Integrating cryptic diversity into coral evolution, symbiosis and conservation

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(4), P. 622 - 636

Published: Feb. 13, 2024

Language: Английский

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Stony coral tissue loss disease: a review of emergence, impacts, etiology, diagnostics, and intervention

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 10

Published: Jan. 25, 2024

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is destructive and poses a significant threat to Caribbean reef ecosystems. Characterized by the acute of tissue, SCTLD has impacted over 22 stony species across region, leading visible declines in health. Based on duration, lethality, host range, spread this disease, considered most devastating outbreak ever recorded. Researchers are actively investigating cause transmission SCTLD, but exact mechanisms, triggers, etiological agent(s) remain elusive. If left unchecked, could have profound implications for health resilience reefs worldwide. To summarize what known about identify potential knowledge gaps, review provides holistic overview research, including susceptibility, transmission, ecological impacts, etiology, diagnostic tools, defense treatments. Additionally, future research avenues highlighted, which also relevant other diseases. As continues spread, collaborative efforts necessary develop effective strategies mitigating its impacts critical These need include researchers from diverse backgrounds underrepresented groups provide additional perspectives that requires creative urgent solutions.

Language: Английский

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Harnessing the Power of Model Organisms To Unravel Microbial Functions in the Coral Holobiont

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 86(4)

Published: Oct. 26, 2022

Stony corals build the framework of coral reefs, ecosystems immense ecological and economic importance. The existence these is threatened by climate change other anthropogenic stressors that manifest in microbial dysbiosis such as bleaching disease, often leading to mortality. Despite a significant amount research, mechanisms ultimately underlying destructive phenomena, what could prevent or mitigate them, remain be resolved. This mostly due practical challenges experimentation on highly complex nature holobiont also includes bacteria, archaea, protists, viruses. While overall importance partners well recognized, their specific contributions functioning interspecific dynamics largely unexplored. Here, we review potential adopting model organisms more tractable systems address knowledge gaps. We draw parallels from broader biological biomedical fields guide establishment, implementation, integration new emerging with aim addressing needs research. evaluate cnidarian models Hydra, Aiptasia, Cassiopea, Astrangia poculata; fast-evolving field tissue cell cultures; propose for establishment "true" tropical reef-building models. Based this assessment, suggest future research key aspects limiting our ability understand hence improve response ocean conditions.

Language: Английский

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The use of experimentally evolved coral photosymbionts for reef restoration

Trends in Microbiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Symbiodiniaceae diversity varies by host and environment across thermally distinct reefs

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 33(9)

Published: April 7, 2024

Abstract Endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodiniaceae) influence coral thermal tolerance at both local and regional scales. In isolation, the effects of host genetics, environment, disturbances on symbiont communities are well understood, yet their combined remain poorly resolved. Here, we investigate Symbiodiniaceae across 1300 km in Australia's Coral Sea Marine Park to disentangle these interactive effects. We identified species‐level resolution for three species ( Acropora cf humilis, Pocillopora verrucosa , meandrina ) by sequencing two genetic markers (ITS2 psbA ncr ), paired with genotype‐by‐sequencing (DArT‐seq). Our samples predominantly returned sequences from genus Cladocopium where humilis affiliated C3k, C. pacificum latusorum . Multivariate analyses revealed that symbionts were driven strongly environment disturbances. contrast, partitioned 2.5‐fold more structure than environmental structure. Among species, genetics explained four times variation P. verrucosa. The concurrent bleaching event 2020 had variable impacts communities, consistent patterns A. but not findings demonstrate how macroscale community responses gradients depend respective population Integrating host, symbiont, data will help forecast adaptive potential corals amidst a rapidly changing environment.

Language: Английский

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Thermotolerant coral–algal mutualisms maintain high rates of nutrient transfer while exposed to heat stress

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 290(2007)

Published: Sept. 20, 2023

Symbiotic mutualisms are essential to ecosystems and numerous species across the tree of life. For reef-building corals, benefits their association with endosymbiotic dinoflagellates differ within taxa, nutrient exchange between these partners is influenced by environmental conditions. Furthermore, it widely assumed that corals associated symbionts in genus Durusdinium tolerate high thermal stress at expense lower support coral growth. We traced both inorganic carbon (H13CO3-) nitrate (15NO3-) uptake divergent symbiont quantified transfer host under normal temperatures as well colonies exposed stress. Colonies representative diverse taxa trenchii or Cladocopium spp. exhibited similar ambient By contrast, heat-exposed D. experienced less physiological than conspecifics while assimilation was maintained. This discovery differs from prevailing notion inevitably suffer trade-offs performance. These findings emphasize many host-symbiont combinations adapted high-temperature equatorial environments high-functioning mutualisms; why increased prevalence likely be important future productivity stability reef ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Cryptic species and hybridisation in corals: challenges and opportunities for conservation and restoration

Published: Feb. 14, 2024

Conservation and management of coral reef ecosystems will depend on accurate assessments reef-building species diversity. However, the true diversity corals may be obfuscated by presence cryptic species, which are likely much more pervasive than is currently recognised. Additionally, sometimes hybridize, resulting in gene introgression between species. Here, we investigate prevalence via a structured literature review find that over 50% population genomic studies show evidence for divisions within taxonomically recognised such closely-related taxa often linked flow. We frequently segregate environment, especially depth, differ phenotypic characteristics including resilience to heat stress. This hidden biodiversity creates challenges conservation restoration planning not well appreciated, hiding declines, biasing estimates species’ breadth, overestimating stressors, yielding uncertainty evolutionary dynamics inferred from past studies, creating reproductive barriers limit mating local translocated corals. Increasing awareness with incomplete boundaries common building this expectation into plans an important pathway forward. Rich opportunities interdisciplinary collaboration among speciation biologists could fill key knowledge gaps relevant conservation. detail recommendations best practice strategies identifying hybrids urge their consideration all future

Language: Английский

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Gene expression plasticity facilitates acclimatization of a long-lived Caribbean coral across divergent reef environments

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: April 3, 2024

Local adaptation can increase fitness under stable environmental conditions. However, in rapidly changing environments, compensatory mechanisms enabled through plasticity may better promote fitness. Climate change is causing devastating impacts on coral reefs globally and understanding the potential for adaptive plastic responses critical reef management. We conducted a four-year, three-way reciprocal transplant of Caribbean Siderastrea siderea across forereef, backreef, nearshore populations Belize to investigate specialization versus this species. Corals maintained high survival within forereef backreef but transplantation environments resulted mortality, suggesting that present strong selection. Only forereef-sourced corals demonstrated evidence specialization, exhibiting highest growth forereef. Gene expression profiling 3.5 years post-transplantation revealed transplanted hosts exhibited profiles more similar other same environment, regardless their source location, transcriptome facilitates acclimatization S. siderea. In contrast, algal symbiont (Cladocopium goreaui) gene showcased functional variation between locations was post-transplantation. Our findings suggest limited acclimatory capacity some selection highlight limits physiological restoration.

Language: Английский

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Heat tolerance varies considerably within a reef-building coral species on the Great Barrier Reef

Communications Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(1)

Published: Sept. 23, 2024

Language: Английский

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Facultative lifestyle drives diversity of coral algal symbionts

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 39(3), P. 239 - 247

Published: Nov. 10, 2023

The photosynthetic symbionts of corals sustain biodiverse reefs in nutrient-poor, tropical waters. Recent genomic data illuminate the evolution coral under genome size constraints and suggest that retention facultative lifestyle, widespread among these algae, confers a selective advantage when compared with strict symbiotic existence. We posit symbiosis is analogous to 'bioreactor' selects winner genotypes allows them rise high numbers sheltered habitat prior release by host. Our observations lead novel hypothesis, 'stepping-stone model', which predicts local adaptation both free-living stages, stepwise fashion, accelerates alga diversity origin endemic strains species.

Language: Английский

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