pocillopora species (haplotype 10), that has so far only been sampled from French Polynesia, that warrants formal identification. The linked phylogenies of these Pocillopora and Cladocopium species and lineages suggest that symbiont speciation is driven by niche diversification in the host, but there is still evidence for symbiont flexibility in some cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika C. Johnston
- Department of Biological ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFloridaUSA
| | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and ResearchJohn G. Shedd AquariumChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Scott C. Burgess
- Department of Biological ScienceFlorida State UniversityTallahasseeFloridaUSA
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11
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Jandang S, Viyakarn V, Yoshioka Y, Shinzato C, Chavanich S. The seasonal investigation of Symbiodiniaceae in broadcast spawning, Acropora humilis and brooding, Pocillopora cf. damicornis corals. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13114. [PMID: 35722256 PMCID: PMC9205303 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The density and diversity of Symbiodiniaceae associated with corals can be influenced by seasonal changes . This study provided the first annual investigation of Symbiodiniaceae density and diversity associated with Acropora humilis and Pocillopora cf. damicornis corals in the Gulf of Thailand using both zooxanthellae cell count and next-generation sequencing (ITS-1, ITS-2 regions) techniques, respectively. The results from this study indicated that zooxanthellae cell densities in both coral species differ significantly. The number of zooxanthellae was negatively correlated with the physical environment variable (light intensity). The diversity within A. humilis consisted of two genera, Cladocopium (Cspc_C3: 56.39%, C3w: 33.62%, C93type1: 4.42% and Cspf: 3.59%) and a small amount of Durusdinium (D1: 1.03%) whereas P. cf. damicornis was found to be 100% associated with Durusdinium (D1: 95.58%, D6: 1.01% and D10: 2.7%) suggesting that each coral species may select their appropriate genus/species of Symbiodiniaceae in response to local environmental stressors. The results of this study provided some information on the coral-Symbiodiniaceae relationship between seasons, which may be applied to predict the potential adaptation of corals in localized reef environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suppakarn Jandang
- Reef Biology Research Group, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Voranop Viyakarn
- Reef Biology Research Group, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yuki Yoshioka
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Chuya Shinzato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Suchana Chavanich
- Reef Biology Research Group, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,Center of Excellence for Marine Biotechnology, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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12
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Carlot J, Rouzé H, Barneche DR, Mercière A, Espiau B, Cardini U, Brandl SJ, Casey JM, Pérez‐Rosales G, Adjeroud M, Hédouin L, Parravicini V. Scaling up calcification, respiration, and photosynthesis rates of six prominent coral taxa. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8613. [PMID: 35342609 PMCID: PMC8933251 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs provide a range of important services to humanity, which are underpinned by community-level ecological processes such as coral calcification. Estimating these processes relies on our knowledge of individual physiological rates and species-specific abundances in the field. For colonial animals such as reef-building corals, abundance is frequently expressed as the relative surface cover of coral colonies, a metric that does not account for demographic parameters such as coral size. This may be problematic because many physiological rates are directly related to organism size, and failure to account for linear scaling patterns may skew estimates of ecosystem functioning. In the present study, we characterize the scaling of three physiological rates - calcification, respiration, and photosynthesis - considering the colony size for six prominent, reef-building coral taxa in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. After a seven-day acclimation period in the laboratory, we quantified coral physiological rates for three hours during daylight (i.e., calcification and gross photosynthesis) and one hour during night light conditions (i.e., dark respiration). Our results indicate that area-specific calcification rates are higher for smaller colonies across all taxa. However, photosynthesis and respiration rates remain constant over the colony-size gradient. Furthermore, we revealed a correlation between the demographic dynamics of coral genera and the ratio between net primary production and calcification rates. Therefore, intraspecific scaling of reef-building coral physiology not only improves our understanding of community-level coral reef functioning but it may also explain species-specific responses to disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Carlot
- PSL Université ParisUSR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSPerpignanFrance
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- CESAB ‐ FRBMontpellierFrance
| | - Héloïse Rouzé
- PSL Université ParisUSR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSPerpignanFrance
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
| | - Diego R. Barneche
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Alexandre Mercière
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSUSR 3278 CRIOBEPapetoaiFrench Polynesia
| | - Benoit Espiau
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSUSR 3278 CRIOBEPapetoaiFrench Polynesia
| | - Ulisse Cardini
- Integrative Marine Ecology DepartmentStazione Zoologica Anton DohrnNational Institute of Marine Biology, Ecology and BiotechnologyNapoliItaly
- Marine Research InstituteUniversity of KlaipedaKlaipedaLithuania
| | - Simon J. Brandl
- PSL Université ParisUSR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSPerpignanFrance
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- CESAB ‐ FRBMontpellierFrance
- Department of Marine ScienceThe University of Texas at AustinMarine Science InstitutePort AransasTexasUSA
| | - Jordan M. Casey
- PSL Université ParisUSR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSPerpignanFrance
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- Department of Marine ScienceThe University of Texas at AustinMarine Science InstitutePort AransasTexasUSA
| | - Gonzalo Pérez‐Rosales
- PSL Université ParisUSR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSPerpignanFrance
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSUSR 3278 CRIOBEPapetoaiFrench Polynesia
| | - Mehdi Adjeroud
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- CESAB ‐ FRBMontpellierFrance
- ENTROPIE, IRDUniversité de la Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle‐CalédonieCNRS, IfremerPerpignanFrance
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- PSL Université ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSUSR 3278 CRIOBEPapetoaiFrench Polynesia
| | - Valeriano Parravicini
- PSL Université ParisUSR 3278 CRIOBE ‐ EPHE‐UPVD‐CNRSPerpignanFrance
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”ParisFrance
- CESAB ‐ FRBMontpellierFrance
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13
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Matsuda SB, Chakravarti LJ, Cunning R, Huffmyer AS, Nelson CE, Gates RD, van Oppen MJH. Temperature-mediated acquisition of rare heterologous symbionts promotes survival of coral larvae under ocean warming. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:2006-2025. [PMID: 34957651 PMCID: PMC9303745 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals form nutritional symbioses with endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodiniaceae), a relationship that facilitates the ecological success of coral reefs. These symbionts are mostly acquired anew each generation from the environment during early life stages ("horizontal transmission"). Symbiodiniaceae species exhibit trait variation that directly impacts the health and performance of the coral host under ocean warming. Here, we test the capacity for larvae of a horizontally transmitting coral, Acropora tenuis, to establish symbioses with Symbiodiniaceae species in four genera that have varying thermal thresholds (the common symbiont genera, Cladocopium and Durusdinium, and the less common Fugacium and Gerakladium). Over a 2-week period in January 2018, a series of both no-choice and four-way choice experiments were conducted at three temperatures (27, 30, and 31°C). Symbiont acquisition success and cell proliferation were measured in individual larvae. Larvae successfully acquired and maintained symbionts of all four genera in no-choice experiments, and >80% of larvae were infected with at least three genera when offered a four-way choice. Unexpectedly, Gerakladium symbionts increased in dominance over time, and at high temperatures outcompeted Durusdinium, which is regarded as thermally tolerant. Although Fugacium displayed the highest thermal tolerance in culture and reached similar cell densities to the other three symbionts at 31°C, it remained a background symbiont in choice experiments, suggesting host preference for other symbiont species. Larval survivorship at 1 week was highest in larvae associated with Gerakladium and Fugacium symbionts at 27 and 30°C, however at 31°C, mortality was similar for all treatments. We hypothesize that symbionts that are currently rare in corals (e.g., Gerakladium) may become more common and widespread in early life stages under climate warming. Uptake of such symbionts may function as a survival strategy in the wild, and has implications for reef restoration practices that use sexually produced coral stock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shayle B. Matsuda
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine BiologyUniversity of Hawai‘i at MānoaKāne‘oheHawai‘iUSA
| | | | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and ResearchJohn G. Shedd AquariumChicagoIllinoisUSA
| | - Ariana S. Huffmyer
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
| | - Craig E. Nelson
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and EducationDepartment of Oceanography and Sea Grant College ProgramUniversity of Hawai‘i at MānoaHonoluluHawai‘iUSA
| | - Ruth D. Gates
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine BiologyUniversity of Hawai‘i at MānoaKāne‘oheHawai‘iUSA
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- School of BioSciencesThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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14
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Nakayama R, Nakano T, Asakura A. Substrate variety and host preference of the epizoic limpet Lottia tenuisculpta (Patellogastropoda: Lottiidae). MOLLUSCAN RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/13235818.2022.2036308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Nakayama
- Department of Zoology, Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Japan
- Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education & Research Centre, Kyoto University, Wakayama, Japan
- Agriculture and Fisheries, Research Institute of Environment, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Nakano
- Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education & Research Centre, Kyoto University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Akira Asakura
- Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education & Research Centre, Kyoto University, Wakayama, Japan
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15
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Wegley Kelly L, Nelson CE, Petras D, Koester I, Quinlan ZA, Arts MGI, Nothias LF, Comstock J, White BM, Hopmans EC, van Duyl FC, Carlson CA, Aluwihare LI, Dorrestein PC, Haas AF. Distinguishing the molecular diversity, nutrient content, and energetic potential of exometabolomes produced by macroalgae and reef-building corals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2110283119. [PMID: 35101918 PMCID: PMC8812564 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2110283119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolites exuded by primary producers comprise a significant fraction of marine dissolved organic matter, a poorly characterized, heterogenous mixture that dictates microbial metabolism and biogeochemical cycling. We present a foundational untargeted molecular analysis of exudates released by coral reef primary producers using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to examine compounds produced by two coral species and three types of algae (macroalgae, turfing microalgae, and crustose coralline algae [CCA]) from Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Of 10,568 distinct ion features recovered from reef and mesocosm waters, 1,667 were exuded by producers; the majority (86%) were organism specific, reflecting a clear divide between coral and algal exometabolomes. These data allowed us to examine two tenets of coral reef ecology at the molecular level. First, stoichiometric analyses show a significantly reduced nominal carbon oxidation state of algal exometabolites than coral exometabolites, illustrating one ecological mechanism by which algal phase shifts engender fundamental changes in the biogeochemistry of reef biomes. Second, coral and algal exometabolomes were differentially enriched in organic macronutrients, revealing a mechanism for reef nutrient-recycling. Coral exometabolomes were enriched in diverse sources of nitrogen and phosphorus, including tyrosine derivatives, oleoyl-taurines, and acyl carnitines. Exometabolites of CCA and turf algae were significantly enriched in nitrogen with distinct signals from polyketide macrolactams and alkaloids, respectively. Macroalgal exometabolomes were dominated by nonnitrogenous compounds, including diverse prenol lipids and steroids. This study provides molecular-level insights into biogeochemical cycling on coral reefs and illustrates how changing benthic cover on reefs influences reef water chemistry with implications for microbial metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Wegley Kelly
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037;
| | - Craig E Nelson
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822
| | - Daniel Petras
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- CMFI Cluster of Excellence, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Irina Koester
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Zachary A Quinlan
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182
| | - Milou G I Arts
- Department of Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Louis-Felix Nothias
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Jacqueline Comstock
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Brandie M White
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182
| | - Ellen C Hopmans
- Department of Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Fleur C van Duyl
- Department of Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Craig A Carlson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
| | - Lihini I Aluwihare
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Pieter C Dorrestein
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Andreas F Haas
- Department of Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands;
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16
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Kriefall NG, Kanke MR, Aglyamova GV, Davies SW. Reef environments shape microbial partners in a highly connected coral population. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212459. [PMID: 35042418 PMCID: PMC8767194 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence is mounting that composition of microorganisms within a host can play an essential role in total holobiont health. In corals, for instance, studies have identified algal and bacterial taxa that can significantly influence coral host function and these communities depend on environmental context. However, few studies have linked host genetics to algal and microbial partners across environments within a single coral population. Here, using 2b-RAD sequencing of corals and metabarcoding of their associated algal (ITS2) and bacterial (16S) communities, we show evidence that reef zones (locales that differ in proximity to shore and other environmental characteristics) structure algal and bacterial communities at different scales in a highly connected coral population (Acropora hyacinthus) in French Polynesia. Fore reef (FR) algal communities in Mo'orea were more diverse than back reef (BR) communities, suggesting that these BR conditions constrain diversity. Interestingly, in FR corals, host genetic diversity correlated with bacterial diversity, which could imply genotype by genotype interactions between these holobiont members. Our results illuminate that local reef conditions play an important role in shaping unique host-microbial partner combinations, which may have fitness consequences for dispersive coral populations arriving in novel environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M. R. Kanke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - G. V. Aglyamova
- Department of Integrative Biology, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - S. W. Davies
- Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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Exploring the Diversity and Biotechnological Potential of Cultured and Uncultured Coral-Associated Bacteria. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112235. [PMID: 34835361 PMCID: PMC8622030 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral-associated microbes are crucial for the biology of their hosts, contributing to nutrient cycling, adaptation, mitigation of toxic compounds, and biological control of pathogens. Natural products from coral-associated micro-organisms (CAM) may possess unique traits. Despite this, the use of CAM for biotechnological purposes has not yet been adequately explored. Here, we investigated the production of commercially important enzymes by 37 strains of bacteria isolated from the coral species Mussismilia braziliensis, Millepora alcicornis, and Porites astreoides. In-vitro enzymatic assays showed that up to 56% of the isolates produced at least one of the seven enzymes screened (lipase, caseinase, keratinase, cellulase, chitinase, amylase, and gelatinase); one strain, identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens produced all these enzymes. Additionally, coral species-specific cultured and uncultured microbial communities were identified. The phylum Firmicutes predominated among the isolates, including the genera Exiguobacterium, Bacillus, and Halomonas, among others. Next-generation sequencing and bacteria culturing produced similar but also complementary data, with certain genera detected only by one or the other method. Our results demonstrate the importance of exploring different coral species as sources of specific micro-organisms of biotechnological and industrial interest, at the same time reinforcing the economic and ecological importance of coral reefs as reservoirs of such diversity.
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18
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Cannon SE, Aram E, Beiateuea T, Kiareti A, Peter M, Donner SD. Coral reefs in the Gilbert Islands of Kiribati: Resistance, resilience, and recovery after more than a decade of multiple stressors. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255304. [PMID: 34379665 PMCID: PMC8357116 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are increasingly affected by a combination of acute and chronic disturbances from climate change and local stressors. The coral reefs of the Republic of Kiribati's Gilbert Islands are exposed to frequent heat stress caused by central-Pacific type El Niño events, and may provide a glimpse into the future of coral reefs in other parts of the world, where the frequency of heat stress events will likely increase due to climate change. Reefs in the Gilbert Islands experienced a series of acute disturbances over the past fifteen years, including mass coral bleaching in 2004-2005 and 2009-2010, and an outbreak of the corallivorous sea star Acanthaster cf solaris, or Crown-of-Thorns (CoTs), in 2014. The local chronic pressures including nutrient loading, sedimentation and fishing vary within the island chain, with highest pressures on the reefs in urbanized South Tarawa Atoll. In this study, we examine how recovery from acute disturbances differs across a gradient of human influence in neighboring Tarawa and Abaiang Atolls from 2012 through 2018. Benthic cover and size frequency data suggests that local coral communities have adjusted to the heat stress via shifts in the community composition to more temperature-tolerant taxa and individuals. In densely populated South Tarawa, we document a phase shift to the weedy and less bleaching-sensitive coral Porites rus, which accounted for 81% of all coral cover by 2018. By contrast, in less populated Abaiang, coral communities remained comparatively more diverse (with higher percentages of Pocillopora and the octocoral Heliopora) after the disturbances, but reefs had lower overall hard coral cover (18%) and were dominated by turf algae (41%). The CoTs outbreak caused a decline in the cover and mean size of massive Porites, the only taxa that was a 'winner' of the coral bleaching events in Abaiang. Although there are signs of recovery, the long-term trajectory of the benthic communities in Abaiang is not yet clear. We suggest three scenarios: they may remain in their current state (dominated by turf algae), undergo a phase shift to dominance by the macroalgae Halimeda, or recover to dominance by thermally tolerant hard coral genera. These findings provide a rare glimpse at the future of coral reefs around the world and the ways they may be affected by climate change, which may allow scientists to better predict how other reefs will respond to increasing heat stress events across gradients of local human disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E. Cannon
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erietera Aram
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development, Coastal Fisheries Division, Bikenibeui, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
| | - Toaea Beiateuea
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development, Coastal Fisheries Division, Bikenibeui, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
| | - Aranteiti Kiareti
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development, Coastal Fisheries Division, Bikenibeui, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
| | - Max Peter
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development, Coastal Fisheries Division, Bikenibeui, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati
| | - Simon D. Donner
- Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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19
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Qin Z, Yu K, Chen S, Chen B, Liang J, Yao Q, Yu X, Liao Z, Deng C, Liang Y. Microbiome of juvenile corals in the outer reef slope and lagoon of the South China Sea: insight into coral acclimatization to extreme thermal environments. Environ Microbiol 2021; 23:4389-4404. [PMID: 34110067 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental conditions between the outer reef slope (ORS) and lagoon in tropical atolls are significantly different, but the variations of juvenile coral-microbiomes in the two environments and their relationship with coral thermal acclimatization are poorly understood. We explored this issue based on local water conditions and the microbiome of juvenile corals in the ORS and lagoon in the central South China Sea. Coral-symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae showed significant differences among coral species; Pocillopora verrucosa and Pachyseris rugosa in the ORS, and Acropora formosa in the lagoon were dominated by Durusdinium, but other corals were dominated by Cladocopium. Although A. formosa in the ORS were dominated by Cladocopium (C3u), they were dominated by Durusdinium (D1/D1a) and Cladocopium (C50) in the lagoon. Other coral species were both dominated by Cladocopium in the lagoon and ORS. The relative abundance of bacteria in the Deinococcus-Thermus was generally higher in the lagoon corals than in the ORS corals. Our study indicates that P. verrucosa, P. rugosa and Porites lutea may have high thermal tolerance based on the relatively high abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium and Thermus scotoductus. Likewise, A. formosa in the lagoon may acclimatize to the thermal environment based on a high relative abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjun Qin
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Southern Marine and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China
| | - Shuchang Chen
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Qiucui Yao
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Chuanqi Deng
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Yanting Liang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
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20
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Innis T, Allen-Waller L, Brown KT, Sparagon W, Carlson C, Kruse E, Huffmyer AS, Nelson CE, Putnam HM, Barott KL. Marine heatwaves depress metabolic activity and impair cellular acid-base homeostasis in reef-building corals regardless of bleaching susceptibility. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2728-2743. [PMID: 33784420 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ocean warming is causing global coral bleaching events to increase in frequency, resulting in widespread coral mortality and disrupting the function of coral reef ecosystems. However, even during mass bleaching events, many corals resist bleaching despite exposure to abnormally high temperatures. While the physiological effects of bleaching have been well documented, the consequences of heat stress for bleaching-resistant individuals are not well understood. In addition, much remains to be learned about how heat stress affects cellular-level processes that may be overlooked at the organismal level, yet are crucial for coral performance in the short term and ecological success over the long term. Here we compared the physiological and cellular responses of bleaching-resistant and bleaching-susceptible corals throughout the 2019 marine heatwave in Hawai'i, a repeat bleaching event that occurred 4 years after the previous regional event. Relative bleaching susceptibility within species was consistent between the two bleaching events, yet corals of both resistant and susceptible phenotypes exhibited pronounced metabolic depression during the heatwave. At the cellular level, bleaching-susceptible corals had lower intracellular pH than bleaching-resistant corals at the peak of bleaching for both symbiont-hosting and symbiont-free cells, indicating greater disruption of acid-base homeostasis in bleaching-susceptible individuals. Notably, cells from both phenotypes were unable to compensate for experimentally induced cellular acidosis, indicating that acid-base regulation was significantly impaired at the cellular level even in bleaching-resistant corals and in cells containing symbionts. Thermal disturbances may thus have substantial ecological consequences, as even small reallocations in energy budgets to maintain homeostasis during stress can negatively affect fitness. These results suggest concern is warranted for corals coping with ocean acidification alongside ocean warming, as the feedback between temperature stress and acid-base regulation may further exacerbate the physiological effects of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teegan Innis
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Kristen T Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Wesley Sparagon
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | | | - Elisa Kruse
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ariana S Huffmyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Craig E Nelson
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Katie L Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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21
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A Phylogeny-Informed Analysis of the Global Coral-Symbiodiniaceae Interaction Network Reveals that Traits Correlated with Thermal Bleaching Are Specific to Symbiont Transmission Mode. mSystems 2021; 6:6/3/e00266-21. [PMID: 33947806 PMCID: PMC8269218 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00266-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex network of associations between corals and their dinoflagellates (family Symbiodiniaceae) are the basis of coral reef ecosystems but are sensitive to increasing global temperatures. Coral-symbiont interactions are restricted by ecological and evolutionary determinants that constrain partner choice and influence holobiont response to environmental stress; however, little is known about how these processes shape thermal resilience of the holobiont. Here, we built a network of global coral-Symbiodiniaceae associations, mapped species traits (e.g., symbiont transmission mode and biogeography) and phylogenetic relationships of both partners onto the network, and assigned thermotolerance to both host and symbiont nodes. Using network analysis and phylogenetic comparative methods, we determined the contribution of species traits to thermal resilience of the holobiont, while accounting for evolutionary patterns among species. We found that the network shows nonrandom interactions among species, which are shaped by evolutionary history, symbiont transmission mode (horizontally transmitted [HT] or vertically transmitted [VT] corals) and biogeography. Coral phylogeny, but not Symbiodiniaceae phylogeny, symbiont transmission mode, or biogeography, was a good predictor of thermal resilience. Closely related corals have similar Symbiodiniaceae interaction patterns and bleaching susceptibilities. Nevertheless, the association patterns that explain increased host thermal resilience are not generalizable across the entire network but are instead unique to HT and VT corals. Under nonstress conditions, thermally resilient VT coral species associate with thermotolerant phylotypes and limit their number of unique symbionts and overall symbiont thermotolerance diversity, while thermally resilient HT coral species associate with a few host-specific symbiont phylotypes. IMPORTANCE Recent advances have revealed a complex network of interactions between coral and Symbiodiniaceae. Specifically, nonrandom association patterns, which are determined in part by restrictions imposed by symbiont transmission mode, increase the sensitivity of the overall network to thermal stress. However, little is known about the extent to which coral-Symbiodiniaceae network resistance to thermal stress is shaped by host and symbiont species phylogenetic relationships and host and symbiont species traits, such as symbiont transmission mode. We built a frequency-weighted global coral-Symbiodiniaceae network and used network analysis and phylogenetic comparative methods to show that evolutionary relatedness, but not transmission mode, predicts thermal resilience of the coral-Symbiodiniaceae holobiont. Consequently, thermal stress events could result in nonrandom pruning of susceptible lineages and loss of taxonomic diversity with catastrophic effects on community resilience to future events. Our results show that inclusion of the contribution of evolutionary and ecological processes will further our understanding of the fate of coral assemblages under climate change.
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22
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Grupstra CGB, Rabbitt KM, Howe-Kerr LI, Correa AMS. Fish predation on corals promotes the dispersal of coral symbionts. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:25. [PMID: 33752761 PMCID: PMC7986512 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00086-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The microbiomes of foundation (habitat-forming) species such as corals and sponges underpin the biodiversity, productivity, and stability of ecosystems. Consumers shape communities of foundation species through trophic interactions, but the role of consumers in dispersing the microbiomes of such species is rarely examined. For example, stony corals rely on a nutritional symbiosis with single-celled endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (family Symbiodiniaceae) to construct reefs. Most corals acquire Symbiodiniaceae from the environment, but the processes that make Symbiodiniaceae available for uptake are not resolved. Here, we provide the first comprehensive, reef-scale demonstration that predation by diverse coral-eating (corallivorous) fish species promotes the dispersal of Symbiodiniaceae, based on symbiont cell densities and community compositions from the feces of four obligate corallivores, three facultative corallivores, two grazer/detritivores as well as samples of reef sediment and water. RESULTS Obligate corallivore feces are environmental hotspots of Symbiodiniaceae cells: live symbiont cell concentrations in such feces are 5-7 orders of magnitude higher than sediment and water environmental reservoirs. Symbiodiniaceae community compositions in the feces of obligate corallivores are similar to those in two locally abundant coral genera (Pocillopora and Porites), but differ from Symbiodiniaceae communities in the feces of facultative corallivores and grazer/detritivores as well as sediment and water. Combining our data on live Symbiodiniaceae cell densities in feces with in situ observations of fish, we estimate that some obligate corallivorous fish species release over 100 million Symbiodiniaceae cells per 100 m2 of reef per day. Released corallivore feces came in direct contact with coral colonies in the fore reef zone following 91% of observed egestion events, providing a potential mechanism for the transfer of live Symbiodiniaceae cells among coral colonies. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our findings show that fish predation on corals may support the maintenance of coral cover on reefs in an unexpected way: through the dispersal of beneficial coral symbionts in corallivore feces. Few studies examine the processes that make symbionts available to foundation species, or how environmental reservoirs of such symbionts are replenished. This work sets the stage for parallel studies of consumer-mediated microbiome dispersal and assembly in other sessile, habitat-forming species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten G B Grupstra
- BioSciences at Rice, Rice University, 6100 Main St, MS-140, Houston, TX, 77005, USA.
| | - Kristen M Rabbitt
- BioSciences at Rice, Rice University, 6100 Main St, MS-140, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Lauren I Howe-Kerr
- BioSciences at Rice, Rice University, 6100 Main St, MS-140, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Adrienne M S Correa
- BioSciences at Rice, Rice University, 6100 Main St, MS-140, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
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23
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Fox MD, Nelson CE, Oliver TA, Quinlan ZA, Remple K, Glanz J, Smith JE, Putnam HM. Differential resistance and acclimation of two coral species to chronic nutrient enrichment reflect life‐history traits. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D. Fox
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego San Diego CA USA
| | - Craig E. Nelson
- Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Honolulu HI USA
| | - Thomas A. Oliver
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center NOAA Inouye Regional Center Honolulu HI USA
| | - Zachary A. Quinlan
- Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Honolulu HI USA
- Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego CA USA
| | - Kristina Remple
- Department of Oceanography and Sea Grant College Program Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Honolulu HI USA
| | - Jess Glanz
- Department of Biology California State University Northridge Northridge CA USA
| | - Jennifer E. Smith
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego San Diego CA USA
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Rhode Island Kingston RI USA
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24
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Dynamic symbioses reveal pathways to coral survival through prolonged heatwaves. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6097. [PMID: 33293528 PMCID: PMC7723047 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19169-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Prospects for coral persistence through increasingly frequent and extended heatwaves seem bleak. Coral recovery from bleaching is only known to occur after temperatures return to normal, and mitigation of local stressors does not appear to augment coral survival. Capitalizing on a natural experiment in the equatorial Pacific, we track individual coral colonies at sites spanning a gradient of local anthropogenic disturbance through a tropical heatwave of unprecedented duration. Unexpectedly, some corals survived the event by recovering from bleaching while still at elevated temperatures. These corals initially had heat-sensitive algal symbiont communities, endured bleaching, and then recovered through proliferation of heat-tolerant symbionts. This pathway to survival only occurred in the absence of strong local stressors. In contrast, corals in highly disturbed areas were already dominated by heat-tolerant symbionts, and despite initially resisting bleaching, these corals had no survival advantage in one species and 3.3 times lower survival in the other. These unanticipated connections between disturbance, coral symbioses and heat stress resilience reveal multiple pathways to coral survival through future prolonged heatwaves.
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25
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Goulet TL, Erill I, Ascunce MS, Finley SJ, Javan GT. Conceptualization of the Holobiont Paradigm as It Pertains to Corals. Front Physiol 2020; 11:566968. [PMID: 33071821 PMCID: PMC7538806 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.566968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corals' obligate association with unicellular dinoflagellates, family Symbiodiniaceae form the foundation of coral reefs. For nearly a century, researchers have delved into understanding the coral-algal mutualism from multiple levels of resolution and perspectives, and the questions and scope have evolved with each iteration of new techniques. Advances in genetic technologies not only aided in distinguishing between the multitude of Symbiodiniaceae but also illuminated the existence and diversity of other organisms constituting the coral microbiome. The coral therefore is a meta-organism, often referred to as the coral holobiont. In this review, we address the importance of including a holistic perspective to understanding the coral holobiont. We also discuss the ramifications of how different genotypic combinations of the coral consortium affect the holobiont entity. We highlight the paucity of data on most of the coral microbiome. Using Symbiodiniaceae data, we present evidence that the holobiont properties are not necessarily the sum of its parts. We then discuss the consequences of the holobiont attributes to the fitness of the holobiont and the myriad of organisms that contribute to it. Considering the complexity of host-symbiont genotypic combinations will aid in our understanding of coral resilience, robustness, acclimation, and/or adaptation in the face of environmental change and increasing perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar L Goulet
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Ivan Erill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Marina S Ascunce
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Sheree J Finley
- Department of Physical Sciences and Forensic Science Programs, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, United States
| | - Gulnaz T Javan
- Department of Physical Sciences and Forensic Science Programs, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, United States
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26
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Temperature transcends partner specificity in the symbiosis establishment of a cnidarian. ISME JOURNAL 2020; 15:141-153. [PMID: 32934356 PMCID: PMC7852570 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-00768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Coral reef research has predominantly focused on the effect of temperature on the breakdown of coral-dinoflagellate symbioses. However, less is known about how increasing temperature affects the establishment of new coral-dinoflagellate associations. Inter-partner specificity and environment-dependent colonization are two constraints proposed to limit the acquisition of more heat tolerant symbionts. Here, we investigated the symbiotic dynamics of various photosymbionts in different host genotypes under “optimal” and elevated temperature conditions. To do this, we inoculated symbiont-free polyps of the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida originating from Hawaii (H2), North Carolina (CC7), and the Red Sea (RS) with the same mixture of native symbiont strains (Breviolum minutum, Symbiodinium linucheae, S. microadriaticum, and a Breviolum type from the Red Sea) at 25 and 32 °C, and assessed their ITS2 composition, colonization rates, and PSII photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm). Symbiont communities across thermal conditions differed significantly for all hosts, suggesting that temperature rather than partner specificity had a stronger effect on symbiosis establishment. Overall, we detected higher abundances of more heat resistant Symbiodiniaceae types in the 32 °C treatments. Our data further showed that PSII photophysiology under elevated temperature improved with thermal pre-exposure (i.e., higher Fv/Fm), yet, this effect depended on host genotype and was influenced by active feeding as photochemical efficiency dropped in response to food deprivation. These findings highlight the role of temperature and partner fidelity in the establishment and performance of symbiosis and demonstrate the importance of heterotrophy for symbiotic cnidarians to endure and recover from stress.
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27
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Jain SS, Afiq-Rosli L, Feldman B, Levy O, Phua JW, Wainwright BJ, Huang D. Homogenization of Endosymbiont Communities Hosted by Equatorial Corals during the 2016 Mass Bleaching Event. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8091370. [PMID: 32906741 PMCID: PMC7564173 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8091370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermal stress drives the bleaching of reef corals, during which the endosymbiotic relationship between Symbiodiniaceae microalgae and the host breaks down. The endosymbiont communities are known to shift in response to environmental disturbances, but how they respond within and between colonies during and following bleaching events remains unclear. In 2016, a major global-scale bleaching event hit countless tropical reefs. Here, we investigate the relative abundances of Cladocopium LaJeunesse & H.J.Jeong, 2018 and Durusdinium LaJeunesse, 2018 within and among Pachyseris speciosa colonies in equatorial Singapore that are known to host both these Symbiodiniaceae clades. Bleached and unbleached tissues from bleaching colonies, as well as healthy colonies, during and following the bleaching event were sampled and analyzed for comparison. The nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions were separately amplified and quantified using a SYBR Green-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method and Illumina high-throughput sequencing. We found Cladocopium to be highly abundant relative to Durusdinium. The relative abundance of Durusdinium, known to be thermally tolerant, was highest in post-bleaching healthy colonies, while bleached and unbleached tissues from bleaching colonies as well as tissue from healthy colonies during the event had depressed proportions of Durusdinium. Given the importance of Durusdinium for thermal tolerance and stress response, it is surprising that bleached tissue showed limited change over healthy tissue during the bleaching event. Moreover, colonies were invariably dominated by Cladocopium during bleaching, but a minority of colonies were Durusdinium-dominant during non-bleaching times. The detailed characterization of Symbiodiniaceae in specific colonies during stress and recovery will provide insights into this crucial symbiosis, with implications for their responses during major bleaching events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhanshi S. Jain
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore; (L.A.-R.); (J.W.P.)
- Correspondence: (S.S.J.); (D.H.)
| | - Lutfi Afiq-Rosli
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore; (L.A.-R.); (J.W.P.)
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119227, Singapore
| | - Bar Feldman
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (B.F.); (O.L.)
| | - Oren Levy
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel; (B.F.); (O.L.)
| | - Jun Wei Phua
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore; (L.A.-R.); (J.W.P.)
| | - Benjamin J. Wainwright
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore 138527, Singapore;
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558, Singapore; (L.A.-R.); (J.W.P.)
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119227, Singapore
- Correspondence: (S.S.J.); (D.H.)
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28
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Li J, Long L, Zou Y, Zhang S. Microbial community and transcriptional responses to increased temperatures in coral Pocillopora damicornis holobiont. Environ Microbiol 2020; 23:826-843. [PMID: 32686311 PMCID: PMC7984454 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A few studies have holistically examined successive changes in coral holobionts in response to increased temperatures. Here, responses of the coral host Pocillopora damicornis, its Symbiodiniaceae symbionts, and associated bacteria to increased water temperatures were investigated. High temperatures induced bleaching, but no coral mortality was observed. Transcriptome analyses showed that P. damicornis responded more quickly to elevated temperatures than its algal symbionts. Numerous genes putatively associated with apoptosis, exocytosis, and autophagy were upregulated in P. damicornis, suggesting that Symbiodiniaceae can be eliminated or expelled through these mechanisms when P. damicornis experiences heat stress. Furthermore, apoptosis in P. damicornis is presumably induced through tumour necrosis factor and p53 signalling and caspase pathways. The relative abundances of several coral disease-associated bacteria increased at 32°C, which may affect immune responses in heat-stressed corals and potentially accelerates the loss of algal symbionts. Additionally, consistency of Symbiodiniaceae community structures under heat stress suggests non-selective loss of Symbiodiniaceae. We propose that heat stress elicits interrelated response mechanisms in all parts of the coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lijuan Long
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiyang Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Si Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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29
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Claar DC, McDevitt-Irwin JM, Garren M, Vega Thurber R, Gates RD, Baum JK. Increased diversity and concordant shifts in community structure of coral-associated Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria subjected to chronic human disturbance. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2477-2491. [PMID: 32495958 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Both coral-associated bacteria and endosymbiotic algae (Symbiodiniaceae spp.) are vitally important for the biological function of corals. Yet little is known about their co-occurrence within corals, how their diversity varies across coral species, or how they are impacted by anthropogenic disturbances. Here, we sampled coral colonies (n = 472) from seven species, encompassing a range of life history traits, across a gradient of chronic human disturbance (n = 11 sites on Kiritimati [Christmas] atoll) in the central equatorial Pacific, and quantified the sequence assemblages and community structure of their associated Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial communities. Although Symbiodiniaceae alpha diversity did not vary with chronic human disturbance, disturbance was consistently associated with higher bacterial Shannon diversity and richness, with bacterial richness by sample almost doubling from sites with low to very high disturbance. Chronic disturbance was also associated with altered microbial beta diversity for Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria, including changes in community structure for both and increased variation (dispersion) of the Symbiodiniaceae communities. We also found concordance between Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial community structure, when all corals were considered together, and individually for two massive species, Hydnophora microconos and Porites lobata, implying that symbionts and bacteria respond similarly to human disturbance in these species. Finally, we found that the dominant Symbiodiniaceae ancestral lineage in a coral colony was associated with differential abundances of several distinct bacterial taxa. These results suggest that increased beta diversity of Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial communities may be a reliable indicator of stress in the coral microbiome, and that there may be concordant responses to chronic disturbance between these communities at the whole-ecosystem scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle C Claar
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.,School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jamie M McDevitt-Irwin
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.,Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melissa Garren
- School of Natural Sciences, California State University Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA, USA
| | | | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawai`i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Julia K Baum
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.,Hawai`i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai`i, Honolulu, HI, USA
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30
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Voolstra CR, Ziegler M. Adapting with Microbial Help: Microbiome Flexibility Facilitates Rapid Responses to Environmental Change. Bioessays 2020; 42:e2000004. [DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology and SystematicsJustus Liebig University Giessen 35392 Germany
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31
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Swain TD, Lax S, Backman V, Marcelino LA. Uncovering the role of Symbiodiniaceae assemblage composition and abundance in coral bleaching response by minimizing sampling and evolutionary biases. BMC Microbiol 2020; 20:124. [PMID: 32429833 PMCID: PMC7236918 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-020-01765-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biodiversity and productivity of coral-reef ecosystems depend upon reef-building corals and their associations with endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae, which offer diverse functional capabilities to their hosts. The number of unique symbiotic partners (richness) and relative abundances (evenness) have been hypothesized to affect host response to climate change induced thermal stress. Symbiodiniaceae assemblages with many unique phylotypes may provide greater physiological flexibility or form less stable symbioses; assemblages with low abundance phylotypes may allow corals to retain thermotolerant symbionts or represent associations with less-suitable symbionts. RESULTS Here we demonstrate that true richness of Symbiodiniaceae phylotype assemblages is generally not discoverable from direct enumeration of unique phylotypes in association records and that cross host-species comparisons are biased by sampling and evolutionary patterns among species. These biases can be minimized through rarefaction of richness (rarefied-richness) and evenness (Probability of Interspecific Encounter, PIE), and analyses that account for phylogenetic patterns. These standardized metrics were calculated for individual Symbiodiniaceae assemblages composed of 377 unique ITS2 phylotypes associated with 123 coral species. Rarefied-richness minimized correlations with sampling effort, while maintaining important underlying characteristics across host bathymetry and geography. Phylogenetic comparative methods reveal significant increases in coral bleaching and mortality associated with increasing Symbiodiniaceae assemblage richness and evenness at the level of host species. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the potential flexibility afforded by assemblages characterized by many phylotypes present at similar relative abundances does not result in decreased bleaching risk and point to the need to characterize the overall functional and genetic diversity of Symbiodiniaceae assemblages to quantify their effect on host fitness under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy D Swain
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA
- Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, 33004, USA
| | - Simon Lax
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Physics of Living Systems, Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Vadim Backman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Luisa A Marcelino
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA.
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32
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Newkirk CR, Frazer TK, Martindale MQ, Schnitzler CE. Adaptation to Bleaching: Are Thermotolerant Symbiodiniaceae Strains More Successful Than Other Strains Under Elevated Temperatures in a Model Symbiotic Cnidarian? Front Microbiol 2020; 11:822. [PMID: 32431680 PMCID: PMC7214872 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability of some symbiotic cnidarians to resist and better withstand stress factors that cause bleaching is a trait that is receiving increased attention. The adaptive bleaching hypothesis postulates that cnidarians that can form a stable symbiosis with thermotolerant Symbiodiniaceae strains may cope better with increasing seawater temperatures. We used polyps of the scyphozoan, Cassiopea xamachana, as a model system to test symbiosis success under heat stress. We sought to determine: (1) if aposymbiotic C. xamachana polyps could establish and maintain a symbiosis with both native and non-native strains of Symbiodiniaceae that all exhibit different tolerances to heat, (2) whether polyps with these newly acquired Symbiodiniaceae strains would strobilate (produce ephyra), and (3) if thermally tolerant Symbiodiniaceae strains that established and maintained a symbiosis exhibited greater success in response to heat stress (even if they are not naturally occurring in Cassiopea). Following recolonization of aposymbiotic C. xamachana polyps with different strains, we found that: (1) strains Smic, Stri, Slin, and Spil all established a stable symbiosis that promoted strobilation and (2) strains Bmin1 and Bmin2 did not establish a stable symbiosis and strobilation did not occur. Strains Smic, Stri, Slin, and Spil were used in a subsequent bleaching experiment; each of the strains was introduced to a subset of aposymbiotic polyps and once polyp tissues were saturated with symbionts they were subjected to elevated temperatures - 32°C and 34°C - for 2 weeks. Our findings indicate that, in general, pairings of polyps with Symbiodiniaceae strains that are native to Cassiopea (Stri and Smic) performed better than a non-native strain (Slin) even though this strain has a high thermotolerance. This suggests a degree of partner specificity that may limit the adaptive potential of certain cnidarians to increased ocean warming. We also observed that the free-living, non-native thermotolerant strain Spil was relatively successful in resisting bleaching during experimental trials. This suggests that free-living Symbiodiniaceae may provide a supply of potentially "new" thermotolerant strains to cnidarians following a bleaching event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casandra R. Newkirk
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, United States
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Thomas K. Frazer
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Mark Q. Martindale
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, United States
| | - Christine E. Schnitzler
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, United States
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33
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Howe-Kerr LI, Bachelot B, Wright RM, Kenkel CD, Bay LK, Correa AMS. Symbiont community diversity is more variable in corals that respond poorly to stress. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2220-2234. [PMID: 32048447 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are declining globally as climate change and local water quality press environmental conditions beyond the physiological tolerances of holobionts-the collective of the host and its microbial symbionts. To assess the relationship between symbiont composition and holobiont stress tolerance, community diversity metrics were quantified for dinoflagellate endosymbionts (Family: Symbiodiniaceae) from eight Acropora millepora genets that thrived under or responded poorly to various stressors. These eight selected genets represent the upper and lower tails of the response distribution of 40 coral genets that were exposed to four stress treatments (and control conditions) in a 10-day experiment. Specifically, four 'best performer' coral genets were analyzed at the end of the experiment because they survived high temperature, high pCO2 , bacterial exposure, or combined stressors, whereas four 'worst performer' genets were characterized because they experienced substantial mortality under these stressors. At the end of the experiment, seven of eight coral genets mainly hosted Cladocopium symbionts, whereas the eighth genet was dominated by both Cladocopium and Durusdinium symbionts. Symbiodiniaceae alpha and beta diversity were higher in worst performing genets than in best performing genets. Symbiont communities in worst performers also differed more after stress exposure relative to their controls (based on normalized proportional differences in beta diversity), than did best performers. A generalized joint attribute model estimated the influence of host genet and treatment on Symbiodiniaceae community composition and identified strong associations among particular symbionts and host genet performance, as well as weaker associations with treatment. Although dominant symbiont physiology and function contribute to host performance, these findings emphasize the importance of symbiont community diversity and stochasticity as components of host performance. Our findings also suggest that symbiont community diversity metrics may function as indicators of resilience and have potential applications in diverse disciplines from climate change adaptation to agriculture and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Carly D Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
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34
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Claar DC, Tietjen KL, Cox KD, Gates RD, Baum JK. Chronic disturbance modulates symbiont (Symbiodiniaceae) beta diversity on a coral reef. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4492. [PMID: 32161299 PMCID: PMC7066189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60929-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic disturbance can disrupt ecological interactions including the foundational symbiosis between reef-building corals and the dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae. Symbiodiniaceae are photosynthetic endosymbionts necessary for coral survival, but many Symbiodiniaceae can also be found free-living in the environment. Since most coral species acquire new Symbiodiniaceae from the environment each generation, free-living Symbiodiniaceae represent important pools for coral symbiont acquisition. Yet, little is known about the diversity of, or impacts of disturbance on, free-living Symbiodiniaceae. To determine how chronic and pulse disturbances influence Symbiodiniaceae communities, we sampled three reef habitat compartments - sediment, water, and coral (Pocillopora grandis, Montipora aequituberculata, Porites lobata) - at sites exposed to different levels of chronic anthropogenic disturbance, before, during, and after a major storm. Almost no (4%) Symbiodiniaceae amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were found in all three compartments, and over half were found uniquely in coral. Sites experiencing chronic disturbance were typically associated with higher symbiont beta diversity (i.e., variability and turnover) across reef habitat compartments. Pulse stress, from the storm, exhibited some influence on symbiont beta diversity but the effect was inconsistent. This suggests that in this ecosystem, the effects of chronic disturbance are more prominent than temporal variability during a pulse disturbance for shaping symbiont communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle C Claar
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada. .,University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science, 1122 NE Boat St, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Kristina L Tietjen
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Kieran D Cox
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada.,Hakai Institute, Calvert Island, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Julia K Baum
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 2Y2, Canada. .,Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA.
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35
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Alves Monteiro HJ, Brahmi C, Mayfield AB, Vidal-Dupiol J, Lapeyre B, Le Luyer J. Molecular mechanisms of acclimation to long-term elevated temperature exposure in marine symbioses. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1271-1284. [PMID: 31692206 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Seawater temperature rise in French Polynesia has repeatedly resulted in the bleaching of corals and giant clams. Because giant clams possess distinctive ectosymbiotic features, they represent a unique and powerful model for comparing molecular pathways involved in (a) maintenance of symbiosis and (b) acquisition of thermotolerance among coral reef organisms. Herein, we explored the physiological and transcriptomic responses of the clam hosts and their photosynthetically active symbionts over a 65 day experiment in which clams were exposed to either normal or environmentally relevant elevated seawater temperatures. Additionally, we used metabarcoding data coupled with in situ sampling/survey data to explore the relative importance of holobiont adaptation (i.e., a symbiont community shift) versus acclimation (i.e., physiological changes at the molecular level) in the clams' responses to environmental change. We finally compared transcriptomic data to publicly available genomic datasets for Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates (both cultured and in hospite with the coral Pocillopora damicornis) to better tease apart the responses of both hosts and specific symbiont genotypes in this mutualistic association. Gene module preservation analysis revealed that the function of the symbionts' photosystem II was impaired at high temperature, and this response was also found across all holobionts and Symbiodiniaceae lineages examined. Similarly, epigenetic modulation appeared to be a key response mechanism for symbionts in hospite with giant clams exposed to high temperatures, and such modulation was able to distinguish thermotolerant from thermosensitive Cladocopium goreaui ecotypes; epigenetic processes may, then, represent a promising research avenue for those interested in coral reef conservation in this era of changing global climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chloé Brahmi
- Université de la Polynésie Française, UMR Ecosystèmes Insulaires Océaniens, Ifremer, ILM, IRD, Tahiti, Polynésie Française
| | - Anderson B Mayfield
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Taiwan
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Bruno Lapeyre
- EPHE-CNRS-UPVD, USR3278-CRIOBE, Labex CORAIL, Moorea, Polynésie Française
| | - Jérémy Le Luyer
- IFREMER, UMR Ecosystèmes Insulaires Océaniens, UPF, ILM, IRD, Tahiti, Polynésie Française
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36
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Morgans CA, Hung JY, Bourne DG, Quigley KM. Symbiodiniaceae probiotics for use in bleaching recovery. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carys A. Morgans
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook University Townsville Queensland 4814 Australia
| | - Julia Y. Hung
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook University Townsville Queensland 4814 Australia
| | - David G. Bourne
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook University Townsville Queensland 4814 Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Townsville Queensland 4816 Australia
| | - Kate M. Quigley
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook University Townsville Queensland 4814 Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Townsville Queensland 4816 Australia
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37
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Howells EJ, Bauman AG, Vaughan GO, Hume BCC, Voolstra CR, Burt JA. Corals in the hottest reefs in the world exhibit symbiont fidelity not flexibility. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:899-911. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily J. Howells
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology New York University Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions and School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW Australia
| | - Andrew G. Bauman
- Experimental Marine Ecology Laboratory Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore City Singapore
| | - Grace O. Vaughan
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology New York University Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
| | - Benjamin C. C. Hume
- Red Sea Research Center Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Thuwal Saudi Arabia
| | - Christian R. Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Thuwal Saudi Arabia
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
| | - John A. Burt
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology New York University Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates
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38
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Qin Z, Yu K, Chen B, Wang Y, Liang J, Luo W, Xu L, Huang X. Diversity of Symbiodiniaceae in 15 Coral Species From the Southern South China Sea: Potential Relationship With Coral Thermal Adaptability. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2343. [PMID: 31681208 PMCID: PMC6813740 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-known that the adaptability of coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis to thermal stress varies among coral species, but the cause and/or mechanism behind it are not well-understood. In this study, we aimed to explore this issue based on zooxanthellae density (ZD) and Symbiodiniaceae genus/subclade. Hemocytometry and next-generation sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) marker gene were used to observe ZDs and Symbiodiniaceae genera/subclades associated with 15 typical coral species in the southern South China Sea (SCS). Average ZDs of all corals were in low levels, ranging from 0.84 to 1.22 × 106 cells cm−2, with a total of five Symbiodiniaceae genera, Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, Durusdinium, Fugacium, and Gerakladium, as well as 24 dominant subclades, were detected and varied among these coral species. Pocillopora verrucosa was dominated by Durusdinium (subclade D1/D1a), and other colonial corals were dominated by Cladocopium, but the subclades were varied among these species. Porites lutea and Montipora efflorescens were dominated by C15, and Echinopora lamellosa, Hydnophora exesa, and Coscinaraea exesa were dominated by C40. Acropora corymbosa, Merulina ampliata, and five species of Faviidae were mainly associated with Cladocopium types of C3u and Cspc. In contrast to other colonial corals, the dominant subclade of solitary Fungia fungites was C27, with high host specificity. Our study indicates that coral thermal stress adaptability is mainly affected by dominant Symbiodiniaceae type instead of ZD in the southern SCS. Some heat-sensitive corals, such as P. verrucosa corals, have acquired a high abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium to adapt to thermal stress. This could be the main reason for these corals becoming the dominant corals in this reef region. Background subclades analyses showed significant differences among coral species in subclade quantity and diversity. These suggest that numbers of coral species may have adapted to high environmental temperature by adopting various symbionts and/or associating with heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjun Qin
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Wenwen Luo
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Lijia Xu
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, China.,School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,College of Forestry, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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39
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Hill LJ, Paradas WC, Willemes MJ, Pereira MG, Salomon PS, Mariath R, Moura RL, Atella GC, Farina M, Amado-Filho GM, Salgado LT. Acidification-induced cellular changes in Symbiodinium isolated from Mussismilia braziliensis. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220130. [PMID: 31381568 PMCID: PMC6681953 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Dinoflagellates from the Symbiodiniaceae family and corals have an ecologically important endosymbiotic relationship. Scleractinian corals cannot survive for long periods without their symbionts. These algae, also known as zooxanthellae, on the other hand, thrives outside the coral cells. The free-living populations of zooxanthellae are essential for the resilience of the coral to environmental stressors such as temperature anomalies and ocean acidification. Yet, little is known about how ocean acidification may affect the free-living zooxanthellae. In this study we aimed to test morphological, physiological and biochemical responses of zooxanthellae from the Symbiodinium genus isolated from the coral Mussismilia braziliensis, endemic to the Brazilian coast, to acidification led by increased atmospheric CO2. We tested whether photosynthetic yield, cell ultrastructure, cell density and lipid profile would change after up to 16 days of exposure to pH 7.5 in an atmospheric pCO2 of 1633 μatm. Photosynthetic yield and cell density were negatively affected and chloroplasts showed vesiculated thylakoids, indicating morphological damage. Moreover, Symbiodinium fatty acid profile drastically changed in acidified condition, showing lower polyunsaturated fatty acids and higher saturated fatty acids contents, when compared to the control, non-acidified condition. These results show that seawater acidification as an only stressor causes significant changes in the physiology, biochemistry and ultrastructure of free-living Symbiodinium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian J Hill
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wladimir C Paradas
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Maria Julia Willemes
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Miria G Pereira
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Paulo S Salomon
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Mariath
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo L Moura
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Georgia C Atella
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos Farina
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gilberto M Amado-Filho
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo T Salgado
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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40
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Gabay Y, Parkinson JE, Wilkinson SP, Weis VM, Davy SK. Inter-partner specificity limits the acquisition of thermotolerant symbionts in a model cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2489-2499. [PMID: 31186513 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The ability of corals and other cnidarians to survive climate change depends partly on the composition of their endosymbiont communities. The dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae is genetically and physiologically diverse, and one proposed mechanism for cnidarians to acclimate to rising temperatures is to acquire more thermally tolerant symbionts. However, cnidarian-dinoflagellate associations vary in their degree of specificity, which may limit their capacity to alter symbiont communities. Here, we inoculated symbiont-free polyps of the sea anemone Exaiptasia pallida (commonly referred to as 'Aiptasia'), a model system for the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis, with simultaneous or sequential mixtures of thermally tolerant and thermally sensitive species of Symbiodiniaceae. We then monitored symbiont success (relative proportional abundance) at normal and elevated temperatures across two to four weeks. All anemones showed signs of bleaching at high temperature. During simultaneous inoculations, the native, thermally sensitive Breviolum minutum colonized polyps most successfully regardless of temperature when paired against the non-native but more thermally tolerant Symbiodinium microadriaticum or Durusdinium trenchii. Furthermore, anemones initially colonized with B. minutum and subsequently exposed to S. microadriaticum failed to acquire the new symbiont. These results highlight how partner specificity may place strong limitations on the ability of certain cnidarians to acquire more thermally tolerant symbionts, and hence their adaptive potential under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Gabay
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - John Everett Parkinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | - Shaun P Wilkinson
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand
| | - Virginia M Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Simon K Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
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41
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Unique quantitative Symbiodiniaceae signature of coral colonies revealed through spatio-temporal survey in Moorea. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7921. [PMID: 31138834 PMCID: PMC6538640 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44017-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the mechanisms of rapid adaptation or acclimatization to environmental changes in corals is through the dynamics of the composition of their associated endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae community. The various species of these dinoflagellates are characterized by different biological properties, some of which can confer stress tolerance to the coral host. Compelling evidence indicates that the corals’ Symbiodiniaceae community can change via shuffling and/or switching but the ecological relevance and the governance of these processes remain elusive. Using a qPCR approach to follow the dynamics of Symbiodiniaceae genera in tagged colonies of three coral species over a 10–18 month period, we detected putative genus-level switching of algal symbionts, with coral species-specific rates of occurrence. However, the dynamics of the corals’ Symbiodiniaceae community composition was not driven by environmental parameters. On the contrary, putative shuffling event were observed in two coral species during anomalous seawater temperatures and nutrient concentrations. Most notably, our results reveal that a suit of permanent Symbiodiniaceae genera is maintained in each colony in a specific range of quantities, giving a unique ‘Symbiodiniaceae signature’ to the host. This individual signature, together with sporadic symbiont switching may account for the intra-specific differences in resistance and resilience observed during environmental anomalies.
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Bernasconi R, Stat M, Koenders A, Huggett MJ. Global Networks of Symbiodinium-Bacteria Within the Coral Holobiont. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 77:794-807. [PMID: 30218130 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-018-1255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian corals form the framework of coral reefs and host abundant and diverse microbial communities that are fundamental to their success. A very limited number of studies have examined the co-occurrence of multiple partners within the coral 'holobiont' and their pattern of specificity over different geographical scales. In this study, we explored two molecular sequence datasets representing associations between corals and dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium and between corals and bacteria, across the globe. Through a network theory approach, we characterised patterns of co-occurrences between bacteria and Symbiodinium with 13 coral genera across six water basins. The majority of the bacteria-Symbiodinium co-occurrences were specific to either a coral genus or water basin, emphasising both coral host and environment as important factors driving the diversity of coral assemblages. Yet, results also identified bacteria and Symbiodinium that were shared by multiple coral genera across several water basins. The analyses indicate that shared co-occurrences are independent of the phylogenetic and biogeographic relationship of coral hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachele Bernasconi
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia.
| | - Michael Stat
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture Curtin University, Bentley, 6102, Western Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
| | - Annette Koenders
- Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
| | - Megan J Huggett
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, 270 Joondalup Dr, Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027, Australia
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, PO Box 127, Ourimbah, New South Wales, 2258, Australia
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Donner SD, Carilli J. Resilience of Central Pacific reefs subject to frequent heat stress and human disturbance. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3484. [PMID: 30837608 PMCID: PMC6401028 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40150-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Frequent occurrences of coral bleaching and associated coral mortality over recent decades have raised concerns about the survival of coral reefs in a warming planet. The El Niño-influenced coral reefs in the central Gilbert Islands of the Republic of Kiribati, which experience years with prolonged heat stress more frequently than 99% of the world's reefs, may serve as a natural model for coral community response to frequent heat stress. Here we use nine years of survey data (2004-2012) and a suite of remote sensing variables from sites along gradients of climate variability and human disturbance in the region to evaluate the drivers of coral community response to, and recovery from, multiple heat stress events. The results indicate that the extent of bleaching was limited during the 2009-2010 El Niño event, in contrast to a similar 2004-2005 event, and was correlated with incoming light and historical temperature variability, rather than heat stress. Spatial and temporal patterns in benthic cover suggest growing resistance to bleaching-level heat stress among coral communities subject to high inter-annual temperature variability and local disturbance, due to the spread of "weedy" and temperature-tolerant species (e.g., Porites rus) and the cloudy conditions in the region during El Niño events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon D Donner
- Department of Geography, 1984 West Mall University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z2, Canada.
| | - Jessica Carilli
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, New Illawarra Rd, Lucas Heights, NSW, 2234, Australia
- Energy and Environmental Sciences, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, 53475 Strothe Rd, San Diego, CA, 92152, USA
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Helmkampf M, Bellinger MR, Frazier M, Takabayashi M. Symbiont type and environmental factors affect transcriptome-wide gene expression in the coral Montipora capitata. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:378-392. [PMID: 30680121 PMCID: PMC6341978 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Revised: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reef-building corals may harbor genetically distinct lineages of endosymbiotic dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium, which have been shown to affect important colony properties, including growth rates and resilience against environmental stress. However, the molecular processes underlying these differences are not well understood. In this study, we used whole transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to assess gene expression differences between 27 samples of the coral Montipora capitata predominantly hosting two different Symbiodinium types in clades C and D. The samples were further characterized by their origin from two field sites on Hawai'i Island with contrasting environmental conditions. We found that transcriptome-wide gene expression profiles clearly separated by field site first, and symbiont clade second. With 273 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 1.3% of all host transcripts), symbiont clade had a measurable effect on host gene expression, but the effect of field site proved almost an order of magnitude higher (1,957 DEGs, 9.6%). According to SNP analysis, we found moderate evidence for host genetic differentiation between field sites (F ST = 0.046) and among corals harboring alternative symbiont clades (F ST = 0.036), suggesting that site-related gene expression differences are likely due to a combination of local adaptation and acclimatization to environmental factors. The correlation between host gene expression and symbiont clade may be due to several factors, including host genotype or microhabitat selecting for alternative clades, host physiology responding to different symbionts, or direct modulation of host gene expression by Symbiodinium. However, the magnitude of these effects at the level of transcription was unexpectedly small considering the contribution of symbiont type to holobiont phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Helmkampf
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Hawaiʻi at HiloHiloHawaii
| | - M. Renee Bellinger
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Hawaiʻi at HiloHiloHawaii
| | - Monika Frazier
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Hawaiʻi at HiloHiloHawaii
| | - Misaki Takabayashi
- Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental ScienceUniversity of Hawaiʻi at HiloHiloHawaii
- Okinawa Institute of Science and TechnologyOnna-son, OkinawaJapan
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Kenkel CD, Bay LK. Exploring mechanisms that affect coral cooperation: symbiont transmission mode, cell density and community composition. PeerJ 2018; 6:e6047. [PMID: 30533318 PMCID: PMC6282938 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The coral symbiosis is the linchpin of the reef ecosystem, yet the mechanisms that promote and maintain cooperation between hosts and symbionts have not been fully resolved. We used a phylogenetically controlled design to investigate the role of vertical symbiont transmission, an evolutionary mechanism in which symbionts are inherited directly from parents, predicted to enhance cooperation and holobiont fitness. Six species of coral, three vertical transmitters and their closest horizontally transmitting relatives, which exhibit environmental acquisition of symbionts, were fragmented and subjected to a 2-week thermal stress experiment. Symbiont cell density, photosynthetic function and translocation of photosynthetically fixed carbon between symbionts and hosts were quantified to assess changes in physiological performance and cooperation. All species exhibited similar decreases in symbiont cell density and net photosynthesis in response to elevated temperature, consistent with the onset of bleaching. Yet baseline cooperation, or translocation of photosynthate, in ambient conditions and the reduction in cooperation in response to elevated temperature differed among species. Although Porites lobata and Galaxea acrhelia did exhibit the highest levels of baseline cooperation, we did not observe universally higher levels of cooperation in vertically transmitting species. Post hoc sequencing of the Symbiodinium ITS-2 locus was used to investigate the potential role of differences in symbiont community composition. Interestingly, reductions in cooperation at the onset of bleaching tended to be associated with increased symbiont community diversity among coral species. The theoretical benefits of evolving vertical transmission are based on the underlying assumption that the host-symbiont relationship becomes genetically uniform, thereby reducing competition among symbionts. Taken together, our results suggest that it may not be vertical transmission per se that influences host-symbiont cooperation, but genetic uniformity of the symbiont community, although additional work is needed to test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly D. Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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Schmidt C, Morard R, Romero O, Kucera M. Diverse Internal Symbiont Community in the Endosymbiotic Foraminifera Pararotalia calcariformata: Implications for Symbiont Shuffling Under Thermal Stress. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2018. [PMID: 30254612 PMCID: PMC6141668 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many shallow-water tropical and subtropical foraminifera engage in photosymbiosis with eukaryotic microalgae. Some of these foraminifera appear to harbor a diverse consortium of endosymbiotic algae within a single host. Such apparent ability to contain different symbionts could facilitate change in symbiont community composition (symbiont shuffling) and mediate the ecological success of the group in a changing environment. However, the discovery of the intra-individual symbiont diversity was thus far based on symbiont culturing, which provides strong constraints on the vitality of the identified algae but provides poor constraints on their initial abundance and thus functional relevance to the host. Here we analyze the algal symbiont diversity in Pararotalia calcariformata, a benthic foraminifera sampled at four stations, inside and outside of a thermal plume in the eastern Mediterranean coast of Israel. This species has recently invaded the Mediterranean, is unusually thermally tolerant and was described previously to host at least one different diatom symbiont than other symbiont-bearing foraminifera. Our results using genotyping and isolation of algae in culture medium, confirm multiple associations with different diatom species within the same individual. Both methods revealed spatially consistent symbiont associations and identified the most common symbiont as a pelagic diatom Minutocellus polymorphus. In one case, an alternative dominant symbiont, the diatom Navicula sp., was detected by genotyping. This diatom was the third most abundant species identified using standard algae culturing method. This method further revealed a spatially consistent pattern in symbiont diversity of a total of seventeen identified diatom species, across the studied localities. Collectively, these results indicate that P. calcariformata hosts a diverse consortium of diatom endosymbionts, where different members can become numerically dominant and thus functionally relevant in a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Schmidt
- MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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Clerissi C, Brunet S, Vidal-Dupiol J, Adjeroud M, Lepage P, Guillou L, Escoubas JM, Toulza E. Protists Within Corals: The Hidden Diversity. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2043. [PMID: 30233528 PMCID: PMC6127297 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous observations suggested that microbial communities contribute to coral health and the ecological resilience of coral reefs. However, most studies of coral microbiology focused on prokaryotes and the endosymbiotic algae Symbiodinium. In contrast, knowledge concerning diversity of other protists is still lacking, possibly due to methodological constraints. As most eukaryotic DNA in coral samples was derived from hosts, protist diversity was missed in metagenome analyses. To tackle this issue, we designed blocking primers for Scleractinia sequences amplified with two primer sets that targeted variable loops of the 18S rRNA gene (18SV1V2 and 18SV4). These blocking primers were used on environmental colonies of Pocillopora damicornis sensu lato from two regions with contrasting thermal regimes (Djibouti and New Caledonia). In addition to Symbiodinium clades A/C/D, Licnophora and unidentified coccidia genera were found in many samples. In particular, coccidian sequences formed a robust monophyletic clade with other protists identified in Agaricia, Favia, Montastraea, Mycetophyllia, Porites, and Siderastrea coral colonies. Moreover, Licnophora and coccidians had different distributions between the two geographic regions. A similar pattern was observed between Symbiodinium clades C and A/D. Although we were unable to identify factors responsible for this pattern, nor were we able to confirm that these taxa were closely associated with corals, we believe that these primer sets and the associated blocking primers offer new possibilities to describe the hidden diversity of protists within different coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Clerissi
- Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, IHPE UMR 5244, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ. Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Sébastien Brunet
- McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jeremie Vidal-Dupiol
- IFREMER, IHPE UMR 5244, Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Mehdi Adjeroud
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR 9220 ENTROPIE & Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan, France
| | - Pierre Lepage
- McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Laure Guillou
- CNRS, UMR 7144, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France
| | - Jean-Michel Escoubas
- CNRS, IHPE UMR 5244, Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, IFREMER, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Eve Toulza
- Univ. Perpignan Via Domitia, IHPE UMR 5244, CNRS, IFREMER, Univ. Montpellier, Perpignan, France
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Putnam HM, Barott KL, Ainsworth TD, Gates RD. The Vulnerability and Resilience of Reef-Building Corals. Curr Biol 2018; 27:R528-R540. [PMID: 28586690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.04.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Reef-building corals provide the foundation for the structural and biological diversity of coral-reef ecosystems. These massive biological structures, which can be seen from space, are the culmination of complex interactions between the tiny polyps of the coral animal in concert with its unicellular symbiotic algae and a wide diversity of closely associated microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses). While reef-building corals have persisted in various forms for over 200 million years, human-induced conditions threaten their function and persistence. The scope for loss associated with the destruction of coral reef systems is economically, biologically, physically and culturally immense. Here, we provide a micro-to-macro perspective on the biology of scleractinian corals and discuss how cellular processes of the host and symbionts potentially affect the response of these reef builders to the wide variety of both natural and anthropogenic stressors encountered by corals in the Anthropocene. We argue that the internal physicochemical settings matter to both the performance of the host and microbiome, as bio-physical feedbacks may enhance stress tolerance through environmentally mediated host priming and effects on microbiome ecological and evolutionary dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hollie M Putnam
- University of Rhode Island, Department of Biological Sciences, Kingston, RI, USA.
| | - Katie L Barott
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biology, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Hawaii Institute for Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Manoa, HI, USA
| | - Tracy D Ainsworth
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Australia
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawaii Institute for Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Manoa, HI, USA
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Brener-Raffalli K, Clerissi C, Vidal-Dupiol J, Adjeroud M, Bonhomme F, Pratlong M, Aurelle D, Mitta G, Toulza E. Thermal regime and host clade, rather than geography, drive Symbiodinium and bacterial assemblages in the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis sensu lato. MICROBIOME 2018; 6:39. [PMID: 29463295 PMCID: PMC5819220 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0423-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the term holobiont has been popularized in corals with the advent of the hologenome theory of evolution, the underlying concepts are still a matter of debate. Indeed, the relative contribution of host and environment and especially thermal regime in shaping the microbial communities should be examined carefully to evaluate the potential role of symbionts for holobiont adaptation in the context of global changes. We used the sessile, long-lived, symbiotic and environmentally sensitive reef-building coral Pocillopora damicornis to address these issues. RESULTS We sampled Pocillopora damicornis colonies corresponding to two different mitochondrial lineages in different geographic areas displaying different thermal regimes: Djibouti, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Taiwan. The community composition of bacteria and the algal endosymbiont Symbiodinium were characterized using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer, ITS2, respectively. Bacterial microbiota was very diverse with high prevalence of Endozoicomonas, Arcobacter, and Acinetobacter in all samples. While Symbiodinium sub-clade C1 was dominant in Taiwan and New Caledonia, D1 was dominant in Djibouti and French Polynesia. Moreover, we also identified a high background diversity (i.e., with proportions < 1%) of A1, C3, C15, and G Symbiodinum sub-clades. Using redundancy analyses, we found that the effect of geography was very low for both communities and that host genotypes and temperatures differently influenced Symbiodinium and bacterial microbiota. Indeed, while the constraint of host haplotype was higher than temperatures on bacterial composition, we showed for the first time a strong relationship between the composition of Symbiodinium communities and minimal sea surface temperatures. CONCLUSION Because Symbiodinium assemblages are more constrained by the thermal regime than bacterial communities, we propose that their contribution to adaptive capacities of the holobiont to temperature changes might be higher than the influence of bacterial microbiota. Moreover, the link between Symbiodinium community composition and minimal temperatures suggests low relative fitness of clade D at lower temperatures. This observation is particularly relevant in the context of climate change, since corals will face increasing temperatures as well as much frequent abnormal cold episodes in some areas of the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Brener-Raffalli
- IHPE, UMR 5244, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Camille Clerissi
- IHPE, UMR 5244, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Jeremie Vidal-Dupiol
- IHPE, UMR 5244, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Mehdi Adjeroud
- ENTROPIE, UMR 9220 & Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL, IRD, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France
| | - François Bonhomme
- ISEM, UMR 5554, CNRS, University of Montpellier, IRD, EPHE, Sète, France
| | - Marine Pratlong
- IMBE, UMR 7263, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, Avignon University, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Aurelle
- IMBE, UMR 7263, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, Avignon University, Marseille, France
| | - Guillaume Mitta
- IHPE, UMR 5244, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Eve Toulza
- IHPE, UMR 5244, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRS, IFREMER, University of Montpellier, Perpignan, France
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