SPCMSC Scientist Publishes New Paper Identifying Unexpected Microbiomes in Deep-Sea Corals

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The deep ocean hosts a large diversity of azooxanthellate (non-algae hosting) cold-water corals whose associated microbiomes remain to be described. While the bacterial genus Endozoicomonas has been widely identified as a dominant associate of tropical and temperate corals, it has rarely been detected in deep-sea corals. This is the first report of coral microbiomes dominated by Endozoicomonas occurring below 1000 meters, at temperatures near 4°C. Further, the paper describes a globally distributed deep-sea coral that does not typically host this bacterial group anywhere else in the world, but is dominated by it at two locations off the U.S. east coast. Determining microbial baselines for these cold-water corals is a critical first step to understanding the ecosystem services their microbiomes contribute, while providing a benchmark against which to measure responses to environmental change or anthropogenic effects. 

The abstract has been accepted by Marine Ecology Progress Series and is online now; the full paper is estimated to release before September 30^th. Please visit https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13844 for more information.