Work

Resolving Symbiodiniaceae Diversity Across Coral Microhabitats and Reef Niches

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Dinoflagellates of the family Symbiodiniaceae are important symbionts of diverse marine animals and they also occupy different environmental niches on coral reefs. The link between diversity at ecosystem‐scale to microhabitats of Symbiodiniaceae within the coral holobiont is largely unknown. Using ITS2‐amplicon sequencing, we compared Symbiodiniaceae communities across four environments (seawater, near‐reef vs. distant sediments and turf algae) and two coral microhabitats (tissue, mucus) on a coral reef in the Red Sea. We found that coral and environmental habitats were both dominated by the genera Symbiodinium , Cladocopium and Durusdinium , but environmental habitats additionally harboured Fugacium , Gerakladium and Halluxium . Each environmental habitat harboured a distinct Symbiodiniaceae community. Nonetheless, 17 ITS2 sequences were shared among coral and environmental habitats and were also part of nearly half of the ITS2 type profiles in coral‐based communities. Tissues and mucus of 49 coral colonies from 17 genera had largely identical Symbiodiniaceae communities. Together with the large difference between environmental Symbiodiniaceae communities and those in the coral tissue and mucus, our results indicate a clear barrier between host‐associated and environmental Symbiodiniaceae communities marked by only few shared complete type profiles. Monitoring coral colonies after mucus sampling confirmed its suitability for long‐term monitoring of coral‐associated Symbiodiniaceae communities.

Source: Environmental Microbiology

DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.70065

Authors: Wyatt C. Million, Christian R. Voolstra, Gabriela Perna, Giulia Puntin, Katherine Rowe, Maren Ziegler

Institutions: Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, University of Konstanz, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, University of Waikato

Language: English

Topic: Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,640