Mass bleaching of soft coral, Sarcophyton spp. in Thailand and the role of temperature and salinity stress

Chavanich, Suchana; Viyakarn, Voranop; Loyjiw, Thepsuda; Pattaratamrong, Priyapat; Chankong, Anchalee

doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsp048

Cited by 24 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Consequently, coral growth, reproduction, resistance to disease and stress, and survivability decline (Baker et al, 2008). These thermal bleaching events are considered the most problematic coral situation worldwide, including in the upper Gulf of Thailand (uGoT) that first recorded a thermal bleaching event in 2006 in Sattahip District, Samae San Island, Chon Buri Province (Chavanich et al, 2009). Thermal events are the most well-known events that cause coral bleaching, but other factors may be involved, such as seawater acidification [which could indirectly be caused from greenhouse gas (CO 2 ) pollution] (Anthony et al, 2011), increased levels of sediment that cover corals, smothering them and/or blocking sunlight (Peters, 1984), and dysbiosis of the coralassociated microbiome (Ritchie, 2006;Bourne et al, 2008a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiomes of Healthy and Bleached Corals During a 2016 Thermal Bleaching Event in the Upper Gulf of Thailand

et al. 2021

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Global warming has caused elevated seawater temperature and coral bleaching, including events on shallow reefs in the upper Gulf of Thailand (uGoT). Previous studies have reported an association between loss of zooxanthellae and coral bleaching. However, studies on the microbial diversity of prokaryotes and eukaryotes (microbiome) as coral holobionts are also important and this information is still limited in the uGoT. To address this shortcoming, this report provided baseline information on the prokaryotic (bacteria and archaea) and eukaryotic microbes of healthy and bleached colonies of four prevalent corals Acropora humilis, Acropora millepora, Platygyra sinensis, and Porites lutea and surrounding seawater and sediments, using 16S and 18S rRNA gene next-generation sequencing. Both prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes showed isolated community profiles among sample types (corals, sediment, and seawater) (ANOSIM: P < 0.001, R = 0.51 for prokaryotic profiles and P < 0.001, R = 0.985 for eukaryotic microbe profiles). Among coral species, P. sinensis showed the most diverse prokaryotic community compared with the others (ANOSIM: P < 0.001, R = 0.636), and P. lutea showed the most diverse eukaryotic microbes (P = 0.014, R = 0.346). Healthy and bleached corals had some different microbiomes in species and their prevalences. For instance, the significant increase of Alphaproteobacteria in P. sinensis resulted in reduced prokaryotic community evenness and altered potential metabolic profiles (i.e., increased amino acid metabolism and genetic information processing and transcription, but decreased prokaryotic functions in cell motility, signaling, and transduction). For eukaryotic microbes, the loss of the algal Symbiodinium (colloquially known as zooxanthellae) in bleached corals such as P. lutea resulted in increased Chromista and Protista and, hence, clearly distinct eukaryotic microbe (including fungi) communities in healthy vs. bleached colonies of corals. Bleached corals were enriched in bacterial pathogens (e.g., Acinetobacter, Helicobacter, Malassesia, and Aspergillus) and decreased coral-beneficial prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes (e.g., Rhizobiales and Symbiodinium). Additionally, this study identified microbiome species in bleached P. lutea that might help bleaching recovery (e.g., high abundance of Rhizobiales, Oceanospirillales, Flavobacteriales, and Alteromonadales). Overall, our coral-associated microbiome analyses identified altered diversity patterns of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and eukaryotic microbes between healthy and bleached coral species that are prevalent in the uGoT. This knowledge supports our ongoing efforts to manipulate microbial diversity as a means of reducing the negative impacts of thermal bleaching events in corals inhabiting the uGoT.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microbiomes of Healthy and Bleached Corals During a 2016 Thermal Bleaching Event in the Upper Gulf of Thailand

et al. 2021

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“…Fringing reefs are found throughout this region, and the prevalent coral species are Acropora, Platygyra, and Porites (Phongsuwan et al, 2013;Latypov, 2015). Unfortunately, due to global warming, many coral populations in Thailand have suffered periodic coral bleaching (Baker et al, 2008;Chavanich et al, 2009;Hoeksema and Matthews, 2011;Phongsuwan and Chansang, 2012). This problem increases the importance of a database documenting the microbiota of corals that may help them cope with stresses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and Seasonal Variability of Reef Bacterial Communities in the Upper Gulf of Thailand

et al. 2018

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Reefs at Ko Samae San (S), Khao Ma Cho (K), and Ko Tao Mo (T), in the Gulf of Thailand (GoT) represent a biodiversity hotspot, and bacteria play significant roles in maintaining the health of these coral reefs and their biogeochemical cycles. Therefore, this study analyzed bacterial communities (microbiota) from healthy corals and nearby seawater and sediment, using B-RISA and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Sampling was done in one dry and one wet season to provide an initial assessment of variation with environmental conditions. The most prevalent coral species were Porites lutea, Platygyra sinensis, Acropora humilis, and Acropora millepora. The B-RISA and the sequencing results were correlated, which increased confidence the results. The microbiota varied among corals, seawater, and sediment and between the wet and dry seasons. Percentages of bacteria with known functions varied among sample types and seasons, and their relative abundances supported previously reported essential functions, such as prevention of disease (e.g., Pseudoalteromonas, Psychrobacter, and Cobetia were more abundant on corals in the dry season). Pearson's correlations and multiple factor regressions identified dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, salinity, and density as significant influences on the microbiota. The equations estimated the relative abundance of a community comprising 147 bacterial genera, as well as the relative abundance of Pseudomonas, Clostridium, Verrucomicrobium, and Epulopiscium (R 2 ≥ 0.721). These results represent the first descriptions of microbiota from corals, and surrounding seawater and sediments in the upper GoT.

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“…1 Such bleaching events negatively impact reproduction, calcification, coral growth, and can result in high coral mortality. 2 While bleached soft corals can recover following moderate or short-term exposure to adverse environmental conditions, 16 there have been some episodes of extremely severe and widespread bleaching that resulted in extensive coral mortality. 17 Environmental conditions that caused this extensive coral loss are expected to recur almost annually within coming decades.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative Metabolomics Approach Detects Stress-Specific Responses during Coral Bleaching in Soft Corals

et al. 2018

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Chronic exposure to ocean acidification and elevated sea-surface temperatures pose significant stress to marine ecosystems. This in turn necessitates costly acclimation responses in corals in both the symbiont and host, with a reorganization of cell metabolism and structure. A large-scale untargeted metabolomics approach comprising gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was applied to profile the metabolite composition of the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi and its dinoflagellate symbiont. Metabolite profiling compared ambient conditions with response to simulated climate change stressors and with the sister species, S. glaucum. Among ∼300 monitored metabolites, 13 metabolites were modulated. Incubation experiments providing four selected upregulated metabolites (alanine, GABA, nicotinic acid, and proline) in the culturing water failed to subside the bleaching response at temperature-induced stress, despite their known ability to mitigate heat stress in plants or animals. Thus, the results hint to metabolite accumulation (marker) during heat stress. This study provides the first detailed map of metabolic pathways transition in corals in response to different environmental stresses, accounting for the superior thermal tolerance of S. ehrenbergi versus S. glaucum, which can ultimately help maintain a viable symbiosis and mitigate against coral bleaching.

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Mass bleaching of soft coral, Sarcophyton spp. in Thailand and the role of temperature and salinity stress

Cited by 24 publications

References 27 publications

Microbiomes of Healthy and Bleached Corals During a 2016 Thermal Bleaching Event in the Upper Gulf of Thailand

Microbiomes of Healthy and Bleached Corals During a 2016 Thermal Bleaching Event in the Upper Gulf of Thailand

Spatial and Seasonal Variability of Reef Bacterial Communities in the Upper Gulf of Thailand

Comparative Metabolomics Approach Detects Stress-Specific Responses during Coral Bleaching in Soft Corals

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