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Bellworthy J, Scucchia F, Goodbody-Gringley G, Mass T. Genomic, morphological, and physiological insights into coral acclimation along the depth gradient following an in situ reciprocal transplantation of planulae. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172090. [PMID: 38556020 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172090] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Mesophotic coral reefs have been proposed as refugia for corals, providing shelter and larval propagules for shallow water reefs that are disproportionately challenged by global climate change and local anthropogenic stressors. For mesophotic reefs to be a viable refuge, firstly, deep origin larvae must survive on shallow reefs and, secondly, the two environments must be physically connected. This study tested the first condition. Planulae of the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata from 5-8 and 40-44 m depth in the Gulf of Aqaba were tested in a long-term reciprocal transplantation experiment for their ability to settle and acclimate to depth in situ. We assessed survival rates, photochemical, physiological, and morphological characteristics in juveniles grown at either their parental origin or transplantation depth. Differences in gene expression patterns were compared between mesophotic and shallow corals at the adult, juvenile, and planula life stages. We found high mortality rates among all mesophotic-origin planulae, irrespective of translocation depth. Gene expression patterns suggested that deep planulae lacked settlement competency and experienced increased developmental stress upon release. For surviving shallow origin juveniles, symbiont photochemical acclimation to depth occurred within 8 days, with symbiont communities showing changes in photochemical traits without algal symbiont shuffling. However, coral host physiological and morphological acclimation towards the typical deep phenotype was incomplete within 60 days. Gene expression was influenced by both life stage and depth. A set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with initial stress responses following transplantation, latent stress response, and environmental effects of depth was identified. This study therefore refutes the Deep Reef Refugia Hypothesis, as the potential for mesophotic-origin S. pistillata planulae to recruit to the shallow reef is low. The potential remains for shallow planulae to survive at mesophotic depths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bellworthy
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel.
| | - Federica Scucchia
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
| | | | - Tali Mass
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Sdot Yam, Israel
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2
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Estaque T, Basthard-Bogain S, Bianchimani O, Blondeaux V, Cheminée A, Fargetton M, Richaume J, Bally M. Investigating the outcomes of a threatened gorgonian in situ transplantation: Survival and microbiome diversity in Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1827). MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 196:106384. [PMID: 38320428 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106384] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Gorgonian octocorals are threatened by global and local stressors that can act synergistically to affect their health. In recent years, mass mortality events triggered by marine heatwaves have caused demographic declines in Mediterranean gorgonian populations that may lead to their collapse. Potential changes in microbiome composition under stressful conditions may further increase the susceptibility of the gorgonian holobiont to disease. Given the low recovery capacity of gorgonians, restoration approaches using transplantation are becoming an increasingly attractive option to counteract their decline. Here, we compared the survival and microbiome diversity of Paramuricea clavata colonies transplanted to sites differing in depth and local environmental conditions. Gorgonians sampled at a greater depth than the transplantation site were more likely to suffer necrosis after 1 year of monitoring. Gorgonian transplantation into environments disturbed by an anthropogenic source of pollution resulted in an imbalance of the microbiome with potential consequences on the success of restoration initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Estaque
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France.
| | | | | | - Vincent Blondeaux
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Adrien Cheminée
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Margaux Fargetton
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Justine Richaume
- Septentrion Environnement, Campus Nature Provence, Marseille, France
| | - Marc Bally
- Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
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3
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Grupstra CGB, Gómez-Corrales M, Fifer JE, Aichelman HE, Meyer-Kaiser KS, Prada C, Davies SW. Integrating cryptic diversity into coral evolution, symbiosis and conservation. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:622-636. [PMID: 38351091 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02319-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Understanding how diversity evolves and is maintained is critical to predicting the future trajectories of ecosystems under climate change; however, our understanding of these processes is limited in marine systems. Corals, which engineer reef ecosystems, are critically threatened by climate change, and global efforts are underway to conserve and restore populations as attempts to mitigate ocean warming continue. Recently, sequencing efforts have uncovered widespread undescribed coral diversity, including 'cryptic lineages'-genetically distinct but morphologically similar coral taxa. Such cryptic lineages have been identified in at least 24 coral genera spanning the anthozoan phylogeny and across ocean basins. These cryptic lineages co-occur in many reef systems, but their distributions often differ among habitats. Research suggests that cryptic lineages are ecologically specialized and several examples demonstrate differences in thermal tolerance, highlighting the critical implications of this diversity for predicting coral responses to future warming. Here, we draw attention to recent discoveries, discuss how cryptic diversity affects the study of coral adaptation and acclimation to future environments, explore how it shapes symbiotic partnerships, and highlight challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James E Fifer
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA
| | - Sarah W Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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4
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Gijsbers JC, Englebert N, Prata KE, Pichon M, Dinesen Z, Brunner R, Eyal G, González-Zapata FL, Kahng SE, Latijnhouwers KRW, Muir P, Radice VZ, Sánchez JA, Vermeij MJA, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Jacobs SJ, Bongaerts P. Global phylogenomic assessment of Leptoseris and Agaricia reveals substantial undescribed diversity at mesophotic depths. BMC Biol 2023; 21:147. [PMID: 37365558 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01630-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesophotic coral communities are increasingly gaining attention for the unique biological diversity they host, exemplified by the numerous mesophotic fish species that continue to be discovered. In contrast, many of the photosynthetic scleractinian corals observed at mesophotic depths are assumed to be depth-generalists, with very few species characterised as mesophotic-specialists. This presumed lack of a specialised community remains largely untested, as phylogenetic studies on corals have rarely included mesophotic samples and have long suffered from resolution issues associated with traditional sequence markers. RESULTS Here, we used reduced-representation genome sequencing to conduct a phylogenomic assessment of the two dominant mesophotic genera of plating corals in the Indo-Pacific and Western Atlantic, respectively, Leptoseris and Agaricia. While these genome-wide phylogenies broadly corroborated the morphological taxonomy, they also exposed deep divergences within the two genera and undescribed diversity across the current taxonomic species. Five of the eight focal species consisted of at least two sympatric and genetically distinct lineages, which were consistently detected across different methods. CONCLUSIONS The repeated observation of genetically divergent lineages associated with mesophotic depths highlights that there may be many more mesophotic-specialist coral species than currently acknowledged and that an urgent assessment of this largely unstudied biological diversity is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Gijsbers
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA.
| | - N Englebert
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - K E Prata
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - M Pichon
- Biodiversity Section, Queensland Museum, Townsville, 4810, Australia
| | - Z Dinesen
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - R Brunner
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - G Eyal
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - F L González-Zapata
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, 111711, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - S E Kahng
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
| | - K R W Latijnhouwers
- CARMABI Foundation, Piscaderabaai Z/N, PO Box 2090, Willemstad, Curaçao
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 700, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - P Muir
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - V Z Radice
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
| | - J A Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, 111711, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - M J A Vermeij
- CARMABI Foundation, Piscaderabaai Z/N, PO Box 2090, Willemstad, Curaçao
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 700, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - O Hoegh-Guldberg
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - S J Jacobs
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA
| | - P Bongaerts
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 94118, USA.
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
- CARMABI Foundation, Piscaderabaai Z/N, PO Box 2090, Willemstad, Curaçao.
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5
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Li Y, Liao X, Wang X, Li Y, Zhao H, Zhao Y, Chen J, He C, Lu Z. Polyp-Canal Reconstruction Reveals Evolution Toward Complexity in Corals. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0166. [PMID: 37287887 PMCID: PMC10243894 DOI: 10.34133/research.0166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Modern scleractinian corals are classified into robust, complex, and basal clades through comparative molecular studies. However, only few morphological or biological criteria can systematically determine the evolutionary trajectories of these major scleractinian coral clades. Here, we obtained the structural information of 21 scleractinian coral species representing robust and complex clades: High-resolution micro-computed tomography was used to reconstruct the polyp-canal systems in their colonies and to visualize the dynamic polyp growth processes. We found that the emergence of mesh-like canals may distinguish representatives of complex and robust clades. The differences in polyp-canal connections suggest distinct evolutionary trajectories among coral species: The formation of the canal network promoted the development of more complex coral structures, and coral polyps within this network formed calices of very similar volume, following precise axial growth directions. The influence of individual polyps on the coral colony becomes less significant as coral structures become more complex, and coral species with more complicated polyp-canal systems occupied niches more efficiently. This work supplements current evolutionary studies on reef-building corals, providing insight for further studies on coral growth patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
- State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering,
Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Xin Liao
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center,
Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Beihai 536000, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center,
Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Beihai 536000, China
| | - Yuanchao Li
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fishery Sciences, Haikou 571126, China.
| | - Hongwei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea,
Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering,
Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Junyuan Chen
- Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering,
Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
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6
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Alvarado-Cerón V, Muñiz-Castillo AI, León-Pech MG, Prada C, Arias-González JE. A decade of population genetics studies of scleractinian corals: A systematic review. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 183:105781. [PMID: 36371949 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are the most diverse marine ecosystems. However, coral cover has decreased worldwide due to natural disturbances, climate change, and local anthropogenic drivers. In recent decades, various genetic methods and molecular markers have been developed to assess genetic diversity, structure, and connectivity in different coral species to determine the vulnerability of their populations. This review aims to identify population genetic studies of scleractinian corals in the last decade (2010-2020), and the techniques and molecular markers used. Bibliometric analysis was conducted to identify journals and authors working in this field. We then calculated the number of genetic studies by species and ecoregion based on data obtained from 178 studies found in Scopus and Web of Science. Coral Reefs and Molecular Ecology were the main journals published population genetics studies, and microsatellites are the most widely used molecular markers. The Caribbean, Australian Barrier Reef, and South Kuroshio in Japan are among the ecoregions with the most population genetics data. In contrast, we found limited information about the Coral Triangle, a region with the highest biodiversity and key to coral reef conservation. Notably, only 117 (out of 1500 described) scleractinian coral species have genetic studies. This review emphasizes which coral species have been studied and highlights remaining gaps and locations where such data is critical for coral conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viridiana Alvarado-Cerón
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Unidad Mérida. Km. 6 Antigua carretera a Progreso, Cordemex, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
| | - Aarón Israel Muñiz-Castillo
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Unidad Mérida. Km. 6 Antigua carretera a Progreso, Cordemex, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
| | - María Geovana León-Pech
- Department of Biological Science, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flag Road, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| | - Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Science, University of Rhode Island, 120 Flag Road, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| | - Jesús Ernesto Arias-González
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Unidad Mérida. Km. 6 Antigua carretera a Progreso, Cordemex, 97310, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
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7
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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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8
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Prasetia R, Sinniger F, Nakamura T, Harii S. Limited acclimation of early life stages of the coral Seriatopora hystrix from mesophotic depth to shallow reefs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12836. [PMID: 35896607 PMCID: PMC9329301 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16024-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs, reefs between 30 and 150 m depth) have been hypothesized to contribute to shallow reef recovery through the recruitment of larvae. However, few studies have directly examined this. Here we used mesophotic colonies of Seriatopora hystrix, a depth generalist coral, to investigate the effect of light intensity on larval behavior and settlement through ex situ experiments. We also investigated juvenile survival, growth, and physiological acclimation in situ. Bleached larvae and a significant reduction in settlement rates were found when the mesophotic larvae were exposed to light conditions corresponding to shallow depths (5 and 10 m) ex situ. The in situ experiments showed that mesophotic juveniles survived well at 20 and 40 m, with juveniles in shaded areas surviving longer than three months at 3–5 m during a year of mass bleaching in 2016. Juvenile transplants at 20 m showed a sign of physiological acclimation, which was reflected by a significant decline in maximum quantum yield. These results suggest that light is a significant factor for successful recolonization of depth-generalist corals to shallow reefs. Further, recolonization of shallow reefs may only occur in shaded habitats or potentially through multigenerational recruitments with intermediate depths acting as stepping stones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rian Prasetia
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan
| | - Frederic Sinniger
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakamura
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan.,Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
| | - Saki Harii
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan.
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9
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Clark V, Mello-Athayde MA, Dove S. Colonies of Acropora formosa with greater survival potential have reduced calcification rates. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269526. [PMID: 35679252 PMCID: PMC9182694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are facing increasingly devasting impacts from ocean warming and acidification due to anthropogenic climate change. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, potential solutions have focused either on reducing light stress during heating, or on the potential for identifying or engineering “super corals”. A large subset of these studies, however, have tended to focus primarily on the bleaching response of corals, and assume erroneously that corals that bleach earlier in a thermal event die first. Here, we explore how survival, observable bleaching, coral skeletal growth (as branch extension and densification), and coral tissue growth (protein and lipid concentrations) varies for conspecifics collected from distinctive reef zones at Heron Island on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. A reciprocal transplantation experiment was undertaken using the dominant reef building coral (Acropora formosa) between the highly variable reef flat and the less variable reef slope environments. Coral colonies originating from the reef flat had higher rates of survival and amassed greater protein densities but calcified at reduced rates compared to conspecifics originating from the reef slope. The energetics of both populations however potentially benefited from greater light intensity present in the shallows. Reef flat origin corals moved to the lower light intensity of the reef slope reduced protein density and calcification rates. For A. formosa, genetic differences, or long-term entrainment to a highly variable environment, appeared to promote coral survival at the expense of calcification. The response decouples coral survival from carbonate coral reef resilience, a response that was further exacerbated by reductions in irradiance. As we begin to discuss interventions necessitated by the CO2 that has already been released into the atmosphere, we need to prioritise our focus on the properties that maintain valuable carbonate ecosystems. Rapid and dense calcification by corals such as branching Acropora is essential to the ability of carbonate coral reefs to rebound following disturbance events and maintain 3D structure but may be the first property that is sacrificed to enable coral genet survival under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Clark
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Matheus A. Mello-Athayde
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sophie Dove
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Prata KE, Riginos C, Gutenkunst RN, Latijnhouwers KRW, Sánchez JA, Englebert N, Hay KB, Bongaerts P. Deep connections: divergence histories with gene flow in mesophotic
Agaricia
corals. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2511-2527. [PMID: 35152496 PMCID: PMC9303685 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Largely understudied, mesophotic coral ecosystems lie below shallow reefs (at >30 m depth) and comprise ecologically distinct communities. Brooding reproductive modes appear to predominate among mesophotic‐specialist corals and may limit genetic connectivity among populations. Using reduced representation genomic sequencing, we assessed spatial population genetic structure at 50 m depth in an ecologically important mesophotic‐specialist species Agaricia grahamae, among locations in the Southern Caribbean. We also tested for hybridisation with the closely related (but depth‐generalist) species Agaricia lamarcki, within their sympatric depth zone (50 m). In contrast to our expectations, no spatial genetic structure was detected between the reefs of Curaçao and Bonaire (~40 km apart) within A. grahamae. However, cryptic taxa were discovered within both taxonomic species, with those in A. lamarcki (incompletely) partitioned by depth and those in A. grahamae occurring sympatrically (at the same depth). Hybrid analyses and demographic modelling identified contemporary and historical gene flow among cryptic taxa, both within and between A. grahamae and A. lamarcki. These results (1) indicate that spatial connectivity and subsequent replenishment may be possible between islands of moderate geographic distances for A. grahamae, an ecologically important mesophotic species, (2) that cryptic taxa occur in the mesophotic zone and environmental selection along shallow to mesophotic depth gradients may drive divergence in depth‐generalists such as A. lamarcki, and (3) highlight that gene flow links taxa within this relativity diverse Caribbean genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharine E. Prata
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
- California Academy of Sciences San Francisco CA USA
| | - Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Ryan N. Gutenkunst
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology University of Arizona Tuscon AZ USA
| | | | - Juan A. Sánchez
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR) Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de los Andes Bogotá Colombia
| | - Norbert Englebert
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Kyra B. Hay
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia QLD Australia
- California Academy of Sciences San Francisco CA USA
- Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity Foundation Willemstad, Curaçao
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11
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Dubé CE, Ziegler M, Mercière A, Boissin E, Planes S, Bourmaud CAF, Voolstra CR. Naturally occurring fire coral clones demonstrate a genetic and environmental basis of microbiome composition. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6402. [PMID: 34737272 PMCID: PMC8568919 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26543-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral microbiomes are critical to holobiont functioning, but much remains to be understood about how prevailing environment and host genotype affect microbial communities in ecosystems. Resembling human identical twin studies, we examined bacterial community differences of naturally occurring fire coral clones within and between contrasting reef habitats to assess the relative contribution of host genotype and environment to microbiome structure. Bacterial community composition of coral clones differed between reef habitats, highlighting the contribution of the environment. Similarly, but to a lesser extent, microbiomes varied across different genotypes in identical habitats, denoting the influence of host genotype. Predictions of genomic function based on taxonomic profiles suggest that environmentally determined taxa supported a functional restructuring of the microbial metabolic network. In contrast, bacteria determined by host genotype seemed to be functionally redundant. Our study suggests microbiome flexibility as a mechanism of environmental adaptation with association of different bacterial taxa partially dependent on host genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. E. Dubé
- grid.11642.300000 0001 2111 2608UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, UR-IRD-CNRS-UNC-IFREMER, Université de La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint-Denis Cedex, La Réunion France ,grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia ,grid.23856.3a0000 0004 1936 8390Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec City, G1V 0A6 Canada
| | - M. Ziegler
- grid.8664.c0000 0001 2165 8627Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 IFZ, 35392 Giessen, Germany ,grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955 Saudi Arabia
| | - A. Mercière
- grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - E. Boissin
- grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - S. Planes
- grid.11136.340000 0001 2192 5916PSL Research University: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - C. A. -F. Bourmaud
- grid.11642.300000 0001 2111 2608UMR 9220 ENTROPIE, UR-IRD-CNRS-UNC-IFREMER, Université de La Réunion, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint-Denis Cedex, La Réunion France ,Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea French Polynesia
| | - C. R. Voolstra
- grid.45672.320000 0001 1926 5090Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955 Saudi Arabia ,grid.9811.10000 0001 0658 7699Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
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12
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Bowen BW, Forsman ZH, Whitney JL, Faucci A, Hoban M, Canfield SJ, Johnston EC, Coleman RR, Copus JM, Vicente J, Toonen RJ. Species Radiations in the Sea: What the Flock? J Hered 2021; 111:70-83. [PMID: 31943081 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Species flocks are proliferations of closely-related species, usually after colonization of depauperate habitat. These radiations are abundant on oceanic islands and in ancient freshwater lakes, but rare in marine habitats. This contrast is well documented in the Hawaiian Archipelago, where terrestrial examples include the speciose silverswords (sunflower family Asteraceae), Drosophila fruit flies, and honeycreepers (passerine birds), all derived from one or a few ancestral lineages. The marine fauna of Hawai'i is also the product of rare colonization events, but these colonizations usually yield only one species. Dispersal ability is key to understanding this evolutionary inequity. While terrestrial fauna rarely colonize between oceanic islands, marine fauna with pelagic larvae can make this leap in every generation. An informative exception is the marine fauna that lack a pelagic larval stage. These low-dispersal species emulate a "terrestrial" mode of reproduction (brooding, viviparity, crawl-away larvae), yielding marine species flocks in scattered locations around the world. Elsewhere, aquatic species flocks are concentrated in specific geographic settings, including the ancient lakes of Baikal (Siberia) and Tanganyika (eastern Africa), and Antarctica. These locations host multiple species flocks across a broad taxonomic spectrum, indicating a unifying evolutionary phenomenon. Hence marine species flocks can be singular cases that arise due to restricted dispersal or other intrinsic features, or they can be geographically clustered, promoted by extrinsic ecological circumstances. Here, we review and contrast intrinsic cases of species flocks in individual taxa, and extrinsic cases of geological/ecological opportunity, to elucidate the processes of species radiations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian W Bowen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | - Zac H Forsman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | - Jonathan L Whitney
- Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI
| | - Anuschka Faucci
- Math & Sciences Division, Leeward Community College, University of Hawai'i, Pearl City, HI
| | - Mykle Hoban
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | | | - Erika C Johnston
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | - Richard R Coleman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | - Joshua M Copus
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | - Jan Vicente
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI
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13
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Morphological stasis masks ecologically divergent coral species on tropical reefs. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2286-2298.e8. [PMID: 33811819 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs are the epitome of species diversity, yet the number of described scleractinian coral species, the framework-builders of coral reefs, remains moderate by comparison. DNA sequencing studies are rapidly challenging this notion by exposing a wealth of undescribed diversity, but the evolutionary and ecological significance of this diversity remains largely unclear. Here, we present an annotated genome for one of the most ubiquitous corals in the Indo-Pacific (Pachyseris speciosa) and uncover, through a comprehensive genomic and phenotypic assessment, that it comprises morphologically indistinguishable but ecologically divergent lineages. Demographic modeling based on whole-genome resequencing indicated that morphological crypsis (across micro- and macromorphological traits) was due to ancient morphological stasis rather than recent divergence. Although the lineages occur sympatrically across shallow and mesophotic habitats, extensive genotyping using a rapid molecular assay revealed differentiation of their ecological distributions. Leveraging "common garden" conditions facilitated by the overlapping distributions, we assessed physiological and quantitative skeletal traits and demonstrated concurrent phenotypic differentiation. Lastly, spawning observations of genotyped colonies highlighted the potential role of temporal reproductive isolation in the limited admixture, with consistent genomic signatures in genes related to morphogenesis and reproduction. Overall, our findings demonstrate the presence of ecologically and phenotypically divergent coral species without substantial morphological differentiation and provide new leads into the potential mechanisms facilitating such divergence. More broadly, they indicate that our current taxonomic framework for reef-building corals may be scratching the surface of the ecologically relevant diversity on coral reefs, consequently limiting our ability to protect or restore this diversity effectively.
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14
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Wepfer PH, Nakajima Y, Sutthacheep M, Radice VZ, Richards Z, Ang P, Terraneo T, Sudek M, Fujimura A, Toonen RJ, Mikheyev AS, Economo EP, Mitarai S. Evolutionary biogeography of the reef-building coral genus Galaxea across the Indo-Pacific ocean. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2020; 151:106905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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15
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Temporal variation in daily temperature minima in coral reefs of Nanwan Bay, Southern Taiwan. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8656. [PMID: 32457318 PMCID: PMC7250922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65194-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Temporal variation in seawater temperature plays a crucial role in coral reef ecology. Nanwan Bay, Southern Taiwan is home to well-developed coral reefs, which frequently experience cold-water intrusions caused by internal wave-induced upwelling, that manifest in distinct daily temperature minima. These temperature minima and their associated sources were studied by recording in situ bottom temperatures and sea levels observed at depths of 5 and 30 m from May 2007 to September 2008. These data were then compared to the East Asian Seas Nowcast/Forecast System, and it was found that daily temperature minima presented large variations with magnitudes of 2–3 °C over periods from days to months. It was further demonstrated that the cold-water intrusions may have originated from depths of ~100 m and were strongly affected by westward propagating mesoscale eddies from the Pacific basin. An impinging warm anticyclonic eddy in July 2007 may have combined with the El Niño, resulting in temperatures surpassing 29 °C and degree heating days >4.0 °C-days at both depths, which were coincidental with a mass coral bleaching event. This eddy’s impact was additionally evident in high correlations between daily temperature minima and residual sea levels, suggesting that mesoscale eddies alter stratification, substantially influence temperature variation, and play important roles in understanding ecological processes on coral reefs.
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16
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Tisthammer KH, Forsman ZH, Toonen RJ, Richmond RH. Genetic structure is stronger across human-impacted habitats than among islands in the coral Porites lobata. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8550. [PMID: 32110487 PMCID: PMC7034377 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined genetic structure in the lobe coral Porites lobata among pairs of highly variable and high-stress nearshore sites and adjacent less variable and less impacted offshore sites on the islands of Oahu and Maui, Hawaii. Using an analysis of molecular variance framework, we tested whether populations were more structured by geographic distance or environmental extremes. The genetic patterns we observed followed isolation by environment, where nearshore and adjacent offshore populations showed significant genetic structure at both locations (AMOVA F ST = 0.04∼0.19, P < 0.001), but no significant isolation by distance between islands. Strikingly, corals from the two nearshore sites with higher levels of environmental stressors on different islands over 100 km apart with similar environmentally stressful conditions were genetically closer (FST = 0.0, P = 0.73) than those within a single location less than 2 km apart (FST = 0.04∼0.08, P < 0.01). In contrast, a third site with a less impacted nearshore site (i.e., less pronounced environmental gradient) showed no significant structure from the offshore comparison. Our results show much stronger support for environment than distance separating these populations. Our finding suggests that ecological boundaries from human impacts may play a role in forming genetic structure in the coastal environment, and that genetic divergence in the absence of geographical barriers to gene flow might be explained by selective pressure across contrasting habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaho H. Tisthammer
- Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
| | - Zac H. Forsman
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, United States of America
| | - Robert H. Richmond
- Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
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17
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Scucchia F, Nativ H, Neder M, Goodbody-Gringley G, Mass T. Physiological characteristics of Stylophora pistillata larvae across a depth gradient. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE 2020; 7:00013. [PMID: 31993434 PMCID: PMC6986922 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Depth related parameters, specifically light, affect different aspects of corals physiology, including fluorescence. GFP-like pigments found in many coral species have been suggested to serve a variety of functions, including photo-protection and photo-enhancement. Using fluorescence imaging and molecular analysis, we further investigated the role of these proteins on the physiology of the coral Stylophora pistillata and its algal partners. Fluorescence was found to differ significantly between depths for larvae and adult colonies. Larvae from the shallow reef presented a higher GFP expression and a greater fluorescence intensity compared to the larvae from the mesophotic reef, reflecting the elevated need for photo-protection against high light levels characteristic of the shallow reef, thus supporting the "sunscreen" hypothesis. Additionally, given the lower but still occurring protein expression under non-damaging low light conditions, our results suggest that GFP-like proteins might act to regulate the amount of photosynthetically usable light for the benefit of the symbiotic algae. Moreover, we propose that the differences in GFP expression and green fluorescence between shallow and deep larvae indicate that the GFPs within coral larvae might serve to attract and retain different symbiont clades, increasing the chances of survival when encountering new environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Scucchia
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences University of Haifa, Israel
- The Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel
| | - Hagai Nativ
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Maayan Neder
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences University of Haifa, Israel
- The Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat 88103, Israel
| | | | - Tali Mass
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences University of Haifa, Israel
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18
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Baums IB, Baker AC, Davies SW, Grottoli AG, Kenkel CD, Kitchen SA, Kuffner IB, LaJeunesse TC, Matz MV, Miller MW, Parkinson JE, Shantz AA. Considerations for maximizing the adaptive potential of restored coral populations in the western Atlantic. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01978. [PMID: 31332879 PMCID: PMC6916196 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Active coral restoration typically involves two interventions: crossing gametes to facilitate sexual larval propagation; and fragmenting, growing, and outplanting adult colonies to enhance asexual propagation. From an evolutionary perspective, the goal of these efforts is to establish self-sustaining, sexually reproducing coral populations that have sufficient genetic and phenotypic variation to adapt to changing environments. Here, we provide concrete guidelines to help restoration practitioners meet this goal for most Caribbean species of interest. To enable the persistence of coral populations exposed to severe selection pressure from many stressors, a mixed provenance strategy is suggested: genetically unique colonies (genets) should be sourced both locally as well as from more distant, environmentally distinct sites. Sourcing three to four genets per reef along environmental gradients should be sufficient to capture a majority of intraspecies genetic diversity. It is best for practitioners to propagate genets with one or more phenotypic traits that are predicted to be valuable in the future, such as low partial mortality, high wound healing rate, high skeletal growth rate, bleaching resilience, infectious disease resilience, and high sexual reproductive output. Some effort should also be reserved for underperforming genets because colonies that grow poorly in nurseries sometimes thrive once returned to the reef and may harbor genetic variants with as yet unrecognized value. Outplants should be clustered in groups of four to six genets to enable successful fertilization upon maturation. Current evidence indicates that translocating genets among distant reefs is unlikely to be problematic from a population genetic perspective but will likely provide substantial adaptive benefits. Similarly, inbreeding depression is not a concern given that current practices only raise first-generation offspring. Thus, proceeding with the proposed management strategies even in the absence of a detailed population genetic analysis of the focal species at sites targeted for restoration is the best course of action. These basic guidelines should help maximize the adaptive potential of reef-building corals facing a rapidly changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iliana B. Baums
- Department of BiologyPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16803USA
| | - Andrew C. Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida33149USA
| | - Sarah W. Davies
- Department of BiologyBoston UniversityBostonMassachusetts02215USA
| | | | - Carly D. Kenkel
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCalifornia90007USA
| | - Sheila A. Kitchen
- Department of BiologyPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16803USA
| | - Ilsa B. Kuffner
- U.S. Geological Survey600 4th Street S.St. PetersburgFlorida33701USA
| | - Todd C. LaJeunesse
- Department of BiologyPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16803USA
| | - Mikhail V. Matz
- Department of Integrative BiologyThe University of Texas at AustinAustinTexas78712USA
| | | | - John E. Parkinson
- SECORE InternationalMiamiFlorida33145USA
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFlorida33620USA
| | - Andrew A. Shantz
- Department of BiologyPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvania16803USA
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19
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Iguchi A, Yoshioka Y, Forsman ZH, Knapp ISS, Toonen RJ, Hongo Y, Nagai S, Yasuda N. RADseq population genomics confirms divergence across closely related species in blue coral (Heliopora coerulea). BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:187. [PMID: 31615417 PMCID: PMC6794731 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1522-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Heliopora coerulea, the blue coral, is the octocoral characterized by its blue skeleton. Recently, two Heliopora species were delimited by DNA markers: HC-A and HC-B. To clarify the genomic divergence of these Heliopora species (HC-A and HC-B) from sympatric and allopatric populations in Okinawa, Japan, we used a high throughput reduced representation genomic DNA sequencing approach (ezRAD). Results We found 6742 biallelic SNPs shared among all target populations, which successfully distinguished the HC-A and HC-B species in both the sympatric and allopatric populations, with no evidence of hybridization between the two. In addition, we detected 410 fixed SNPs linking functional gene differences, including heat resilience and reproductive timing, between HC-A and HC-B. Conclusions We confirmed clear genomic divergence between Heliopora species and found possible genes related to stress-responses and reproduction, which may shed light on the speciation process and ecological divergence of coral species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Iguchi
- Department of Bioresources Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College, 905 Henoko, Nago-City, Okinawa, 905-2192, Japan. .,Present address: Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, AIST Tsukuba Central 7, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8567, Japan.
| | - Yuki Yoshioka
- Department of Bioresources Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College, 905 Henoko, Nago-City, Okinawa, 905-2192, Japan
| | - Zac H Forsman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | | | | | - Yuki Hongo
- Research Center for Aquatic Genomics, National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nagai
- Research Center for Aquatic Genomics, National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan
| | - Nina Yasuda
- Department of Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Gakuen- kibanadai-nishi-1-1, Miyazaki, 889-2192, Japan.
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20
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Leveque S, Afiq-Rosli L, Ip YCA, Jain SS, Huang D. Searching for phylogenetic patterns of Symbiodiniaceae community structure among Indo-Pacific Merulinidae corals. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7669. [PMID: 31565579 PMCID: PMC6746223 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Over half of all extant stony corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia) harbour endosymbiotic dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae, forming the foundational species of modern shallow reefs. However, whether these associations are conserved on the coral phylogeny remains unknown. Here we aim to characterise Symbiodiniaceae communities in eight closely-related species in the genera Merulina, Goniastrea and Scapophyllia, and determine if the variation in endosymbiont community structure can be explained by the phylogenetic relatedness among hosts. We perform DNA metabarcoding of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 using Symbiodiniaceae-specific primers on 30 coral colonies to recover three major endosymbiont clades represented by 23 distinct types. In agreement with previous studies on Southeast Asian corals, we find an abundance of Cladocopium and Durusdinium, but also detect Symbiodinium types in three of the eight coral host species. Interestingly, differences in endosymbiont community structure are dominated by host variation at the intraspecific level, rather than interspecific, intergeneric or among-clade levels, indicating a lack of phylogenetic constraint in the coral-endosymbiont association among host species. Furthermore, the limited geographic sampling of four localities spanning the Western and Central Indo-Pacific preliminarily hints at large-scale spatial structuring of Symbiodiniaceae communities. More extensive collections of corals from various regions and environments will help us better understand the specificity of the coral-endosymbiont relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Leveque
- National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, Singapore
| | | | | | | | - Danwei Huang
- National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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21
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Kahng SE, Akkaynak D, Shlesinger T, Hochberg EJ, Wiedenmann J, Tamir R, Tchernov D. Light, Temperature, Photosynthesis, Heterotrophy, and the Lower Depth Limits of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems. CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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22
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Beyond the “Deep Reef Refuge” Hypothesis: A Conceptual Framework to Characterize Persistence at Depth. CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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23
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Lesser MP, Slattery M, Mobley CD. Biodiversity and Functional Ecology of Mesophotic Coral Reefs. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110617-062423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mesophotic coral reefs, currently defined as deep reefs between 30 and 150 m, are linked physically and biologically to their shallow water counterparts, have the potential to be refuges for shallow coral reef taxa such as coral and sponges, and might be a source of larvae that could contribute to the resiliency of shallow water reefs. Mesophotic coral reefs are found worldwide, but most are undescribed and understudied. Here, we review our current knowledge of mesophotic coral reefs and their functional ecology as it relates to their geomorphology, changes in the abiotic environment along depth gradients, trophic ecology, their reproduction, and their connectivity to shallow depths. Understanding the ecology of mesophotic coral reefs, and the connectivity between them and their shallow water counterparts, is now a primary focus for many reef studies as the worldwide degradation of shallow coral reefs, and the ecosystem services they provide, continues unabated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, and School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - Marc Slattery
- Department of BioMolecular Science, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi 38677, USA
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24
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Rajkov J, Weber AA, Salzburger W, Egger B. Adaptive phenotypic plasticity contributes to divergence between lake and river populations of an East African cichlid fish. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7323-7333. [PMID: 30151152 PMCID: PMC6106192 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity and fixed genotypic differences have long been considered opposing strategies in adaptation. More recently, these mechanisms have been proposed to act complementarily and under certain conditions jointly facilitate evolution, speciation, and even adaptive radiations. Here, we investigate the relative contributions of adaptive phenotypic plasticity vs. local adaptation to fitness, using an emerging model system to study early phases of adaptive divergence, the generalist cichlid fish species Astatotilapia burtoni. We tested direct fitness consequences of morphological divergence between lake and river populations in nature by performing two transplant experiments in Lake Tanganyika. In the first experiment, we used wild-caught juvenile lake and river individuals, while in the second experiment, we used F1 crosses between lake and river fish bred in a common garden setup. By tracking the survival and growth of translocated individuals in enclosures in the lake over several weeks, we revealed local adaptation evidenced by faster growth of the wild-caught resident population in the first experiment. On the other hand, we did not find difference in growth between different types of F1 crosses in the second experiment, suggesting a substantial contribution of adaptive phenotypic plasticity to increased immigrant fitness. Our findings highlight the value of formally comparing fitness of wild-caught and common garden-reared individuals and emphasize the necessity of considering adaptive phenotypic plasticity in the study of adaptive divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Rajkov
- Zoological InstituteUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Bernd Egger
- Zoological InstituteUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
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van Oppen MJH, Bongaerts P, Frade P, Peplow L, Boyd SE, Nim HT, Bay LK. Adaptation to reef habitats through selection on the coral animal and its associated microbiome. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:2956-2971. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; Townsville MC Qld Australia
- School of BioSciences; University of Melbourne; Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- Global Change Institute; The University of Queensland; St Lucia Qld Australia
- California Academy of Sciences; San Francisco California
| | - Pedro Frade
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR); University of Algarve; Faro Portugal
| | - Lesa M. Peplow
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; Townsville MC Qld Australia
| | - Sarah E. Boyd
- Faculty of Information Technology; Monash University; Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Hieu T. Nim
- Faculty of Information Technology; Monash University; Melbourne Vic. Australia
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute; Monash University; Melbourne Vic. Australia
| | - Line K. Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; Townsville MC Qld Australia
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Underwood JN, Richards ZT, Miller KJ, Puotinen ML, Gilmour JP. Genetic signatures through space, time and multiple disturbances in a ubiquitous brooding coral. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:1586-1602. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jim N. Underwood
- Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre Australian Institute of Marine Science Crawley WA Australia
| | - Zoe T. Richards
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Bentley WA Australia
- Department of Aquatic Zoology Western Australian Museum Perth WA Australia
| | - Karen J. Miller
- Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre Australian Institute of Marine Science Crawley WA Australia
| | - Marji L. Puotinen
- Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre Australian Institute of Marine Science Crawley WA Australia
| | - James P. Gilmour
- Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre Australian Institute of Marine Science Crawley WA Australia
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Whitney JL, Bowen BW, Karl SA. Flickers of speciation: Sympatric colour morphs of the arc-eye hawkfish, Paracirrhites arcatus, reveal key elements of divergence with gene flow. Mol Ecol 2018; 27:1479-1493. [PMID: 29420860 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
One of the primary challenges of evolutionary research is to identify ecological factors that favour reproductive isolation. Therefore, studying partially isolated taxa has the potential to provide novel insight into the mechanisms of evolutionary divergence. Our study utilizes an adaptive colour polymorphism in the arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) to explore the evolution of reproductive barriers in the absence of geographic isolation. Dark and light morphs are ecologically partitioned into basaltic and coral microhabitats a few metres apart. To test whether ecological barriers have reduced gene flow among dark and light phenotypes, we evaluated genetic variation at 30 microsatellite loci and a nuclear exon (Mc1r) associated with melanistic coloration. We report low, but significant microsatellite differentiation among colour morphs and stronger divergence in the coding region of Mc1r indicating signatures of selection. Critically, we observed greater genetic divergence between colour morphs on the same reefs than that between the same morphs in different geographic locations. We hypothesize that adaptation to the contrasting microhabitats is overriding gene flow and is responsible for the partial reproductive isolation observed between sympatric colour morphs. Combined with complementary studies of hawkfish ecology and behaviour, these genetic results indicate an ecological barrier to gene flow initiated by habitat selection and enhanced by assortative mating. Hence, the arc-eye hawkfish fulfil theoretical expectations for the earliest phase of speciation with gene flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Whitney
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, USA
| | - Brian W Bowen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, USA
| | - Stephen A Karl
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, USA
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Shlesinger T, Grinblat M, Rapuano H, Amit T, Loya Y. Can mesophotic reefs replenish shallow reefs? Reduced coral reproductive performance casts a doubt. Ecology 2018; 99:421-437. [PMID: 29205289 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Revised: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Mesophotic coral ecosystems (i.e., deep coral reefs at 30-120 m depth) appear to be thriving while many shallow reefs in the world are declining. Amid efforts to understand and manage their decline, it was suggested that mesophotic reefs might serve as natural refuges and a possible source of propagules for the shallow reefs. However, our knowledge of how reproductive performance of corals alters with depth is sparse. Here, we present a comprehensive study of the reproductive phenology, fecundity, and abundance of seven reef-building conspecific corals in shallow and mesophotic habitats. Significant differences were found in the synchrony and timing of gametogenesis and spawning between shallow and mesophotic coral populations. Thus, mesophotic populations exhibited delayed or protracted spawning events, which led to spawning of the mesophotic colonies in large proportions at times where the shallow ones had long been depleted of reproductive material. All species investigated demonstrated a substantial reduction in fecundity and/or oocyte sizes at mesophotic depths (40-60 m). Two species (Seriatopora hystrix and Galaxea fascicularis) displayed a reduction in both fecundity and oocyte size at mesophotic depths. Turbinaria reniformis had only reduced fecundity and Acropora squarrosa and Acropora valida only reduced oocyte size. In Montipora verrucosa, reduced fecundity was found during one annual reproductive season while, in the following year, only reduced oocyte size was found. In contrast, reduced oocyte size in mesophotic populations of Acropora squarrosa was consistent along three studied years. One species, Acropora pharaonis, was found to be infertile at mesophotic depths along two studied years. This indicates that reproductive performance decreases with depth; and that although some species are capable of reproducing at mesophotic depths, their contribution to the replenishment of shallow reefs may be inconsequential. Reduced reproductive performance with depth, combined with the possible narrower tolerance to environmental factors, further suggests that mesophotic corals may in fact be more vulnerable than previously conceived. Furthermore, we posit that the observed temporal segregation in reproduction could lead to assortative mating, and this, in turn, may facilitate adaptive divergence across depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Shlesinger
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Mila Grinblat
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Hanna Rapuano
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Tal Amit
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel.,The School of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, 40297, Israel
| | - Yossi Loya
- The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, 69978, Israel
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González AM, Prada CA, Ávila V, Medina M. Ecological Speciation in Corals. POPULATION GENOMICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/13836_2018_35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Coral hybridization or phenotypic variation? Genomic data reveal gene flow between Porites lobata and P. Compressa. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2017; 111:132-148. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2017.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2016] [Revised: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Porter CK, Benkman CW. Assessing the Potential Contributions of Reduced Immigrant Viability and Fecundity to Reproductive Isolation. Am Nat 2017; 189:580-591. [DOI: 10.1086/691191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Calixto-Botía I, Sánchez JA. A case of modular phenotypic plasticity in the depth gradient for the gorgonian coral Antillogorgia bipinnata (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:55. [PMID: 28212607 PMCID: PMC5316182 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0900-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phenotypic plasticity, as a phenotypic response induced by the environment, has been proposed as a key factor in the evolutionary history of corals. A significant number of octocoral species show high phenotypic variation, exhibiting a strong overlap in intra- and inter-specific morphologic variation. This is the case of the gorgonian octocoral Antillogorgia bipinnata (Verrill 1864), which shows three polyphyletic morphotypes along a bathymetric gradient. This research tested the phenotypic plasticity of modular traits in A. bipinnata with a reciprocal transplant experiment involving 256 explants from two morphotypes in two locations and at two depths. Vertical and horizontal length and number of new branches were compared 13 weeks following transplant. The data were analysed with a linear mixed-effects model and a graphic approach by reaction norms. RESULTS At the end of the experiment, 91.8% of explants survived. Lower vertical and horizontal growth rates and lower branch promotion were found for deep environments compared to shallow environments. The overall variation behaved similarly to the performance of native transplants. In particular, promotion of new branches showed variance mainly due to a phenotypic plastic effect. CONCLUSIONS Globally, environmental and genotypic effects explain the variation of the assessed traits. Survival rates besides plastic responses suggest an intermediate scenario between adaptive plasticity and local adaptation that may drive a potential process of adaptive divergence along depth cline in A. bipinnata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Calixto-Botía
- Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig Universität, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32 IFZ D-35392, Giessen, Germany.
- Laboratory of Biología Molecular Marina-Biommar, Department of Biological Sciences-Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18A - 10, P.O. Box 4976, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Juan A Sánchez
- Laboratory of Biología Molecular Marina-Biommar, Department of Biological Sciences-Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18A - 10, P.O. Box 4976, Bogotá, Colombia
- Marine Sciences, International Giessen Graduate Centre for the Life Sciences (GGL), Justus Liebig Universität, Giessen, Germany
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Englebert N, Bongaerts P, Muir PR, Hay KB, Pichon M, Hoegh-Guldberg O. Lower Mesophotic Coral Communities (60-125 m Depth) of the Northern Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170336. [PMID: 28146574 PMCID: PMC5287465 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific remain relatively unexplored, particularly at lower mesophotic depths (≥60 m), despite their potentially large spatial extent. Here, we used a remotely operated vehicle to conduct a qualitative assessment of the zooxanthellate coral community at lower mesophotic depths (60-125 m) at 10 different locations in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve. Lower mesophotic coral communities were present at all 10 locations, with zooxanthellate scleractinian corals extending down to ~100 metres on walls and ~125 m on steep slopes. Lower mesophotic coral communities were most diverse in the 60-80 m zone, while at depths of ≥100 m the coral community consisted almost exclusively of the genus Leptoseris. Collections of coral specimens (n = 213) between 60 and 125 m depth confirmed the presence of at least 29 different species belonging to 18 genera, including several potential new species and geographic/depth range extensions. Overall, this study highlights that lower mesophotic coral ecosystems are likely to be ubiquitous features on the outer reefs of the Great Barrier Reef and atolls of the Coral Sea, and harbour a generic and species richness of corals that is much higher than thus far reported. Further research efforts are urgently required to better understand and manage these ecosystems as part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Englebert
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Kyra B. Hay
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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Bongaerts P, Riginos C, Brunner R, Englebert N, Smith SR, Hoegh-Guldberg O. Deep reefs are not universal refuges: Reseeding potential varies among coral species. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1602373. [PMID: 28246645 PMCID: PMC5310828 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Deep coral reefs (that is, mesophotic coral ecosystems) can act as refuges against major disturbances affecting shallow reefs. It has been proposed that, through the provision of coral propagules, such deep refuges may aid in shallow reef recovery; however, this "reseeding" hypothesis remains largely untested. We conducted a genome-wide assessment of two scleractinian coral species with contrasting reproductive modes, to assess the potential for connectivity between mesophotic (40 m) and shallow (12 m) depths on an isolated reef system in the Western Atlantic (Bermuda). To overcome the pervasive issue of endosymbiont contamination associated with de novo sequencing of corals, we used a novel subtraction reference approach. We have demonstrated that strong depth-associated selection has led to genome-wide divergence in the brooding species Agaricia fragilis (with divergence by depth exceeding divergence by location). Despite introgression from shallow into deep populations, a lack of first-generation migrants indicates that effective connectivity over ecological time scales is extremely limited for this species and thus precludes reseeding of shallow reefs from deep refuges. In contrast, no genetic structuring between depths (or locations) was observed for the broadcasting species Stephanocoenia intersepta, indicating substantial potential for vertical connectivity. Our findings demonstrate that vertical connectivity within the same reef system can differ greatly between species and that the reseeding potential of deep reefs in Bermuda may apply to only a small number of scleractinian species. Overall, we argue that the "deep reef refuge hypothesis" holds for individual coral species during episodic disturbances but should not be assumed as a broader ecosystem-wide phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pim Bongaerts
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Corresponding author.
| | - Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ramona Brunner
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen 28359, Germany
| | - Norbert Englebert
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | | | - Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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Maan ME, Seehausen O, Groothuis TGG. Differential Survival between Visual Environments Supports a Role of Divergent Sensory Drive in Cichlid Fish Speciation. Am Nat 2017; 189:78-85. [DOI: 10.1086/689605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Coral symbioses under prolonged environmental change: living near tolerance range limits. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36271. [PMID: 27805069 PMCID: PMC5090243 DOI: 10.1038/srep36271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
As climate change progresses, understanding the long-term response of corals and their endosymbionts (Symbiodinium) to prolonged environmental change is of immediate importance. Here, a total of 1152 fragments from 72 colonies of three common coral species (Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, Seriatopora hystrix) underwent a 32-month reciprocal depth transplantation. Genetic analysis showed that while S. hystrix maintained its generalist symbiont, some S. pistillata and P. damicornis underwent temporary changes in resident symbionts immediately after stress (transplantation; natural bleaching). These temporary changes were phylogenetically constrained to ‘host-compatible’ symbionts only and reversion to original symbionts occurred within 7 to 12 months, indicating long-term fidelity and stability of adult symbioses. Measurements of symbiont photo-physiology (dark adapted yield, pressure over photosystem II) and coral health (host protein, bleaching status, mortality) indicated a broad acclimatory capacity. However, this came at an apparent energetic expense as disproportionate mortality amongst symbioses that persisted outside their distribution range was observed following a natural bleaching event. As environmental changes due to climate change become more continuous in nature, sub-lethal effects linked to the existence near tolerance range limits coupled with the inability of adult coral colonies to change resident symbionts makes corals particularly susceptible to additional environmental fluctuations or stress events and reduces the resilience of coral populations.
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Thomas CJ, Bridge TC, Figueiredo J, Deleersnijder E, Hanert E. Connectivity between submerged and near‐sea‐surface coral reefs: can submerged reef populations act as refuges? DIVERS DISTRIB 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Thomas
- Institute of Mechanics Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC) Université catholique de Louvain 1348 Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
| | - Tom C.L. Bridge
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB #3 Townsville MC Qld 4810 Australia
| | - Joana Figueiredo
- Oceanographic Center Nova Southeastern University 8000 N Ocean Drive Dania Beach FL 33004 USA
| | - Eric Deleersnijder
- Institute of Mechanics Materials and Civil Engineering (iMMC) Université catholique de Louvain 1348 Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
- Earth and Life Institute (ELI) Université catholique de Louvain 1348 Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
- Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics (DIAM) Delft University of Technology Mekelweg 4 2628CD Delft The Netherlands
| | - Emmanuel Hanert
- Earth and Life Institute (ELI) Université catholique de Louvain 1348 Louvain‐la‐Neuve Belgium
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Meirelles PM, Amado-Filho GM, Pereira-Filho GH, Pinheiro HT, de Moura RL, Joyeux JC, Mazzei EF, Bastos AC, Edwards RA, Dinsdale E, Paranhos R, Santos EO, Iida T, Gotoh K, Nakamura S, Sawabe T, Rezende CE, Gadelha LMR, Francini-Filho RB, Thompson C, Thompson FL. Baseline Assessment of Mesophotic Reefs of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain Based on Water Quality, Microbial Diversity, Benthic Cover and Fish Biomass Data. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130084. [PMID: 26090804 PMCID: PMC4474894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Seamounts are considered important sources of biodiversity and minerals. However, their biodiversity and health status are not well understood; therefore, potential conservation problems are unknown. The mesophotic reefs of the Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain (VTC) were investigated via benthic community and fish surveys, metagenomic and water chemistry analyses, and water microbial abundance estimations. The VTC is a mosaic of reef systems and includes fleshy algae dominated rhodolith beds, crustose coralline algae (CCA) reefs, and turf algae dominated rocky reefs of varying health levels. Macro-carnivores and larger fish presented higher biomass at the CCA reefs (4.4 kg per frame) than in the rhodolith beds and rocky reefs (0.0 to 0.1 kg per frame). A larger number of metagenomic sequences identified as primary producers (e.g., Chlorophyta and Streptophyta) were found at the CCA reefs. However, the rocky reefs contained more diseased corals (>90%) than the CCA reefs (~40%) and rhodolith beds (~10%). Metagenomic analyses indicated a heterotrophic and fast-growing microbiome in rocky reef corals that may possibly lead to unhealthy conditions possibly enhanced by environmental features (e.g. light stress and high loads of labile dissolved organic carbon). VTC mounts represent important hotspots of biodiversity that deserve further conservation actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro M. Meirelles
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Hudson T. Pinheiro
- Department of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, United States of America
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
- Department of Oceanography and Ecology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Associação Ambiental Voz da Natureza, Av Cel. Schwab Filho 104/501, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29050–780, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo L. de Moura
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jean-Christophe Joyeux
- Department of Oceanography and Ecology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Eric F. Mazzei
- Department of Oceanography and Ecology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
- Associação Ambiental Voz da Natureza, Av Cel. Schwab Filho 104/501, Vitória, Espírito Santo 29050–780, Brazil
| | - Alex C. Bastos
- Department of Oceanography and Ecology, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Robert A. Edwards
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Dinsdale
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Paranhos
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eidy O. Santos
- Division of Metrology Applied to Life Science (DIMAV), National Institute of Technology, Quality and Metrology (INMETRO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tetsuya Iida
- Laboratory of Genomic Research on Pathogenic Bacteria, International Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Gotoh
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Shota Nakamura
- Department of Infection Metagenomics, Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Tomoo Sawabe
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, 3-1-1 Minato-cho, Hakodate 041, Japan
| | - Carlos E. Rezende
- Environmental Sciences Laboratory (LCA), Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil
| | - Luiz M. R. Gadelha
- National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC), Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Cristiane Thompson
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabiano L. Thompson
- Institute of Biology and SAGE-COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Warner PA, van Oppen MJH, Willis BL. Unexpected cryptic species diversity in the widespread coralSeriatopora hystrixmasks spatial-genetic patterns of connectivity. Mol Ecol 2015; 24:2993-3008. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 04/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A. Warner
- AIMS@JCU; Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- AIMS@JCU; Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB3, Townsville MC; Townsville Qld 4810 Australia
| | - Bette L. Willis
- AIMS@JCU; Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
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40
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Muir P, Wallace C, Bridge TCL, Bongaerts P. Diverse staghorn coral fauna on the mesophotic reefs of north-east Australia. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117933. [PMID: 25714341 PMCID: PMC4340798 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Concern for the future of reef-building corals in conditions of rising sea temperatures combined with recent technological advances has led to a renewed interest in documenting the biodiversity of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) and their potential to provide lineage continuation for coral taxa. Here, we examine species diversity of staghorn corals (genera Acropora and Isopora) in the mesophotic zone (below 30 m depth) of the Great Barrier Reef and western Coral Sea. Using specimen-based records we found 38 staghorn species in the mesophotic zone, including three species newly recorded for Australia and five species that only occurred below 30 m. Staghorn corals became scarce at depths below 50 m but were found growing in-situ to 73 m depth. Of the 76 staghorn coral species recorded for shallow waters (depth ≤ 30 m) in north-east Australia, 21% extended to mesophotic depths with a further 22% recorded only rarely to 40 m depth. Extending into the mesophotic zone provided shallow water species no significant advantage in terms of their estimated global range-size relative to species restricted to shallow waters (means 86.2 X 10(6) km2 and 85.7 X 10(6) km2 respectively, p = 0.98). We found four staghorn coral species at mesophotic depths on the Great Barrier Reef that were previously considered rare and endangered on the basis of their limited distribution in central Indonesia and the far western Pacific. Colonies below 40 m depth showed laterally flattened branches, light and fragile skeletal structure and increased spacing between branches and corallites. The morphological changes are discussed in relation to decreased light, water movement and down-welling coarse sediments. Staghorn corals have long been regarded as typical shallow-water genera, but here we demonstrate the significant contribution of this group to the region's mesophotic fauna and the importance of considering MCEs in reef biodiversity estimates and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Muir
- Queensland Museum, Townsville, Australia
| | | | - Tom C. L. Bridge
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
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Ledoux JB, Aurelle D, Bensoussan N, Marschal C, Féral JP, Garrabou J. Potential for adaptive evolution at species range margins: contrasting interactions between red coral populations and their environment in a changing ocean. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:1178-92. [PMID: 25859324 PMCID: PMC4377262 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 10/21/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying population-by-environment interactions (PEIs) at species range margins offers the opportunity to characterize the responses of populations facing an extreme regime of selection, as expected due to global change. Nevertheless, the importance of these marginal populations as putative reservoirs of adaptive genetic variation has scarcely been considered in conservation biology. This is particularly true in marine ecosystems for which the deep refugia hypothesis proposes that disturbed shallow and marginal populations of a given species can be replenished by mesophotic ones. This hypothesis therefore assumes that identical PEIs exist between populations, neglecting the potential for adaptation at species range margins. Here, we combine reciprocal transplant and common garden experiments with population genetics analyses to decipher the PEIs in the red coral, Corallium rubrum. Our analyses reveal partially contrasting PEIs between shallow and mesophotic populations separated by approximately one hundred meters, suggesting that red coral populations may potentially be locally adapted to their environment. Based on the effective population size and connectivity analyses, we posit that genetic drift may be more important than gene flow in the adaptation of the red coral. We further investigate how adaptive divergence could impact population viability in the context of warming and demonstrate differential phenotypic buffering capacities against thermal stress. Our study questions the relevance of the deep refugia hypothesis and highlights the conservation value of marginal populations as a putative reservoir of adaptive genetic polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Ledoux
- CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigacção Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 177 4050-123, Porto, Portugal ; Institut de Ciencies del Mar CSIC, Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 37-49 Barcelona, Spain ; Aix Marseille Universite, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, IMBE, UMR 7263 13397, Marseille, France
| | - Didier Aurelle
- Aix Marseille Universite, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, IMBE, UMR 7263 13397, Marseille, France
| | - Nathaniel Bensoussan
- IPSO FACTO, SCOPARL, Pôle Océanologie et Limnologie, 37 rue Saint-Sebastien F-13006, Marseille, France
| | - Christian Marschal
- Aix Marseille Universite, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, IMBE, UMR 7263 13397, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Féral
- Aix Marseille Universite, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, IMBE, UMR 7263 13397, Marseille, France
| | - Joaquim Garrabou
- Aix Marseille Universite, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, IMBE, UMR 7263 13397, Marseille, France ; Institut de Ciencies del Mar CSIC, Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta 37-49 Barcelona, Spain
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42
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Pantos O, Bongaerts P, Dennis PG, Tyson GW, Hoegh-Guldberg O. Habitat-specific environmental conditions primarily control the microbiomes of the coral Seriatopora hystrix. ISME JOURNAL 2015; 9:1916-27. [PMID: 25668159 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2015.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Revised: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals form complex relationships with a range of microorganisms including bacteria, archaea, fungi and the unicellular microalgae of the genus Symbiodinium, which together form the coral holobiont. These symbionts are known to have both beneficial and deleterious effects on their coral host, but little is known about what the governing factors of these relationships are, or the interactions that exist between the different members of the holobiont and their environment. Here we used 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate how archaeal and bacterial communities associated with the widespread scleractinian coral Seriatopora hystrix are influenced by extrinsic (reef habitat and geographic location) and intrinsic (host genotype and Symbiodinium subclade) factors. Bacteria dominate the microbiome of S. hystrix, with members of the Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteriodetes being the most predominant in all samples. The richness and evenness of these communities varied between reef habitats, but there was no significant difference between distinct coral host lineages or corals hosting distinct Symbiodinium subclades. The coral microbiomes correlated to reef habitat (depth) and geographic location, with a negative correlation between Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, driven by the key members of both groups (Rhodobacteraceae and Hahellaceae, respectively), which showed significant differences between location and depth. This study suggests that the control of microbial communities associated with the scleractinian coral S. hystrix is driven primarily by external environmental conditions rather than by those directly associated with the coral holobiont.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Pantos
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- 1] School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia [2] Global Change Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul G Dennis
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gene W Tyson
- 1] Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia [2] Advanced Water Management Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
- 1] School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia [2] Global Change Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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Pochon X, Forsman ZH, Spalding HL, Padilla-Gamiño JL, Smith CM, Gates RD. Depth specialization in mesophotic corals (Leptoseris spp.) and associated algal symbionts in Hawai'i. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2015; 2:140351. [PMID: 26064599 PMCID: PMC4448807 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.140351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Corals at the lower limits of mesophotic habitats are likely to have unique photosynthetic adaptations that allow them to persist and dominate in these extreme low light ecosystems. We examined the host-symbiont relationships from the dominant coral genus Leptoseris in mesophotic environments from Hawai'i collected by submersibles across a depth gradient of 65-125 m. Coral and Symbiodinium genotypes were compared with three distinct molecular markers including coral (COX1-1-rRNA intron) and Symbiodinium (COI) mitochondrial markers and nuclear ITS2. The phylogenetic reconstruction clearly resolved five Leptoseris species, including one species (Leptoseris hawaiiensis) exclusively found in deeper habitats (115-125 m). The Symbiodinium mitochondrial marker resolved three unambiguous haplotypes in clade C, which were found at significantly different frequencies between host species and depths, with one haplotype exclusively found at the lower mesophotic extremes (95-125 m). These patterns of host-symbiont depth specialization indicate that there are limits to connectivity between upper and lower mesophotic zones, suggesting that niche specialization plays a critical role in host-symbiont evolution at mesophotic extremes.
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Affiliation(s)
- X. Pochon
- Environmental Technologies, Coastal and Freshwater Group, Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Author for correspondence: X. Pochon e-mail:
| | - Z. H. Forsman
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI, USA
| | - H. L. Spalding
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i at Mnoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - J. L. Padilla-Gamiño
- Department of Biology, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, USA
| | - C. M. Smith
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i at Mnoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - R. D. Gates
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i, Kaneohe, HI, USA
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Serrano X, Baums IB, O'Reilly K, Smith TB, Jones RJ, Shearer TL, Nunes FLD, Baker AC. Geographic differences in vertical connectivity in the Caribbean coralMontastraea cavernosadespite high levels of horizontal connectivity at shallow depths. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:4226-40. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- X. Serrano
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; University of Miami; 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami FL 33149 USA
| | - I. B. Baums
- Department of Biology; The Pennsylvania State University; 208 Mueller Laboratory University Park PA 16802 USA
| | - K. O'Reilly
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology; Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science; University of Miami; 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami FL 33149 USA
| | - T. B. Smith
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies; University of the Virgin Islands; #2 John Brewer's Bay St. Thomas USVI 00802-9990 USA
| | - R. J. Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; The UWA Oceans Institute; 35 Stirling Highway Crawley WA 6009 Australia
| | - T. L. Shearer
- School of Biology; Georgia Institute of Technology; 310 Ferst Dr. Atlanta GA 30332 USA
| | - F. L. D. Nunes
- Laboratory of Artificial and Natural Evolution; Department of Genetics & Evolution; University of Geneva; Sciences III, 30 quai Ernest Ansermet 1211 Geneva 4 Switzerland
- Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin; Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer; Université de Bretagne Occidentale; Technopole Brest Iroise 29280 Plouzané France
| | - A. 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
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Tonk L, Sampayo EM, LaJeunesse TC, Schrameyer V, Hoegh-Guldberg O. Symbiodinium (Dinophyceae) diversity in reef-invertebrates along an offshore to inshore reef gradient near Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2014; 50:552-63. [PMID: 26988327 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Despite extensive work on the genetic diversity of reef invertebrate-dinoflagellate symbioses on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR; Australia), large information gaps exist from northern and inshore regions. Therefore, a broad survey was done comparing the community of inshore, mid-shelf and outer reefs at the latitude of Lizard Island. Symbiodinium (Freudenthal) diversity was characterized using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting and sequencing of the ITS2 region of the ribosomal DNA. Thirty-nine distinct Symbiodinium types were identified from four subgeneric clades (B, C, D, and G). Several Symbiodinium types originally characterized from the Indian Ocean were discovered as well as eight novel types (C1kk, C1LL, C3nn, C26b, C161a, C162, C165, C166). Multivariate analyses on the Symbiodinium species diversity data showed a strong link with host identity, consistent with previous findings. Of the four environmental variables tested, mean austral winter sea surface temperature (SST) influenced Symbiodinium distribution across shelves most significantly. A similar result was found when the analysis was performed on Symbiodinium diversity data of genera with an open symbiont transmission mode separately with chl a and PAR explaining additional variation. This study underscores the importance of SST and water quality related variables as factors driving Symbiodinium distribution on cross-shelf scales. Furthermore, this study expands our knowledge on Symbiodinium species diversity, ecological partitioning (including host-specificity) and geographic ranges across the GBR. The accelerating rate of environmental change experienced by coral reef ecosystems emphasizes the need to comprehend the full complexity of cnidarian symbioses, including the biotic and abiotic factors that shape their current distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Tonk
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Eugenia M Sampayo
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Todd C LaJeunesse
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802, USA
| | - Verena Schrameyer
- Plant Functional Biology & Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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46
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Jennings RM, Etter RJ, Ficarra L. Population differentiation and species formation in the deep sea: the potential role of environmental gradients and depth. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77594. [PMID: 24098590 PMCID: PMC3788136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological speciation probably plays a more prominent role in diversification than previously thought, particularly in marine ecosystems where dispersal potential is great and where few obvious barriers to gene flow exist. This may be especially true in the deep sea where allopatric speciation seems insufficient to account for the rich and largely endemic fauna. Ecologically driven population differentiation and speciation are likely to be most prevalent along environmental gradients, such as those attending changes in depth. We quantified patterns of genetic variation along a depth gradient (1600-3800m) in the western North Atlantic for a protobranch bivalve (Nuculaatacellana) to test for population divergence. Multilocus analyses indicated a sharp discontinuity across a narrow depth range, with extremely low gene flow inferred between shallow and deep populations for thousands of generations. Phylogeographical discordance occurred between nuclear and mitochondrial loci as might be expected during the early stages of species formation. Because the geographic distance between divergent populations is small and no obvious dispersal barriers exist in this region, we suggest the divergence might reflect ecologically driven selection mediated by environmental correlates of the depth gradient. As inferred for numerous shallow-water species, environmental gradients that parallel changes in depth may play a key role in the genesis and adaptive radiation of the deep-water fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert M. Jennings
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ron J. Etter
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lynn Ficarra
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Bongaerts P, Frade PR, Ogier JJ, Hay KB, van Bleijswijk J, Englebert N, Vermeij MJA, Bak RPM, Visser PM, Hoegh-Guldberg O. Sharing the slope: depth partitioning of agariciid corals and associated Symbiodinium across shallow and mesophotic habitats (2-60 m) on a Caribbean reef. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:205. [PMID: 24059868 PMCID: PMC3849765 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scleractinian corals and their algal endosymbionts (genus Symbiodinium) exhibit distinct bathymetric distributions on coral reefs. Yet, few studies have assessed the evolutionary context of these ecological distributions by exploring the genetic diversity of closely related coral species and their associated Symbiodinium over large depth ranges. Here we assess the distribution and genetic diversity of five agariciid coral species (Agaricia humilis, A. agaricites, A. lamarcki, A. grahamae, and Helioseris cucullata) and their algal endosymbionts (Symbiodinium) across a large depth gradient (2-60 m) covering shallow to mesophotic depths on a Caribbean reef. Results The five agariciid species exhibited distinct depth distributions, and dominant Symbiodinium associations were found to be species-specific, with each of the agariciid species harbouring a distinct ITS2-DGGE profile (except for a shared profile between A. lamarcki and A. grahamae). Only A. lamarcki harboured different Symbiodinium types across its depth distribution (i.e. exhibited symbiont zonation). Phylogenetic analysis (atp6) of the coral hosts demonstrated a division of the Agaricia genus into two major lineages that correspond to their bathymetric distribution (“shallow”: A. humilis / A. agaricites and “deep”: A. lamarcki / A. grahamae), highlighting the role of depth-related factors in the diversification of these congeneric agariciid species. The divergence between “shallow” and “deep” host species was reflected in the relatedness of the associated Symbiodinium (with A. lamarcki and A. grahamae sharing an identical Symbiodinium profile, and A. humilis and A. agaricites harbouring a related ITS2 sequence in their Symbiodinium profiles), corroborating the notion that brooding corals and their Symbiodinium are engaged in coevolutionary processes. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that the depth-related environmental gradient on reefs has played an important role in the diversification of the genus Agaricia and their associated Symbiodinium, resulting in a genetic segregation between coral host-symbiont communities at shallow and mesophotic depths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pim Bongaerts
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, 4072 St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
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Tonk L, Sampayo EM, Weeks S, Magno-Canto M, Hoegh-Guldberg O. Host-specific interactions with environmental factors shape the distribution of symbiodinium across the Great Barrier Reef. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68533. [PMID: 23844217 PMCID: PMC3701053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2013] [Accepted: 05/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium) within coral reef invertebrates are critical to the survival of the holobiont. The genetic variability of Symbiodinium may contribute to the tolerance of the symbiotic association to elevated sea surface temperatures (SST). To assess the importance of factors such as the local environment, host identity and biogeography in driving Symbiodinium distributions on reef-wide scales, data from studies on reef invertebrate-Symbiodinium associations from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) were compiled. Methodology/Principal Findings The resulting database consisted of 3717 entries from 26 studies. It was used to explore ecological patterns such as host-specificity and environmental drivers structuring community complexity using a multi-scalar approach. The data was analyzed in several ways: (i) frequently sampled host species were analyzed independently to investigate the influence of the environment on symbiont distributions, thereby excluding the influence of host specificity, (ii) host species distributions across sites were added as an environmental variable to determine the contribution of host identity on symbiont distribution, and (iii) data were pooled based on clade (broad genetic groups dividing the genus Symbiodinium) to investigate factors driving Symbiodinium distributions using lower taxonomic resolution. The results indicated that host species identity plays a dominant role in determining the distribution of Symbiodinium and environmental variables shape distributions on a host species-specific level. SST derived variables (especially SSTstdev) most often contributed to the selection of the best model. Clade level comparisons decreased the power of the predictive model indicating that it fails to incorporate the main drivers behind Symbiodinium distributions. Conclusions/Significance Including the influence of different host species on Symbiodinium distributional patterns improves our understanding of the drivers behind the complexity of Symbiodinium-invertebrate symbioses. This will increase our ability to generate realistic models estimating the risk reefs are exposed to and their resilience in response to a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Tonk
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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Brazeau DA, Lesser MP, Slattery M. Genetic structure in the coral, Montastraea cavernosa: assessing genetic differentiation among and within Mesophotic reefs. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65845. [PMID: 23734263 PMCID: PMC3666989 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2011] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic coral reefs (30–150 m) have recently received increased attention as a potential source of larvae (e.g., the refugia hypothesis) to repopulate a select subset of the shallow water (<30 m) coral fauna. To test the refugia hypothesis we used highly polymorphic Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers as a means to assess small-scale genetic heterogeneity between geographic locations and across depth clines in the Caribbean coral, Montastraea cavernosa. Zooxanthellae-free DNA extracts of coral samples (N = 105) were analyzed from four depths, shallow (3–10 m), medium (15–25 m), deep (30–50 m) and very deep (60–90 m) from Little Cayman Island (LCI), Lee Stocking Island (LSI), Bahamas and San Salvador (SS), Bahamas which range in distance from 170 to 1,600 km apart. Using AMOVA analysis there were significant differences in ΦST values in pair wise comparisons between LCI and LSI. Among depths at LCI, there was significant genetic differentiation between shallow and medium versus deep and very deep depths in contrast there were no significant differences in ΦST values among depths at LSI. The assignment program AFLPOP, however, correctly assigned 95.7% of the LCI and LSI samples to the depths from which they were collected, differentiating among populations as little as 10 to 20 m in depth from one another. Discriminant function analysis of the data showed significant differentiation among samples when categorized by collection site as well as collection depth. FST outlier analyses identified 2 loci under positive selection and 3 under balancing selection at LCI. At LSI 2 loci were identified, both showing balancing selection. This data shows that adult populations of M. cavernosa separated by depths of tens of meters exhibits significant genetic structure, indicative of low population connectivity among and within sites and are not supplying successful recruits to adjacent coral reefs less than 30 m in depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Brazeau
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New England, Portland, Maine, USA.
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Tonk L, Bongaerts P, Sampayo EM, Hoegh-Guldberg O. SymbioGBR: a web-based database of Symbiodinium associated with cnidarian hosts on the Great Barrier Reef. BMC Ecol 2013; 13:7. [PMID: 23497177 PMCID: PMC3616961 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-13-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The algal endosymbionts (genus Symbiodinium) associated with scleractinian corals (and other reef invertebrates) have received a lot of research attention in the past decade, particularly as certain host-symbiont associations appear more affected by increasing seawater temperatures than others. With the rapid accumulation of information on the diversity of Symbiodinium, it is becoming increasingly difficult to compare newly acquired Symbiodinium data with existing data to detect patterns of host-symbiont specificity on broader spatial scales. The lack of a general consensus on the classification of Symbiodinium species coupled with the variety of different markers used to identify the genus Symbiodinium (ITS1, ITS2, LSU D1/D2, chloroplast 23S rDNA and psbA minicircle) further complicate direct comparison. DESCRIPTION The SymbioGBR database compiles all currently available Symbiodinium sequences and associated host information of data collected from the Great Barrier Reef into a single relational database that is accessible via a user-friendly, searchable web-based application (http://www.SymbioGBR.org). SymbioGBR allows users to query Symbiodinium types or sequences sourced from various genetic markers (e.g. ITS1, ITS2, LSU D1/D2 and chloroplast 23S) and invertebrate host species to explore their reported associations. In addition, as the database includes sequence information of multiple genetic markers, it allows cross-referencing between conventional (e.g. ITS2 region) and novel markers that exhibit low intragenomic variability (e.g. psbA region). Finally, the database is based on the collection details of individual specimens. Such host-symbiont associations can be assessed quantitatively and viewed in relation to their environmental and geographic context. CONCLUSIONS The SymbioGBR database provides a comprehensive overview of Symbiodinium diversity and host-associations on the Great Barrier Reef. It provides a quick, user-friendly means to compare newly acquired data on Symbiodinium (e.g. raw sequences or characterized Symbiodinium types) with previous data on the diversity of invertebrate host-symbiont associations on the GBR. The inclusion of psbAncr sequence information allows for validation of widely used ITS1/ITS2 markers and their ability to accurately identify relevant sequences. Most importantly, centralization of sequence information from multiple genetic markers will aid the classification of Symbiodinium species diversity and allow researchers to easily compare patterns of host-Symbiodinium associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Tonk
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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