Closely related Symbiodinium spp. differ in relative dominance in coral reef host communities across environmental, latitudinal and biogeographic gradients

LaJeunesse, Todd C.; Bhagooli, Ranjeet; Hidaka, Michio; DeVantier, Lyndon; Done, Terence; Schmidt, Gregory W.; Fitt, William K.; Høegh-Guldberg, Ove

doi:10.3354/meps284147

Cited by 310 publications

(372 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(78 reference statements)

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“…In previous studies, C40 occurred in several scleractinian genera from the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR), but was absent from coral populations in the cooler and more seasonably variable southern GBR (LaJeunesse et al 2003(LaJeunesse et al , 2004a. The restricted sampling of coral diversity and low sample sizes in the present survey limit our ability to draw broad conclusions about the importance of temperature in restricting the range of these symbionts.…”

Section: Biogeographic and Environmental Patterns Incontrasting

confidence: 40%

“…Rodriguez-Lanetty et al 2001, Savage et al 2002, Macdonald et al 2008, Thornhill et al 2008) and in isolated locations (e.g. LaJeunesse et al 2004a) and studies done on the host species sampled in the present study throughout the Indo-Pacific (e.g. Loh et al 2001, LaJeunesse et al 2003, 2004b, 2010a, Chen et al 2005, McClanahan et al 2005.…”

Section: Biogeographic and Environmental Patterns Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 & 3, Tables 2 & 3). Although some Symbiodinium ITS-2 types are common to Western Australia, eastern Australia (LaJeunesse et al 2004a), and the northeastern and western Indian Ocean (LaJeunesse et al 2010a), overall Western Australia can be differentiated from other nearby reefs based on its Symbiodinium diversity.…”

Section: Symbiodinium Its-2 Diversity and Novel Types In Western Austmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel algal symbiont (Symbiodinium spp.) diversity in reef corals of Western Australia

Silverstein

Correa

LaJeunesse³

et al. 2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The identity and diversity of algal symbionts (Symbiodinium spp.) in reef corals is thought to influence to the resilience of reef ecosystems to climate change, and varies depending on coral species, environmental conditions, and biogeography. We examined these factors by surveying corals along a latitudinal gradient in Western Australia on reefs connected north to south by the warm-water Leeuwin Current. We used the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) region of ribosomal DNA to characterize Symbiodinium communities in 19 species of reef coral (in 16 genera) from tropical Dampier (20.5°S) to temperate Dunsborough (33.5°S). We documented a high number of novel ITS-2 types in Symbiodinium clades B (1 type) and C (14 types) as well as 7 previously reported ITS-2 types in clades B, C, and D. In addition, we compared symbiont distributions with Giovanni's OBIG MODIS-Aqua satellite temperature data set and found that the putatively thermotolerant Symbiodinium ITS-2 type D1a was more frequently detected in 'chronically warm' tropical sites than at 'chronically cool' temperate sites, while clade B symbiont types showed the reverse pattern, being found in certain corals at the southernmost sites. Symbiodinium type D1a was generally most abundant at Dampier, where bleaching had occurred 1 mo prior to sampling, although some variation by host taxa was observed. The diverse and novel Symbiodinium communities documented here may be a result of (1) the variable environmental histories of the study sites, (2) the apparent genetic divergence within this genus resulting from the relative isolation of Western Australian reefs, and/or (3) the frequent transport of symbionts (in hospite or free-living) from Indo-Malay reefs to Western Australia via the Leeuwin Current. These results indicate that understudied reefs in remote and isolated areas may contain Symbiodinium diversity that has not been reported previously.

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Section: Biogeographic and Environmental Patterns Incontrasting

confidence: 40%

Section: Biogeographic and Environmental Patterns Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Symbiodinium Its-2 Diversity and Novel Types In Western Austmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel algal symbiont (Symbiodinium spp.) diversity in reef corals of Western Australia

Silverstein

Correa

LaJeunesse³

et al. 2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…While intraspecific variation in host-symbiont combinations is limited at local scales, many host species display a broad diversity of partnerships over wide geographic ranges (e.g. Loh et al 2001;LaJeunesse et al 2004LaJeunesse et al , 2010. As SSTs continue to warm, certain regions and coral species may initially fare better than others simply because they possess greater numbers of physiologically tolerant combinations having already evolved in response to pre-existing environmental conditions (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host–symbiont recombination versus natural selection in the response of coral–dinoflagellate symbioses to environmental disturbance

et al. 2010

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Mutualisms between reef-building corals and endosymbiotic dinoflagellates are particularly sensitive to environmental stress, yet the ecosystems they construct have endured major oscillations in global climate. During the winter of 2008, an extreme cold-water event occurred in the Gulf of California that bleached corals in the genus Pocillopora harbouring a thermally ‘sensitive’ symbiont, designated Symbiodinium C1b-c , while colonies possessing Symbiodinium D1 were mostly unaffected. Certain bleached colonies recovered quickly while others suffered partial or complete mortality. In most colonies, no appreciable change was observed in the identity of the original symbiont, indicating that these partnerships are stable. During the initial phases of recovery, a third species of symbiont B1 Aiptasia , genetically identical to that harboured by the invasive anemone, Aiptasia sp., grew opportunistically and was visible as light-yellow patches on the branch tips of several colonies. However, this symbiont did not persist and was displaced in all cases by C1b-c several months later. Colonies with D1 were abundant at inshore habitats along the continental eastern Pacific, where seasonal turbidity is high relative to offshore islands. Environmental conditions of the central and southern coasts of Mexico were not sufficient to explain the exclusivity of D1 Pocillopora in these regions. It is possible that mass mortalities associated with major thermal disturbances during the 1997–1998 El Niño Southern Oscillation eliminated C1b-c holobionts from these locations. The differential loss of Pocillopora holobionts in response to thermal stress suggests that natural selection on existing variation can cause rapid and significant shifts in the frequency of particular coral–algal partnerships. However, coral populations may take decades to recover following episodes of severe selection, thereby raising considerable uncertainty about the long-term viability of these communities.

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“…Five types have been recognized to reside in scleractinian corals, types A, B, C, D and F (Baker, 2003;Knowlton & Rohwer, 2003). Cycloseris vaughani and Lobactis scutaria at Hawaii are known to host Symbiodinium type C (Weiss et al, 2001;LaJeunesse et al, 2004a). In a L. scutaria population introduced in Jamaica (Caribbean) also type C has been found (LaJeunesse et al, 2005).…”

Section: Zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The mushroom coral as a habitat

2011

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The evolution of symbiotic relationships involving reef corals has had much impact on tropical marine biodiversity. Because of their endosymbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) corals can grow fast in tropical shallow seas where they form reefs that supply food, substrate and shelter for other organisms. Many coral symbionts are host-specific, depending on particular coral species for their existence. Some of these animals have become popular objects for underwater photographers and aquarists, whereas others are hardly noticed or considered pests. Loss of a single coral host species also leads to the disappearance of some of its associated fauna. In the present study we show which mushroom corals (Scleractinia: Fungiidae) are known to act as hosts for other organisms, such as acoel flatworms, copepods, barnacles, gall crabs, pontoniine shrimps, mytilid bivalves, epitoniid snails, coralliophilid snails, fish and certain types of zooxanthellae. Several of these associated organisms appear to be host-specific whereas other species are generalists and not even necessarily restricted to fungiid hosts. Heliofungia actiniformis is one of the most hospitable coral species known with a recorded associated fauna consisting of at least 23 species. The availability of a phylogeny reconstruction of the Fungiidae enables comparisons of closely related species of mushroom corals regarding their associated fauna. Application of a phylogenetic ecological analysis indicates that the presence or absence of associated organisms is evolutionarily derived or habitat-induced. Some associations appear to be restricted to certain evolutionary lineages within the Fungiidae, whereas the absence of associated species may be determined by ecomorphological traits of the host corals, such as coral dimensions (coral diameter and thickness) and polyp shape (tentacle size).

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Closely related Symbiodinium spp. differ in relative dominance in coral reef host communities across environmental, latitudinal and biogeographic gradients

Cited by 310 publications

References 50 publications

Novel algal symbiont (Symbiodinium spp.) diversity in reef corals of Western Australia

Novel algal symbiont (Symbiodinium spp.) diversity in reef corals of Western Australia

Host–symbiont recombination versus natural selection in the response of coral–dinoflagellate symbioses to environmental disturbance

The mushroom coral as a habitat

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