Most Low-Abundance “Background” Symbiodinium spp. Are Transitory and Have Minimal Functional Significance for Symbiotic Corals

• Published in: Microbial ecology Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 771 - 783
• Main Authors: Lee, Moo Joon, Jeong, Hae Jin, Jang, Se Hyeon, Lee, Sung Yeon, Kang, Nam Seon, Lee, Kyung Ha, Kim, Hyung Seop, Wham, Drew C, LaJeunesse, Todd C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2016; Springer Science + Business Media; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alveopora japonica; Animals; Anthozoa - parasitology; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Climate change; coral reefs; corals; correlation; Dinoflagellida - classification; Dinoflagellida - isolation & purification; Dinoflagellida - physiology; Ecology; Environmental factors; Geoecology/Natural Processes; HOST MICROBE INTERACTIONS; hydrochemistry; Life Sciences; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology; microbiome; monitoring; Nature Conservation; nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Phylogeny; physiology; quantitative polymerase chain reaction; seasonal variation; Seasonal variations; Seasons; Silica; Symbiodinium; symbionts; Symbiosis; Water chemistry; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Coral microbiome; Dinoflagellates; Host-symbiont specificity; Functional ecology; Quantitative PCR

Speculation surrounds the importance of ecologically cryptic Symbiodinium spp. (dinoflagellates) that occur at low abundances in reef-building corals and in the surrounding environment. Evidence acquired from extensive sampling, long-term monitoring, and experimental manipulation can allow us to ded...