Article
Environmental Sciences
Diana Carolina Ballesteros-Contreras, Lina M. M. Barrios, Richard Preziosi
Summary: The shallow coral Madracis auretenra plays an important role in the diversity of coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean Sea. This study examined the population structure of M. auretenra using microsatellite markers and found high levels of inbreeding and the influence of physical barriers on genetic diversity distribution.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Aiyou Huang, Hejing Shi, Ruoxuan Cui, Xiaoni Cai, Zhenyu Xie
Summary: A study has found that taurine can significantly promote the growth and photosynthesis efficiency of Symbiodinium sp., as well as positively affect its biomass and major metabolites. Taurine may also influence the metabolic pathways and transcription processes of Symbiodinium sp. through various mechanisms, while controlling the population density and initiating a series of response mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Bing Lin, Yiwen Zeng, Gregory P. P. Asner, David S. S. Wilcove
Summary: By combining Instagram data from tourists and live coral cover maps in Hawaii, this study reveals that coral reefs both attract and suffer from coastal tourism. Higher live coral cover attracts more visitors, but their visitation contributes to subsequent reef degradation. This finding highlights the economic value of coral reefs and the importance of effective conservation management.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena Bollati, Yaeli Rosenberg, Noa Simon-Blecher, Raz Tamir, Oren Levy, Danwei Huang
Summary: Urbanized coral reefs are often impacted by sedimentation and reduced light levels, but many coral species can still thrive under these disturbed conditions. A study on the transcriptomic response to sediment stress in corals found that exposure to sediment induced upregulation of genes related to energy metabolism and immune response, with anaerobic glycolysis and glyoxylate bypass enzymes being significantly affected. This suggests that hypoxia may be a driving factor for the molecular response of corals to sediment stress.
Article
Ecology
Anna Fiesinger, Christoph Held, Frank Melzner, Lalita Putchim, Thorsten B. H. Reusch, Andrea L. Schmidt, Marlene Wall
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity of P. acuta populations in the Andaman Sea. The results showed that the 2010 bleaching event did not cause extreme genetic impoverishment and there were distinct genetic clusters within short coastal stretches. These findings are important for conservation efforts in the future.
BMC ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Karol O. Puchala, Zuzanna Nowak-Zyczynska, Slawomir Sielicki, Wanda Olech
Summary: The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of increased demand for peregrine falcons via breeding on the genetic structure of the birds. The study sampled 374 bird specimens from six countries and calculated the fixation index and level of inbreeding.
Article
Ecology
Alexandre C. C. Siqueira, Pooventhran Muruga, David R. R. Bellwood
Summary: The biodiversity of tropical reefs is characterized by the interaction between fishes and corals. However, only a minority of fish species strongly associate with live corals, and there is no coevolutionary pattern between the fish and coral lineages. The expansion of reef structures, rather than coral association, is more likely responsible for the Miocene fish diversification.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Thomas J. F. Goreau
Summary: Coral reefs are collapsing rapidly due to various factors, and urgent steps are necessary to regenerate them. The use of safe electrical stimulation has shown potential in increasing settlement, growth, and survival of marine organisms under extreme stress conditions. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms at the cellular and molecular levels. Electrical stimulation is the only known method to reverse the impacts of extreme stresses on corals and other marine organisms.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Karol O. Puchala, Zuzanna Nowak-Zyczynska, Slawomir Sielicki, Wanda Olech
Summary: Microsatellite DNA analysis was used to assess the genetic potential of a peregrine falcon population under a restitution program, revealing genetic distances between different breeding groups and showing that wild and captive populations cluster independently.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Jacob Douek, Elad Nehoray Rachmilovitz, Baruch Rinkevich
Summary: Nineteen microsatellite loci obtained from whole genome sequencing were validated for Stylophora pistillata, a widespread Indo Pacific branching coral species. Genotyping of 40 colonies collected in the northern Gulf of Eilat, the Red Sea, revealed consistently reproducible and suitable outcomes for population genetic studies. These 19 new microsatellite loci showed high polymorphism and will be used to identify genotypic distribution within S. pistillata chimeras.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah Barfield, Sarah W. Davies, Mikhail V. Matz
Summary: This study investigated the possibility of sweepstakes reproductive success (SRS) in Acropora hyacinthus at Yap Island, Micronesia. The genetic diversity of adults and juveniles at different sites was compared, and a dip in genetic diversity was observed in juveniles compared to adults at two sites. However, there was no detectable genetic structure among juveniles. Nonetheless, a pair of juvenile siblings was identified at the site with the lowest genetic diversity, suggesting the existence of SRS.
Article
Ecology
Crawford Drury, Roberta E. Martin, David E. Knapp, Joseph Heckler, Joshua Levy, Ruth D. Gates, Gregory P. Asner
Summary: To improve coral conservation and management, we used historical bleaching phenotypes, imaging spectroscopy, and temperature stress to map coral species composition and thermal tolerance. Spectral data accurately distinguished benthic composition and coral species and showed potential for mapping thermal tolerance. Additionally, we strengthened the relationship between predictions and conserved tolerance phenotypes through a study of a marine heatwave in 2019.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Peter J. J. Edmunds
Summary: Coral recruitment is the addition of new individuals to populations and plays a crucial role in population size. Understanding the factors influencing coral recruitment and its ability to support community resilience is crucial due to declines in coral cover and abundance. Settlement tiles have proven to be effective tools in measuring coral recruitment and future studies should focus on expanding taxonomic resolution and using time series of settlement tile deployments.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nadiezhda Santodomingo, Chris Perry, Zarinah Waheed, Muhammad Ali Bin Syed Hussein, Allia Rosedy, Kenneth G. Johnson
Summary: This study documented the magnitude, types, sources, and potential impacts of marine litter on six coral reefs in East Sabah. The research found that plastics dominate the litter, primarily single-use items, with discarded fishing gear also making up a significant portion. Litter pollution is more severe closer to urban developments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Angelo Jason Spadaro, Mark J. Butler
Summary: The study shows that herbivorous crabs play a significant role in removing seaweed and promoting coral reef recovery. By reducing seaweed cover, increasing coral recruitment, and enhancing reef fish community abundance and diversity, the crabs can reverse the ecological phase shift on coral reefs away from seaweed dominance. Compared to manual scrubbing, the herbivory of crabs has a more lasting effect on reducing algae cover and restoring coral reefs.
Article
Ecology
Michelle Achlatis, Christine H. L. Schonberg, Rene M. van der Zande, Todd C. LaJeunesse, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Sophie Dove
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kenneth D. Hoadley, Allison M. Lewis, Drew C. Wham, D. Tye Pettay, Chris Grasso, Robin Smith, Dustin W. Kemp, Todd C. LaJeunesse, Mark E. Warner
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hannah G. Reich, Wan-Chen Tu, Irene B. Rodriguez, Yalan Chou, Elise F. Keister, Dustin W. Kemp, Todd C. LaJeunesse, Tung-Yuan Ho
Summary: Iron concentration plays a crucial role in the physiological responses of symbiotic dinoflagellates under heat stress, with higher iron levels required for exponential growth at elevated temperatures. This highlights the importance of trace metals in modulating the response of algae to thermal stress and the potential impact on coral-algal mutualisms.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sung Yeon Lee, Hae Jin Jeong, Todd C. Lajeunesse
Article
Ecology
Kira E. Turnham, Drew C. Wham, Eugenia Sampayo, Todd C. LaJeunesse
Summary: The application of molecular genetics has improved the scientific understanding of species, particularly for cryptic micro-organisms. This study identified and described two new Cladocopium symbiont species specific to Pocillopora corals, highlighting their genetic connectivity and potential for long-range dispersal. The evolution and ecological attributes of these newly defined symbionts provide insights into the adaptive responses of corals and their specialized symbionts to rapid climate warming.
Biographical-Item
Microbiology
Todd C. LaJeunesse, Matthew R. Nitschke
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xavier Pochon, Todd C. LaJeunesse
Summary: The dinoflagellate family Symbiodiniaceae includes numerous genera with diverse species that range from endosymbiotic to free-living. Recent revisions in the family omitted naming some divergent lineages, prompting the description of a new genus and species. The new genus Miliolidium is closely related to Durusdinium and has ecologically distinct lineages found in different locations across the Indo-Pacific.
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Todd C. LaJeunesse, Joerg Wiedenmann, Pilar Casado-Amezua, Isabella D'Ambra, Kira E. Turnham, Matthew R. Nitschke, Clinton A. Oakley, Stefano Goffredo, Carlos A. Spano, Victor M. Cubillos, Simon K. Davy, David J. Suggett
Summary: The genus Philozoon, characterized by a symbiotic relationship with temperate invertebrates, has been identified and named using a term discarded from the golden age of Natural Historians. This lineage, closely related to Symbiodinium, thrives in shallow temperate marine habitats in the northern and southern hemispheres. Each symbiont species in the genus displays high host fidelity for specific species of sea anemone, soft coral, stony coral, and rhizostome jellyfish.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kenneth D. Hoadley, Daniel T. Pettay, Allison Lewis, Drew Wham, Chris Grasso, Robin Smith, Dustin W. Kemp, Todd LaJeunesse, Mark E. Warner
Summary: This study reveals significant physiological differences even among closely related symbionts, with implications for the thermal susceptibility of reef-building Porites.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Todd C. LaJeunesse, Anastazia T. Banaszak, Charles R. Fisher, J. Malcolm Shick, Mark E. Warner, James W. Porter, Armand M. Kuris, Roberto Iglesias-Prieto, William K. Fitt
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Wangpraseurt, Yazhi Sun, Shangting You, Sing-Teng Chua, Samantha K. Noel, Helena F. Willard, David B. Berry, Alexander M. Clifford, Sydney Plummer, Yi Xiang, Henry H. Hwang, Jaap Kaandorp, Julia M. Diaz, Todd C. La Jeunesse, Mathieu Pernice, Silvia Vignolini, Martin Tresguerres, Shaochen Chen
Summary: This study uses 3D bioprinting technology to construct biomimetic coral microhabitats, replicating the biological processes involved in coral-algal symbiosis and providing a potential method for manufacturing synthetic designer corals.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Todd C. LaJeunesse, Pilar Casado-Amezua, Benjamin C. C. Hume, Caleb C. Butler, Solenn Mordret, Roberta Piredda, Pasquale De Luca, Raimondo Pannone, Diana Sarno, Joerg Wiedenmann, Isabella D'Ambra
Summary: The precise identification of mutualistic dinoflagellates is crucial for understanding their relationships with animals. By analyzing the genetic sequences of Cotylorhiza tuberculata specimens, two species of symbionts were identified, with one being common in all samples and the other occurring at lower abundance in many individuals. These findings contribute to a better understanding of these mutualistic relationships.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elise F. Keister, Shelby E. Gantt, Hannah G. Reich, Kira E. Turnham, Timothy G. Bateman, Todd C. LaJeunesse, Mark E. Warner, Dustin W. Kemp
Summary: Coral reefs worldwide are declining, but some populations in Palau, Micronesia are better adapted to survive in warmer and more acidic oceans. These coral populations can resist and recover from thermal stress better than their offshore counterparts. The difference in tissue biomass and energy reserves between the nearshore and offshore colonies may be explained by the increased metabolic demand of the warmer and more acidic nearshore environment. Despite the differences in symbiont species and prey availability, the lipid compositions of colonies from both habitats were similar. The regulation of colony biomass and energy reserves may be influenced by various factors, but they converge to a similar homeostatic set point under different environmental conditions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Plant Sciences
Kira Turnham, Todd LaJeunesse
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
H. G. Reich, I. B. Rodriguez, S. E. Tripp, M. E. Warner, D. W. Kemp, T. Y. Ho, T. C. Lajeunesse
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
(2020)