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McIlroy SE, Guibert I, Archana A, Chung WYH, Duffy JE, Gotama R, Hui J, Knowlton N, Leray M, Meyer C, Panagiotou G, Paulay G, Russell B, Thompson PD, Baker DM. Life goes on: Spatial heterogeneity promotes biodiversity in an urbanized coastal marine ecosystem. Glob Chang Biol 2024; 30:e17248. [PMID: 38581126 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Both human populations and marine biodiversity are concentrated along coastlines, with growing conservation interest in how these ecosystems can survive intense anthropogenic impacts. Tropical urban centres provide valuable research opportunities because these megacities are often adjacent to mega-diverse coral reef systems. The Pearl River Delta is a prime exemplar, as it encompasses one of the most densely populated and impacted regions in the world and is located just northwest of the Coral Triangle. However, the spatial and taxonomic complexity of this biodiversity, most of which is small, cryptic in habitat and poorly known, make comparative analyses challenging. We deployed standardized settlement structures at seven sites differing in the intensity of human impacts and used COI metabarcoding to characterize benthic biodiversity, with a focus on metazoans. We found a total of 7184 OTUs, with an average of 665 OTUs per sampling unit; these numbers exceed those observed in many previous studies using comparable methods, despite the location of our study in an urbanized environment. Beta diversity was also high, with 52% of the OTUs found at just one site. As expected, we found that the sites close to point sources of pollution had substantially lower diversity (44% less) relative to sites bathed in less polluted oceanic waters. However, the polluted sites contributed substantially to the total animal diversity of the region, with 25% of all OTUs occurring only within polluted sites. Further analysis of Arthropoda, Annelida and Mollusca showed that phylogenetic clustering within a site was common, suggesting that environmental filtering reduced biodiversity to a subset of lineages present within the region, a pattern that was most pronounced in polluted sites and for the Arthropoda. The water quality gradients surrounding the PRD highlight the unique role of in situ studies for understanding the impacts of complex urbanization pressures on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E McIlroy
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
- Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - Isis Guibert
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - Anand Archana
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
- San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Wing Yi Haze Chung
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - J Emmett Duffy
- MarineGEO Program and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA
| | - Rinaldi Gotama
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
- Indo Ocean Project, Banjar Adegan Kawan, Desa Ped, Bali, Indonesia
| | - Jerome Hui
- Simon F.S. Li Marine Science Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - Nancy Knowlton
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Matthieu Leray
- MarineGEO Program and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Panama City, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
| | - Chris Meyer
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Department of Microbiome Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knoell-Institute, Jena, Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Jena, Germany
- Department of Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gustav Paulay
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Bayden Russell
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - Philip D Thompson
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
| | - David M Baker
- School of Biological Sciences, The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China
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Tong H, Zhang F, Sun J, McIlroy SE, Zhang W, Wang Y, Huang H, Zhou G, Qian PY. Meta-organism gene expression reveals that the impact of nitrate enrichment on coral larvae is mediated by their associated Symbiodiniaceae and prokaryotic assemblages. Microbiome 2023; 11:89. [PMID: 37101227 PMCID: PMC10131396 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01495-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coral meta-organisms consist of the coral, and its associated Symbiodiniaceae (dinoflagellate algae), bacteria, and other microbes. Corals can acquire photosynthates from Symbiodiniaceae, whilst Symbiodiniaceae uses metabolites from corals. Prokaryotic microbes provide Symbiodiniaceae with nutrients and support the resilience of corals as meta-organisms. Eutrophication is a major cause of coral reef degradation; however, its effects on the transcriptomic response of coral meta-organisms remain unclear, particularly for prokaryotic microbes associated with corals in the larval stage. To understand acclimation of the coral meta-organism to elevated nitrate conditions, we analyzed the physiological and transcriptomic responses of Pocillopora damicornis larvae, an ecologically important scleractinian coral, after 5 days of exposure to elevated nitrate levels (5, 10, 20, and 40 µM). RESULTS The major differentially expressed transcripts in coral, Symbiodiniaceae, and prokaryotic microbes included those related to development, stress response, and transport. The development of Symbiodiniaceae was not affected in the 5 and 20 µM groups but was downregulated in the 10 and 40 µM groups. In contrast, prokaryotic microbe development was upregulated in the 10 and 40 µM groups and downregulated in the 5 and 20 µM groups. Meanwhile, coral larval development was less downregulated in the 10 and 40 µM groups than in the 5 and 20 µM groups. In addition, multiple larval, Symbiodiniaceae, and prokaryotic transcripts were significantly correlated with each other. The core transcripts in correlation networks were related to development, nutrient metabolism, and transport. A generalized linear mixed model, using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, demonstrated that the Symbiodiniaceae could both benefit and cost coral larval development. Furthermore, the most significantly correlated prokaryotic transcripts maintained negative correlations with the physiological functions of Symbiodiniaceae. CONCLUSIONS Results suggested that Symbiodiniaceae tended to retain more nutrients under elevated nitrate concentrations, thereby shifting the coral-algal association from mutualism towards parasitism. Prokaryotic microbes provided Symbiodiniaceae with essential nutrients and may control Symbiodiniaceae growth through competition, whereby prokaryotes can also restore coral larval development inhibited by Symbiodiniaceae overgrowth. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoya Tong
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Institute of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Jin Sun
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Weipeng Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Institute of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Guowei Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Institute of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Pei-Yuan Qian
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
- CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research and Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
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Davies SW, Gamache MH, Howe-Kerr LI, Kriefall NG, Baker AC, Banaszak AT, Bay LK, Bellantuono AJ, Bhattacharya D, Chan CX, Claar DC, Coffroth MA, Cunning R, Davy SK, del Campo J, Díaz-Almeyda EM, Frommlet JC, Fuess LE, González-Pech RA, Goulet TL, Hoadley KD, Howells EJ, Hume BCC, Kemp DW, Kenkel CD, Kitchen SA, LaJeunesse TC, Lin S, McIlroy SE, McMinds R, Nitschke MR, Oakley CA, Peixoto RS, Prada C, Putnam HM, Quigley K, Reich HG, Reimer JD, Rodriguez-Lanetty M, Rosales SM, Saad OS, Sampayo EM, Santos SR, Shoguchi E, Smith EG, Stat M, Stephens TG, Strader ME, Suggett DJ, Swain TD, Tran C, Traylor-Knowles N, Voolstra CR, Warner ME, Weis VM, Wright RM, Xiang T, Yamashita H, Ziegler M, Correa AMS, Parkinson JE. Building consensus around the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae diversity. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15023. [PMID: 37151292 PMCID: PMC10162043 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Within microeukaryotes, genetic variation and functional variation sometimes accumulate more quickly than morphological differences. To understand the evolutionary history and ecology of such lineages, it is key to examine diversity at multiple levels of organization. In the dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae, which can form endosymbioses with cnidarians (e.g., corals, octocorals, sea anemones, jellyfish), other marine invertebrates (e.g., sponges, molluscs, flatworms), and protists (e.g., foraminifera), molecular data have been used extensively over the past three decades to describe phenotypes and to make evolutionary and ecological inferences. Despite advances in Symbiodiniaceae genomics, a lack of consensus among researchers with respect to interpreting genetic data has slowed progress in the field and acted as a barrier to reconciling observations. Here, we identify key challenges regarding the assessment and interpretation of Symbiodiniaceae genetic diversity across three levels: species, populations, and communities. We summarize areas of agreement and highlight techniques and approaches that are broadly accepted. In areas where debate remains, we identify unresolved issues and discuss technologies and approaches that can help to fill knowledge gaps related to genetic and phenotypic diversity. We also discuss ways to stimulate progress, in particular by fostering a more inclusive and collaborative research community. We hope that this perspective will inspire and accelerate coral reef science by serving as a resource to those designing experiments, publishing research, and applying for funding related to Symbiodiniaceae and their symbiotic partnerships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W. Davies
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew H. Gamache
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | - Andrew C. Baker
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Anastazia T. Banaszak
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - Line Kolind Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
| | - Anthony J. Bellantuono
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Cheong Xin Chan
- Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Danielle C. Claar
- Nearshore Habitat Program, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA, USA
| | | | - Ross Cunning
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Simon K. Davy
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Javier del Campo
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Jörg C. Frommlet
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Lauren E. Fuess
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
| | - Raúl A. González-Pech
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Tamar L. Goulet
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS, United States
| | - Kenneth D. Hoadley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama—Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Emily J. Howells
- National Marine Science Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Dustin W. Kemp
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama—Birmingham, Birmingham, Al, United States
| | - Carly D. Kenkel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sheila A. Kitchen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Todd C. LaJeunesse
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Senjie Lin
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT, United States
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Ryan McMinds
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | - Clinton A. Oakley
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Raquel S. Peixoto
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Hollie M. Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | | | - Hannah G. Reich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - James Davis Reimer
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan
| | | | - Stephanie M. Rosales
- The Cooperative Institute For Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Osama S. Saad
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Red Sea University, Port-Sudan, Sudan
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Scott R. Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States
| | - Eiichi Shoguchi
- Marine Genomics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Edward G. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Stat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy G. Stephens
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Marie E. Strader
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - David J. Suggett
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Timothy D. Swain
- Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, United States
| | - Cawa Tran
- Department of Biology, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Nikki Traylor-Knowles
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | | | - Mark E. Warner
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Virginia M. Weis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Rachel M. Wright
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Tingting Xiang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Hiroshi Yamashita
- Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), Giessen, Germany
| | | | - John Everett Parkinson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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McIlroy SE, terHorst CP, Teece M, Coffroth MA. Nutrient dynamics in coral symbiosis depend on both the relative and absolute abundance of Symbiodiniaceae species. Microbiome 2022; 10:192. [PMID: 36336686 PMCID: PMC9639324 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01382-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symbionts provide a variety of reproductive, nutritional, and defensive resources to their hosts, but those resources can vary depending on symbiont community composition. As genetic techniques open our eyes to the breadth of symbiont diversity within myriad microbiomes, symbiosis research has begun to consider what ecological mechanisms affect the identity and relative abundance of symbiont species and how this community structure impacts resource exchange among partners. Here, we manipulated the in hospite density and relative ratio of two species of coral endosymbionts (Symbiodinium microadriaticum and Breviolum minutum) and used stable isotope enrichment to trace nutrient exchange with the host, Briareum asbestinum. RESULTS The patterns of uptake and translocation of carbon and nitrogen varied with both density and ratio of symbionts. Once a density threshold was reached, carbon acquisition decreased with increasing proportions of S. microadriaticum. In hosts dominated by B. minutum, nitrogen uptake was density independent and intermediate. Conversely, for those corals dominated by S. microadriaticum, nitrogen uptake decreased as densities increased, and as a result, these hosts had the overall highest (at low density) and lowest (at high density) nitrogen enrichment. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that the uptake and sharing of nutrients was strongly dependent on both the density of symbionts within the host, as well as which symbiont species was dominant. Together, these complex interactive effects suggest that host regulation and the repression of in hospite symbiont competition can ultimately lead to a more productive mutualism. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E McIlroy
- School of Biological Sciences, Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA.
| | - Casey P terHorst
- Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA
| | - Mark Teece
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Mary Alice Coffroth
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
- Department of Geology University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
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Coffroth MA, Leigh NJ, McIlroy SE, Miller MW, Sheets HD. Genetic structure of dinoflagellate symbionts in coral recruits differs from that of parental or local adults. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9312. [PMID: 36188517 PMCID: PMC9484304 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The symbiotic relationship between dinoflagellate algae in the family Symbiodiniaceae and scleractinian corals forms the base of the tropical reef ecosystem. In scleractinian corals, recruits acquire symbionts either “vertically” from the maternal colony or initially lack symbionts and acquire them “horizontally” from the environment. Regardless of the mode of acquisition, coral species and individual colonies harbor only a subset of the highly diverse complex of species/taxa within the Symbiodiniaceae. This suggests a genetic basis for specificity, but local environmental conditions and/or symbiont availability may also play a role in determining which symbionts within the Symbiodiniaceae are initially taken up by the host. To address the relative importance of genetic and environmental drivers of symbiont uptake/establishment, we examined the acquisition of these dinoflagellate symbionts in one to three‐month‐old recruits of Orbicella faveolata to compare symbiont types present in recruits to those of parental populations versus co‐occurring adults in their destination reef. Variation in chloroplast 23S ribosomal DNA and in three polymorphic microsatellite loci was examined. We found that, in general, symbiont communities within adult colonies differed between reefs, suggesting that endemism is common among symbiont populations of O. faveolata on a local scale. Among recruits, initial symbiont acquisition was selective. O. faveolata recruits only acquired a subset of locally available symbionts, and these generally did not reflect symbiont populations in adults at either the parental or the outplant reef. Instead, symbiont communities within new recruits at a given outplant site and region tended to be similar to each other, regardless of parental source population. These results suggest temporal variation in the local symbiont source pool, although other possible drivers behind the distinct difference between symbionts within O. faveolata adults and new generations of recruits may include different ontogenetic requirements and/or reduced host selectivity in early ontogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noel J. Leigh
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA
| | | | - H. David Sheets
- Department of Geology University at Buffalo Buffalo New York USA
- Graduate Program in Data Analytics Canisius College Buffalo New York USA
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Richards JL, Sheng V, Chung HWY, Liu M, Tsang RHH, McIlroy SE, Baker D. Development of an eDNA‐based survey method for urban fish markets. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John L. Richards
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR
| | - Victoria Sheng
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR
| | - Haze Wing Yi Chung
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR
| | - Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science and College of Ocean and Earth Sciences Xiamen University Xiamen Fujian China
| | - Rainbow Hin Hung Tsang
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR
| | - David Baker
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR
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7
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McIlroy SE, Wong JCY, Baker DM. Competitive traits of coral symbionts may alter the structure and function of the microbiome. ISME J 2020; 14:2424-2432. [PMID: 32518247 PMCID: PMC7490369 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0697-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
In the face of global warming and unprecedented coral bleaching, a new avenue of research is focused on relatively rare algal symbionts and their ability to confer thermal tolerance to their host by association. Yet, thermal tolerance is just one of many physiological attributes inherent to the diversity of symbiodinians, a result of millions of years of competition and niche partitioning. Here, we revealed that competition among cocultured symbiodinians alters nutrient assimilation and compound production with species-specific responses. For Cladocopium goreaui, a species ubiquitous within stable coral associations, temperature stress increased sensitivity to competition eliciting a shift toward investment in cell replication, i.e., putative niche exploitation. Meanwhile, competition led Durusdinium trenchii, a thermally tolerant “background” symbiodinian, to divert resources from immediate growth to storage. As such, competition may be driving the dominance of C. goreaui outside of temperature stress, the destabilization of symbioses under thermal stress, the repopulation of coral tissues by D. trenchii following bleaching, and ultimately undermine the efficacy of symbiont turnover as an adaptive mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E McIlroy
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC.,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Jane C Y Wong
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC.,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - David M Baker
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC. .,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC.
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McIlroy SE, Cunning R, Baker AC, Coffroth MA. Competition and succession among coral endosymbionts. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12767-12778. [PMID: 31788212 PMCID: PMC6875658 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Host species often support a genetically diverse guild of symbionts, the identity and performance of which can determine holobiont fitness under particular environmental conditions. These symbiont communities are structured by a complex set of potential interactions, both positive and negative, between the host and symbionts and among symbionts. In reef-building corals, stable associations with specific symbiont species are common, and we hypothesize that this is partly due to ecological mechanisms, such as succession and competition, which drive patterns of symbiont winnowing in the initial colonization of new generations of coral recruits. We tested this hypothesis using the experimental framework of the de Wit replacement series and found that competitive interactions occurred among symbionts which were characterized by unique ecological strategies. Aposymbiotic octocoral recruits within high- and low-light environments were inoculated with one of three Symbiodiniaceae species as monocultures or with cross-paired mixtures, and we tracked symbiont uptake using quantitative genetic assays. Priority effects, in which early colonizers excluded competitive dominants, were evidenced under low light, but these early opportunistic species were later succeeded by competitive dominants. Under high light, a more consistent competitive hierarchy was established in which competitive dominants outgrew and limited the abundance of others. These findings provide insight into mechanisms of microbial community organization and symbiosis breakdown and recovery. Furthermore, transitions in competitive outcomes across spatial and temporal environmental variation may improve lifetime host fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E. McIlroy
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and BehaviorState University of New YorkUniversity at BuffaloBuffaloNew York
- Swire Institute of Marine ScienceSchool of Biological ScienceThe University of Hong KongHong Kong
- Present address:
Swire Institute of Marine ScienceSchool of Biological ScienceThe University of Hong KongHong Kong
| | - Ross Cunning
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
- Present address:
Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and ResearchJohn G. Shedd AquariumChicagoIllinois
| | - Andrew C. Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
| | - Mary Alice Coffroth
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and BehaviorState University of New YorkUniversity at BuffaloBuffaloNew York
- Department of GeologyState University of New YorkUniversity at BuffaloBuffaloNew York
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McIlroy SE, Thompson PD, Yuan FL, Bonebrake TC, Baker DM. Subtropical thermal variation supports persistence of corals but limits productivity of coral reefs. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190882. [PMID: 31311470 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Concomitant to the decline of tropical corals caused by increasing global sea temperatures is the potential removal of barriers to species range expansions into subtropical and temperate habitats. In these habitats, species must tolerate lower annual mean temperature, wider annual temperature ranges and lower minimum temperatures. To understand ecophysiological traits that will impact geographical range boundaries, we monitored populations of five coral species within a marginal habitat and used a year of in situ measures to model thermal performance of vital host, symbiont and holobiont physiology. Metabolic responses to temperature revealed two acclimatization strategies: peak productivity occurring at annual midpoint temperatures (4-6°C lower than tropical counterparts), or at annual maxima. Modelled relationships between temperature and P:R were compared to a year of daily subtropical sea temperatures and revealed that the relatively short time spent at any one temperature, limited optimal performance of all strategies to approximately half the days of the year. Thus, while subtropical corals can adjust their physiology to persist through seasonal lows, seasonal variation seems to be the key factor limiting coral productivity. This constraint on rapid reef accretion within subtropical environments provides insight into the global distribution of future coral reefs and their ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E McIlroy
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Philip D Thompson
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Felix Landry Yuan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Timothy C Bonebrake
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - David M Baker
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
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Chen J, McIlroy SE, Archana A, Baker DM, Panagiotou G. A pollution gradient contributes to the taxonomic, functional, and resistome diversity of microbial communities in marine sediments. Microbiome 2019; 7:104. [PMID: 31307536 PMCID: PMC6632204 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0714-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coastal marine environments are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. However, anthropogenic impacts exert significant pressure on coastal marine biodiversity, contributing to functional shifts in microbial communities and human health risk factors. However, relatively little is known about the impact of eutrophication-human-derived nutrient pollution-on the marine microbial biosphere. RESULTS Here, we tested the hypothesis that benthic microbial diversity and function varies along a pollution gradient, with a focus on human pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes. Comprehensive metagenomic analysis including taxonomic investigation, functional detection, and ARG annotation revealed that zinc, lead, total volatile solids, and ammonia nitrogen were correlated with microbial diversity and function. We propose several microbes, including Planctomycetes and sulfate-reducing microbes as candidates to reflect pollution concentration. Annotation of antibiotic resistance genes showed that the highest abundance of efflux pumps was found at the most polluted site, corroborating the relationship between pollution and human health risk factors. This result suggests that sediments at polluted sites harbor microbes with a higher capacity to reduce intracellular levels of antibiotics, heavy metals, or other environmental contaminants. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a correlation between pollution and the marine sediment microbiome and provide insight into the role of high-turnover microbial communities as well as potential pathogenic organisms as real-time indicators of water quality, with implications for human health and demonstrate the inner functional shifts contributed by the microcommunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarui Chen
- Systems Biology & Bioinformatics Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shelby E McIlroy
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Anand Archana
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - David M Baker
- Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Kadoorie Biological Sciences Building, Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Gianni Panagiotou
- Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans Knoll Institute, Beutenbergstrasse 11a, Jena, 07745, Germany.
- Department of Microbiology Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Systems Biology & Bioinformatics Group, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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McIlroy SE, Gillette P, Cunning R, Klueter A, Capo T, Baker AC, Coffroth MA. The effects of Symbiodinium (Pyrrhophyta) identity on growth, survivorship, and thermal tolerance of newly settled coral recruits. J Phycol 2016; 52:1114-1124. [PMID: 27690269 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
For many coral species, the obligate association with phylogenetically diverse algal endosymbiont species is dynamic in time and space. Here, we used controlled laboratory inoculations of newly settled, aposymbiotic corals (Orbicella faveolata) with two cultured species of algal symbiont (Symbiodinium microadriaticum and S. minutum) to examine the role of symbiont identity on growth, survivorship, and thermal tolerance of the coral holobiont. We evaluated these data in the context of Symbiodinium photophysiology for 9 months post-settlement and also during a 5-d period of elevated temperatures Our data show that recruits that were inoculated with S. minutum grew significantly slower than those inoculated with S. microadriaticum (occasionally co-occurring with S. minutum), but that there was no difference in survivorship of O. faveolata polyps infected with Symbiodinium. However, photophysiological metrics (∆Fv/F'm, the efficiency with which available light is used to drive photosynthesis and α, the maximum light utilization coefficient) were higher in those slower growing recruits containing S. minutum. These findings suggest that light use (i.e., photophysiology) and carbon acquisition by the coral host (i.e., host growth) are decoupled, but did not distinguish the source of this difference. Neither Symbiodinium treatment demonstrated a significant negative effect of a 5-d exposure to temperatures as high as 32°C under low light conditions similar to those measured at settlement habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby E McIlroy
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University at Buffalo, 126 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA
| | - Phillip Gillette
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Csy, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Ross Cunning
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Csy, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Anke Klueter
- Department of Geology, University at Buffalo, 126 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA
| | - Tom Capo
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Csy, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Andrew C Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Csy, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Mary Alice Coffroth
- Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University at Buffalo, 126 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA
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Prada C, McIlroy SE, Beltrán DM, Valint DJ, Ford SA, Hellberg ME, Coffroth MA. Cryptic diversity hides host and habitat specialization in a gorgonian-algal symbiosis. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:3330-40. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences; Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge LA 70803 USA
| | - Shelby E. McIlroy
- Department of Geology and Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior; State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo NY 14260 USA
| | - Diana M. Beltrán
- Department of Marine Sciences; University of Puerto Rico; Mayagüez PR 00667 USA
| | - Daniel J. Valint
- Department of Geology and Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior; State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo NY 14260 USA
| | - Scott A. Ford
- Department of Geology and Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior; State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo NY 14260 USA
| | - Michael E. Hellberg
- Department of Biological Sciences; Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge LA 70803 USA
| | - Mary Alice Coffroth
- Department of Geology and Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior; State University of New York at Buffalo; Buffalo NY 14260 USA
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McKeon CS, Stier AC, McIlroy SE, Bolker BM. Multiple defender effects: synergistic coral defense by mutualist crustaceans. Oecologia 2012; 169:1095-103. [PMID: 22374368 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2275-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2011] [Accepted: 01/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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