Genetic diversity and large-scale connectivity of the scleractinian coral Porites lutea in the South China Sea

Huang, Wen; Li, Ming; Yu, Kefu; Wang, Yinghui; Li, Jingjing; Liang, Jiayuan; Luo, Yingxin; Huang, Xueyong; Qin, Zhenjun; Wang, Guanghua; Su, Hongfei; Fang, Wei

doi:10.1007/s00338-018-1724-8

Cited by 28 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…This result supports the view that Symbiodiniaceae in high latitude coral habitats may originate from low latitude regions, or the “Coral Triangle” in the SCS. Although there has not yet been research conducted on the genetic connectivity of Symbiodiniaceae in the SCS, there have been some studies on corals (Su, 2017; Huang et al, 2018). For example, Huang et al (2018) identified that the gene flow of Porites lutea was universally asymmetrical northward in the SCS, which possibly reflects the northward migration of the coral (Huang et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although there has not yet been research conducted on the genetic connectivity of Symbiodiniaceae in the SCS, there have been some studies on corals (Su, 2017; Huang et al, 2018). For example, Huang et al (2018) identified that the gene flow of Porites lutea was universally asymmetrical northward in the SCS, which possibly reflects the northward migration of the coral (Huang et al, 2018). Other studies have found that coral range expansion was accompanied by a reduction in the diversity of Symbiodiniaceae genotypes (Serrano et al, 2013; Grupstra et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Latitudinal Variation in the Molecular Diversity and Community Composition of Symbiodiniaceae in Coral From the South China Sea

Chen

Liang

et al. 2019

Front. Microbiol.

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Coral reefs are continuing to decline worldwide due to anthropogenic climate change. The study of the molecular diversity and biogeographical patterns of Symbiodiniaceae, is essential to understand the adaptive potential and resilience of coral–algal symbiosis. Next generation sequencing was used to analyze the Symbiodiniaceae rDNA internal transcribed spacer 2 marker genes from 178 reef-building coral samples in eight coral habitats across approximately 13° of latitude in the South China Sea (SCS). A total of three Symbiodiniaceae genera, Cladocopium , Durusdinium , and Gerakladium , as well as 31 dominant Symbiodiniaceae types, were identified. Symbiodiniaceae richness, diversity, and community composition varied according to latitude; intermediate and low latitude coral reefs (IR and LR) have higher Symbiodiniaceae richness and diversity than high latitude coral habitats (HC and HR). A PERMANOVA analysis found significant differences in the Symbiodiniaceae community composition in the SCS ( F = 14.75, R 2 = 0.20, p = 0.001 < 0.01). The major dominant Symbiodiniaceae types were C1 in the HC and the HR, C1/Cspc/C50/C15 and D1 in the IR, and C3u and C15 in the LR. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the relative abundance of different Symbiodiniaceae types is affected by multiple environmental factors. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Symbiodiniaceae type Cladocopium , which shared common ancestors, shows similar environmental adaptability. Based on these results, we suggest that coral host species played a relatively small role in the identity of the dominant Symbiodiniaceae type. Therefore, the biogeographical patterns of Symbiodiniaceae may be mainly affected by environmental factors. Our research provides a comprehensive overview of the biogeography of Symbiodiniaceae in the SCS, where coral communities and reefs are widely distributed across different latitude regions and have variable environmental conditions. Our data will provide support for further study of the regional diversification of Symbiodiniaceae and the ecological resilience of the coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbioses.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal Variation in the Molecular Diversity and Community Composition of Symbiodiniaceae in Coral From the South China Sea

Chen

Liang

et al. 2019

Front. Microbiol.

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“…Considering their latitude, topography, geological history, and genetic connectivity, both Daya Bay and Weizhou Island in the northern should, theoretically, be natural refuges (Chen et al, , , ; Huang et al, ; Wang et al, ). Indeed, our study found that the corals in these two regions—and in particular the massive forms—had high ZD, Chl a content, and tissue biomass.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and Intergeneric Variation in Physiological Indicators of Corals in the South China Sea: Insights Into Their Current State and Their Adaptability to Environmental Stress

Qin

Wang

et al. 2019

JGR Oceans

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It is well known that coral thermal bleaching is mainly caused by abnormally high temperatures, but the spatial/intergeneric variation in coral‐algal symbiosis and its linkage to coral bleaching susceptibility is not well understood. In this study, 654 coral samples were collected from six coral reef regions (CRRs) in the South China Sea (SCS), between the Nansha Islands (~10°N) and Daya Bay (22°50′N). They were analyzed to explore how geographical/environmental variation affects coral bleaching susceptibility. The results showed significant spatial and intergeneric variation in zooxanthellae density, Chl a content, and tissue biomass. Massive corals generally showed higher values than branching corals for all three parameters across CRRs. Spatial analysis showed that these parameters were lowest in the Nansha Islands and highest in Daya Bay, indicating increases with latitude. Several factors may have accounted for this trend, with the most important being sea surface temperature and nutrients. Additionally, we observed a relationship between physiological parameters and bleaching susceptibility, which was that branching corals had greater bleaching susceptibility than massive corals. Coral community composition and live coral cover data showing increasing dominance of massive corals in the SCS support the above inference. Relatively high‐latitude areas have been proposed as potential refuges for corals under continued global warming and the physiological parameters in the present study seem to support this. However, in spite of the aforementioned results, the smallest live coral cover was found in the northern CRRs. This suggests that this refuge function is currently compromised, mainly due to increasing destructive anthropogenic actions.

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“…The Spratly Islands (i.e., Nansha Islands, 3°35′-11°55′N, 109°30′-117°50′E) are located in the southernmost area of the South China Sea (SCS), with typical tropical reefs near the equator (Yu, 2012). The area has high diversities of scleractinian corals with high genetic diversity and connectivity, which are associated with a variety of microorganisms (Zhao et al, 2013; Liang et al, 2017; Huang et al, 2018). Previous macro-ecological surveys in the central and southern SCS have found that massive Porites and Montipora dominate, with additional prevalence of heat-sensitive branching Pocillopora corals (Zhao et al, 2013, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of Symbiodiniaceae in 15 Coral Species From the Southern South China Sea: Potential Relationship With Coral Thermal Adaptability

Qin

Chen

et al. 2019

Front. Microbiol.

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It is well-known that the adaptability of coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis to thermal stress varies among coral species, but the cause and/or mechanism behind it are not well-understood. In this study, we aimed to explore this issue based on zooxanthellae density (ZD) and Symbiodiniaceae genus/subclade. Hemocytometry and next-generation sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) marker gene were used to observe ZDs and Symbiodiniaceae genera/subclades associated with 15 typical coral species in the southern South China Sea (SCS). Average ZDs of all corals were in low levels, ranging from 0.84 to 1.22 × 106 cells cm−2, with a total of five Symbiodiniaceae genera, Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, Durusdinium, Fugacium, and Gerakladium, as well as 24 dominant subclades, were detected and varied among these coral species. Pocillopora verrucosa was dominated by Durusdinium (subclade D1/D1a), and other colonial corals were dominated by Cladocopium, but the subclades were varied among these species. Porites lutea and Montipora efflorescens were dominated by C15, and Echinopora lamellosa, Hydnophora exesa, and Coscinaraea exesa were dominated by C40. Acropora corymbosa, Merulina ampliata, and five species of Faviidae were mainly associated with Cladocopium types of C3u and Cspc. In contrast to other colonial corals, the dominant subclade of solitary Fungia fungites was C27, with high host specificity. Our study indicates that coral thermal stress adaptability is mainly affected by dominant Symbiodiniaceae type instead of ZD in the southern SCS. Some heat-sensitive corals, such as P. verrucosa corals, have acquired a high abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium to adapt to thermal stress. This could be the main reason for these corals becoming the dominant corals in this reef region. Background subclades analyses showed significant differences among coral species in subclade quantity and diversity. These suggest that numbers of coral species may have adapted to high environmental temperature by adopting various symbionts and/or associating with heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae.

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Genetic diversity and large-scale connectivity of the scleractinian coral Porites lutea in the South China Sea

Cited by 28 publications

References 81 publications

Latitudinal Variation in the Molecular Diversity and Community Composition of Symbiodiniaceae in Coral From the South China Sea

Latitudinal Variation in the Molecular Diversity and Community Composition of Symbiodiniaceae in Coral From the South China Sea

Spatial and Intergeneric Variation in Physiological Indicators of Corals in the South China Sea: Insights Into Their Current State and Their Adaptability to Environmental Stress

Diversity of Symbiodiniaceae in 15 Coral Species From the Southern South China Sea: Potential Relationship With Coral Thermal Adaptability

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