Deep-sea coral ecosystems are thriving communities that are a vibrant and integral part of ocean ecosystems. Listen as Christina Kellogg, USGS microbiologist with the DISCOVRE program, explains why these ecosystems are important.
Coral Microbial Ecology
The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
Coral microbial ecology
Coral microbial ecology is the study of the relationship of coral-associated microorganisms to each other, the coral host, and to their environment. Just as we humans have beneficial bacteria living on our skin and in our intestines, corals also have co-habitating non-pathogenic (not disease-causing) microbes. These microbes include bacteria, archaea, and fungi—representing all three of the major domains of life.
What can we learn from studying coral microbial ecology? Why is it important? Coral reefs in the Caribbean have been in decline for several decades. One of the most visible causes is disease. Coral diseases are not well understood, but the few that have been characterized are all caused by microorganisms. In order to understand the diseased state, we must first understand the healthy state. Until now, coral biology studies have been limited to studies of the coral animal, the algal symbiont, or the interactions of the two. Coral microbial-ecology studies contribute a missing piece of information to the study of overall coral biology. It has been speculated that coral-associated bacteria benefit the coral by fixing nitrogen, breaking down waste products, and cycling basic nutrients back to the photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae). Bacteria may also ward off other potentially harmful microbes by producing antibiotics or by just occupying the available space.
The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project
Microbial Processes on Reefs
Coral Disease
Below are data sets associated with this project.
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Primnoa spp.) from Gulf of Alaska, Baltimore Canyon, and Norfolk Canyon: Raw Data
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Deep-sea coral ecosystems are thriving communities that are a vibrant and integral part of ocean ecosystems. Listen as Christina Kellogg, USGS microbiologist with the DISCOVRE program, explains why these ecosystems are important.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Microbiomes of stony and soft deep-sea corals share rare core bacteria
Microbial associations of four species of algal symbiont-bearing Foraminifers from the Florida Reef Tract, USA
Stability of temperate coral Astrangia poculata microbiome is reflected across different sequencing methodologies
Comparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype
USGS microbiome research
Predation by Acanthurus leucopareius on black-band disease in Kauai, Hawaii
Biogeographic comparison of Lophelia-associated bacterial communities in the Western Atlantic reveals conserved core microbiome
Bacterial community diversity of the deep-sea octocoral Paramuricea placomus
Coral-associated bacterial diversity is conserved across two deep-sea Anthothela species
Seasonal microbial and environmental parameters at Crocker Reef, Florida Keys, 2014–2015
Comparing bacterial community composition of healthy and dark spot-affected Siderastrea siderea in Florida and the Caribbean
Comparing bacterial community composition between healthy and white plague-like disease states in Orbicella annularis using PhyloChip™ G3 microarrays
Below are news stories associated with this project.
The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
Coral microbial ecology
Coral microbial ecology is the study of the relationship of coral-associated microorganisms to each other, the coral host, and to their environment. Just as we humans have beneficial bacteria living on our skin and in our intestines, corals also have co-habitating non-pathogenic (not disease-causing) microbes. These microbes include bacteria, archaea, and fungi—representing all three of the major domains of life.
What can we learn from studying coral microbial ecology? Why is it important? Coral reefs in the Caribbean have been in decline for several decades. One of the most visible causes is disease. Coral diseases are not well understood, but the few that have been characterized are all caused by microorganisms. In order to understand the diseased state, we must first understand the healthy state. Until now, coral biology studies have been limited to studies of the coral animal, the algal symbiont, or the interactions of the two. Coral microbial-ecology studies contribute a missing piece of information to the study of overall coral biology. It has been speculated that coral-associated bacteria benefit the coral by fixing nitrogen, breaking down waste products, and cycling basic nutrients back to the photosynthetic algal symbionts (zooxanthellae). Bacteria may also ward off other potentially harmful microbes by producing antibiotics or by just occupying the available space.
The coral microbial ecology group has an active research program identifying and characterizing the microbial associates of both tropical and cold-water (deep-sea) corals and their surrounding habitat. Current projects focus on coral disease dynamics, bacterial diversity, and using metagenomics to elucidate the functional roles of coral microbes.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
DISCOVRE - Diversity, Systematics and Connectivity of Vulnerable Reef Ecosystems Project
Microbial Processes on Reefs
Coral Disease
Below are data sets associated with this project.
Cold-water Coral Microbiomes (Primnoa spp.) from Gulf of Alaska, Baltimore Canyon, and Norfolk Canyon: Raw Data
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Deep-sea coral ecosystems are thriving communities that are a vibrant and integral part of ocean ecosystems. Listen as Christina Kellogg, USGS microbiologist with the DISCOVRE program, explains why these ecosystems are important.
Deep-sea coral ecosystems are thriving communities that are a vibrant and integral part of ocean ecosystems. Listen as Christina Kellogg, USGS microbiologist with the DISCOVRE program, explains why these ecosystems are important.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Microbiomes of stony and soft deep-sea corals share rare core bacteria
Microbial associations of four species of algal symbiont-bearing Foraminifers from the Florida Reef Tract, USA
Stability of temperate coral Astrangia poculata microbiome is reflected across different sequencing methodologies
Comparison of microbiomes of cold-water corals Primnoa pacifica and Primnoa resedaeformis, with possible link between microbiome composition and host genotype
USGS microbiome research
Predation by Acanthurus leucopareius on black-band disease in Kauai, Hawaii
Biogeographic comparison of Lophelia-associated bacterial communities in the Western Atlantic reveals conserved core microbiome
Bacterial community diversity of the deep-sea octocoral Paramuricea placomus
Coral-associated bacterial diversity is conserved across two deep-sea Anthothela species
Seasonal microbial and environmental parameters at Crocker Reef, Florida Keys, 2014–2015
Comparing bacterial community composition of healthy and dark spot-affected Siderastrea siderea in Florida and the Caribbean
Comparing bacterial community composition between healthy and white plague-like disease states in Orbicella annularis using PhyloChip™ G3 microarrays
Below are news stories associated with this project.