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Ng MS, Soon N, Afiq-Rosli L, Kunning I, Mana RR, Chang Y, Wainwright BJ. Highly Diverse Symbiodiniaceae Types Hosted by Corals in a Global Hotspot of Marine Biodiversity. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:92. [PMID: 38987492 PMCID: PMC11236936 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02407-x] [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: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Symbiotic dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodiniaceae play vital roles in promoting resilience and increasing stress tolerance in their coral hosts. While much of the world's coral succumb to the stresses associated with increasingly severe and frequent thermal bleaching events, live coral cover in Papua New Guinea (PNG) remains some of the highest reported globally despite the historically warm waters surrounding the country. Yet, in spite of the high coral cover in PNG and the acknowledged roles Symbiodiniaceae play within their hosts, these communities have not been characterized in this global biodiversity hotspot. Using high-throughput sequencing of the ITS2 rDNA gene, we profiled the endosymbionts of four coral species, Diploastrea heliopora, Pachyseris speciosa, Pocillopora acuta, and Porites lutea, across six sites in PNG. Our findings reveal patterns of Cladocopium and Durusdinium dominance similar to other reefs in the Coral Triangle, albeit with much greater intra- and intergenomic variation. Host- and site-specific variations in Symbiodiniaceae type profiles were observed across collection sites, appearing to be driven by environmental conditions. Notably, the extensive intra- and intergenomic variation, coupled with many previously unreported sequences, highlight PNG as a potential hotspot of symbiont diversity. This work represents the first characterization of the coral-symbiont community structure in the PNG marine biodiversity hotspot, serving as a baseline for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Sheng Ng
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nathaniel Soon
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore, 138527, Singapore
- Thrive Conservation, Jl. Subak Sari No. 13, Kuta Utara, Badung, Bali, 80361, Indonesia
| | - Lutfi Afiq-Rosli
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Red Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ismael Kunning
- School of Natural and Physical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Ralph R Mana
- School of Natural and Physical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Ying Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore, 138527, Singapore
| | - Benjamin J Wainwright
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore, 138527, Singapore.
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Scott CB, Ostling A, Matz MV. Should I stay or should I go? Coral bleaching from the symbionts' perspective. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14429. [PMID: 38690608 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14429] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Coral bleaching, the stress-induced breakdown of coral-algal symbiosis, threatens reefs globally. Paradoxically, despite adverse fitness effects, corals bleach annually, even outside of abnormal temperatures. This generally occurs shortly after the once-per-year mass coral spawning. Here, we propose a hypothesis linking annual coral bleaching and the transmission of symbionts to the next generation of coral hosts. We developed a dynamic model with two symbiont growth strategies, and found that high sexual recruitment and low adult coral survivorship and growth favour bleaching susceptibility, while the reverse promotes bleaching resilience. Otherwise, unexplained trends in the Indo-Pacific align with our hypothesis, where reefs and coral taxa exhibiting higher recruitment are more bleaching susceptible. The results from our model caution against interpreting potential shifts towards more bleaching-resistant symbionts as evidence of climate adaptation-we predict such a shift could also occur in declining systems experiencing low recruitment rates, a common scenario on today's reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly B Scott
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Annette Ostling
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Mikhail V Matz
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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3
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Marzonie MR, Nitschke MR, Bay LK, Bourne DG, Harrison HB. Symbiodiniaceae diversity varies by host and environment across thermally distinct reefs. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17342. [PMID: 38584356 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17342] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodiniaceae) influence coral thermal tolerance at both local and regional scales. In isolation, the effects of host genetics, environment, and thermal disturbances on symbiont communities are well understood, yet their combined effects remain poorly resolved. Here, we investigate Symbiodiniaceae across 1300 km in Australia's Coral Sea Marine Park to disentangle these interactive effects. We identified Symbiodiniaceae to species-level resolution for three coral species (Acropora cf humilis, Pocillopora verrucosa, and Pocillopora meandrina) by sequencing two genetic markers of the symbiont (ITS2 and psbAncr), paired with genotype-by-sequencing of the coral host (DArT-seq). Our samples predominantly returned sequences from the genus Cladocopium, where Acropora cf humilis affiliated with C3k, Pocillopora verrucosa with C. pacificum, and Pocillopora meandrina with C. latusorum. Multivariate analyses revealed that Acropora symbionts were driven strongly by local environment and thermal disturbances. In contrast, Pocillopora symbiont communities were both partitioned 2.5-fold more by host genetic structure than by environmental structure. Among the two Pocillopora species, the effects of environment and host genetics explained four times more variation in symbionts for P. meandrina than P. verrucosa. The concurrent bleaching event in 2020 had variable impacts on symbiont communities, consistent with patterns in P. verrucosa and A. cf humilis, but not P. meandrina. Our findings demonstrate how symbiont macroscale community structure responses to environmental gradients depend on host species and their respective population structure. Integrating host, symbiont, and environmental data will help forecast the adaptive potential of corals and their symbionts amidst a rapidly changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magena R Marzonie
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew R Nitschke
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hugo B Harrison
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- AIMS@JCU, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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4
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Quigley KM. Breeding and Selecting Corals Resilient to Global Warming. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2024; 12:209-332. [PMID: 37931139 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021122-093315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Selective breeding of resilient organisms is an emerging topic in marine conservation. It can help us predict how species will adapt in the future and how we can help restore struggling populations effectively in the present. Scleractinian corals represent a potential tractable model system given their widescale phenotypic plasticity across fitness-related traits and a reproductive life history based on mass synchronized spawning. Here, I explore the justification for breeding in corals, identify underutilized pathways of acclimation, and highlight avenues for quantitative targeted breeding from the coral host and symbiont perspective. Specifically, the facilitation of enhanced heat tolerance by targeted breeding of plasticity mechanisms is underutilized. Evidence from theoretical genetics identifies potential pitfalls, including inattention to physical and genetic characteristics of the receiving environment. Three criteria for breeding emerge from this synthesis: selection from warm, variable reefs that have survived disturbance. This information will be essential to protect what we have and restore what we can.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Quigley
- The Minderoo Foundation, Perth, Western Australia, Australia;
- James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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5
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Wang L, Bin Q, Liu H, Zhang Y, Wang S, Luo S, Chen Z, Zhang M, Yu K. New insights into the on-site monitoring of probiotics eDNA using biosensing technology for heat-stress relieving in coral reefs. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 243:115790. [PMID: 37906999 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Coral probiotics can improve the tolerance of corals to heat stress, thus mitigating the process of coral thermal bleaching. Sensitive and specific detection of coral probiotics at low abundances is highly desirable but remains challenging, especially for rapid and on-site detection of coral probiotics. Since the electrochemical biosensor has been recently used in the field of environmental DNA (eDNA) detection, herein, an efficient electrochemical biosensor was developed based on CoS2/CoSe2-NC HNCs electrode material with a specific DNA probe for the C. marina detection. After optimization, the lower limit of detection (LOD) values of such biosensors for the target DNA and genomic DNA were 1.58 fM and 6.5 pM, respectively. On this basis, a portable device was constructed for the practical detection of C. marina eDNA, and its reliability and accuracy were verified by comparison with the ddPCR method (P > 0.05). For each analysis, the average cost was only ∼ $1.08 and could be completed within 100 min with reliable sensitivity and specificity. Overall, the biosensor could reflect the protective effect of probiotics on coral heat stress, and the proposed technique will put new insights into the rapid and on-site detection of coral probiotics to assist corals against global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Wang
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China; Guangxi, Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-ferrous Metallic and Featured Materials, Nanning, 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Qi Bin
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Hongjie Liu
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Yibo Zhang
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Songlin Luo
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Zhenghua Chen
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Man Zhang
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China.
| | - Kefu Yu
- School of Marine Sciences, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Nanning, 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
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6
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Brown KT, Lenz EA, Glass BH, Kruse E, McClintock R, Drury C, Nelson CE, Putnam HM, Barott KL. Divergent bleaching and recovery trajectories in reef-building corals following a decade of successive marine heatwaves. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2312104120. [PMID: 38113265 PMCID: PMC10756270 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312104120] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasingly frequent marine heatwaves are devastating coral reefs. Corals that survive these extreme events must rapidly recover if they are to withstand subsequent events, and long-term survival in the face of rising ocean temperatures may hinge on recovery capacity and acclimatory gains in heat tolerance over an individual's lifespan. To better understand coral recovery trajectories in the face of successive marine heatwaves, we monitored the responses of bleaching-susceptible and bleaching-resistant individuals of two dominant coral species in Hawai'i, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa, over a decade that included three marine heatwaves. Bleaching-susceptible colonies of P. compressa exhibited beneficial acclimatization to heat stress (i.e., less bleaching) following repeat heatwaves, becoming indistinguishable from bleaching-resistant conspecifics during the third heatwave. In contrast, bleaching-susceptible M. capitata repeatedly bleached during all successive heatwaves and exhibited seasonal bleaching and substantial mortality for up to 3 y following the third heatwave. Encouragingly, bleaching-resistant individuals of both species remained pigmented across the entire time series; however, pigmentation did not necessarily indicate physiological resilience. Specifically, M. capitata displayed incremental yet only partial recovery of symbiont density and tissue biomass across both bleaching phenotypes up to 35 mo following the third heatwave as well as considerable partial mortality. Conversely, P. compressa appeared to recover across most physiological metrics within 2 y and experienced little to no mortality. Ultimately, these results indicate that even some visually robust, bleaching-resistant corals can carry the cost of recurring heatwaves over multiple years, leading to divergent recovery trajectories that may erode coral reef resilience in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T. Brown
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Elizabeth A. Lenz
- University of Hawai’i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
| | - Benjamin H. Glass
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Elisa Kruse
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
| | - Rayna McClintock
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
| | - Crawford Drury
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI96744
| | - Craig E. Nelson
- University of Hawai’i Sea Grant College Program, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
- Daniel K. Inouye Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education, Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI96822
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI02881
| | - Katie L. Barott
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA19104
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Chen B, Yu K, Fu L, Wei Y, Liang J, Liao Z, Qin Z, Yu X, Deng C, Han M, Ma H. The diversity, community dynamics, and interactions of the microbiome in the world's deepest blue hole: insights into extreme environmental response patterns and tolerance of marine microorganisms. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0053123. [PMID: 37861344 PMCID: PMC10883803 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00531-23] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This study comprehensively examined the community dynamics, functional profiles, and interactions of the microbiome in the world's deepest blue hole. The findings revealed a positive correlation between the α-diversities of Symbiodiniaceae and archaea, indicating the potential reliance of Symbiodiniaceae on archaea in an extreme environment resulting from a partial niche overlap. The negative association between the α-diversity and β-diversity of the bacterial community suggested that the change rule of the bacterial community was consistent with the Anna Karenina effects. The core microbiome comprised nine microbial taxa, highlighting their remarkable tolerance and adaptability to sharp environmental gradient variations. Bacteria and archaea played significant roles in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, while fungi contributed to carbon metabolism. This study advanced our understanding of the community dynamics, response patterns, and resilience of microorganisms populating the world's deepest blue hole, thereby facilitating further ecological and evolutional exploration of microbiomes in diverse extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) , Zhuhai, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) , Zhuhai, China
| | - Liang Fu
- Sansha Track Ocean Coral Reef Conservation Research Institute Co. Ltd. , Qionghai, China
| | - Yuxin Wei
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Resource Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University , Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Chuanqi Deng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Minwei Han
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Honglin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Resource Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University , Nanning, China
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Chan WY, Meyers L, Rudd D, Topa SH, van Oppen MJH. Heat-evolved algal symbionts enhance bleaching tolerance of adult corals without trade-off against growth. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6945-6968. [PMID: 37913765 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Ocean warming has caused coral mass bleaching and mortality worldwide and the persistence of symbiotic reef-building corals requires rapid acclimation or adaptation. Experimental evolution of the coral's microalgal symbionts followed by their introduction into coral is one potential method to enhance coral thermotolerance. Heat-evolved microalgal symbionts of the generalist species, Cladocopium proliferum (strain SS8), were exposed to elevated temperature (31°C) for ~10 years, and were introduced into four genotypes of chemically bleached adult fragments of the scleractinian coral, Galaxea fascicularis. Two of the four coral genotypes acquired SS8. The new symbionts persisted for the 5 months of the experiment and enhanced adult coral thermotolerance, compared with corals that were inoculated with the wild-type C. proliferum strain. Thermotolerance of SS8-corals was similar to that of coral fragments from the same colony hosting the homologous symbiont, Durusdinium sp., which is naturally heat tolerant. However, SS8-coral fragments exhibited faster growth and recovered cell density and photochemical efficiency more quickly following chemical bleaching and inoculation under ambient temperature relative to Durusdinium-corals. Mass spectrometry imaging suggests that algal pigments involved in photobiology and oxidative stress were the greatest contributors to the thermotolerance differences between coral hosting heat-evolved versus wild-type C. proliferum. These pigments may have increased photoprotection in the heat-evolved symbionts. This is the first laboratory study to show that thermotolerance of adult corals (G. fascicularis) can be enhanced via the uptake of exogenously supplied, heat-evolved symbionts, without a trade-off against growth under ambient temperature. Importantly, heat-evolved C. proliferum remained in the corals in moderate abundance 2 years after first inoculation, suggesting long-term stability of this novel symbiosis and potential long-term benefits to coral thermotolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wing Yan Chan
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Luka Meyers
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Rudd
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sanjida H Topa
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Madeleine J H van Oppen
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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Brown KT, Genin A, Mello‐Athayde MA, Bergstrom E, Campili A, Chai A, Dove SG, Ho M, Rowell D, Sampayo EM, Radice VZ. Marine heatwaves modulate the genotypic and physiological responses of reef-building corals to subsequent heat stress. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10798. [PMID: 38099138 PMCID: PMC10719612 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Back-to-back marine heatwaves in 2016 and 2017 resulted in severe coral bleaching and mortality across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Encouragingly, some corals that survived these events exhibit increased bleaching resistance and may represent thermally tolerant populations that can better cope with ocean warming. Using the GBR as a natural laboratory, we investigated whether a history of minimal (Heron Island) or severe (Lizard Island) coral bleaching in 2016 and 2017 equates to stress tolerance in a successive heatwave (2020). We examined the genetic diversity, physiological performance, and trophic plasticity of juvenile (<10 cm) and adult (>25 cm) corals of two common genera (Pocillopora and Stylophora). Despite enduring greater cumulative heat stress (6.3°C week-1 vs. 5.6°C week-1), corals that experienced the third marine heatwave in 5 years (Lizard) exhibited twice as high survival and visual bleaching thresholds compared to corals that had not experienced significant bleaching in >10 years (Heron). Surprisingly, only one shared host-Symbiodiniaceae association was uncovered between locations (Stylophora pistillata-Cladocopium "C8 group") and there was no genetic overlap in Pocillopora-Cladocopium partnerships, suggesting turnover in species composition from recent marine heatwaves. Corals within the species complex Pocillopora that survived the 2016 and 2017 marine heatwaves at Lizard Island were the most resilient, exhibiting three times greater calcification rates than conspecifics at Heron Island. Further, surviving corals (Lizard) had distinct isotopic niches, lower host carbon, and greater host protein, while conspecifics that had not experienced recent bleaching (Heron) had two times greater symbiont carbon content, suggesting divergent trophic strategies that influenced survival (i.e., greater reliance on heterotrophy vs. symbiont autotrophy, respectively). Ultimately, while corals may experience less bleaching and survive repeated thermal stress events, species-specific trade-offs do occur, leaving open many questions related to the long-term health and recovery of coral reef ecosystems in the face of intensifying marine heatwaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Amatzia Genin
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of EilatThe Hebrew University of JerusalemEilatIsrael
| | | | | | - Adriana Campili
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville Mail CentreTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Aaron Chai
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityEast LismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Sophie G. Dove
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | | | - Devin Rowell
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Veronica Z. Radice
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of Biological SciencesOld Dominion UniversityNorfolkVirginiaUSA
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10
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Bay LK, Gilmour J, Muir B, Hardisty PE. Management approaches to conserve Australia's marine ecosystem under climate change. Science 2023; 381:631-636. [PMID: 37561873 DOI: 10.1126/science.adi3023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Australia's coastal marine ecosystems have a deep cultural significance to Indigenous Australians, include multiple World Heritage sites, and support the nation's rapidly growing blue economy. Yet, increasing local pressures and global climate change are expected to undermine the biological, social, cultural, and economic value of these ecosystems within a human generation. Mitigating the causes of climate change is the most urgent action to secure their future; however, conventional and new management actions will play roles in preserving ecosystem function and value until that is achieved. This includes strategies codeveloped with Indigenous Australians that are guided by traditional ecological knowledge and a modeling and decision support framework. We provide examples of developments at one of Australia's most iconic ecosystems, the Great Barrier Reef, where recent, large block funding supports research, governance, and engagement to accelerate the development of tools for management under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line K Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - James Gilmour
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Bob Muir
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul E Hardisty
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia
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11
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Starko S, Fifer JE, Claar DC, Davies SW, Cunning R, Baker AC, Baum JK. Marine heatwaves threaten cryptic coral diversity and erode associations among coevolving partners. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf0954. [PMID: 37566650 PMCID: PMC10421036 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf0954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate change-amplified marine heatwaves can drive extensive mortality in foundation species. However, a paucity of longitudinal genomic datasets has impeded understanding of how these rapid selection events alter cryptic genetic structure. Heatwave impacts may be exacerbated in species that engage in obligate symbioses, where the genetics of multiple coevolving taxa may be affected. Here, we tracked the symbiotic associations of reef-building corals for 6 years through a prolonged heatwave, including known survivorship for 79 of 315 colonies. Coral genetics strongly predicted survival of the ubiquitous coral, Porites (massive growth form), with variable survival (15 to 61%) across three morphologically indistinguishable-but genetically distinct-lineages. The heatwave also disrupted strong associations between these coral lineages and their algal symbionts (family Symbiodiniaceae), with symbiotic turnover in some colonies, resulting in reduced specificity across lineages. These results highlight how heatwaves can threaten cryptic genotypes and decouple otherwise tightly coevolved relationships between hosts and symbionts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Starko
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- UWA Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - James E. Fifer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Danielle C. Claar
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Washington Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA 98504, USA
| | - Sarah W. Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
| | - Andrew C. Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA
| | - Julia K. Baum
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
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