Scientists Map Vast Unknown Microbial World Within Coral Reefs
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An international research team has published a comprehensive genetic map of the microbial communities living within Pacific coral reefs. The study, based on samples from 99 reefs, found that more than 99% of the 645 microbial species identified had no prior genetic description. This foundational work provides a new baseline for understanding coral reef health and resilience.
Facts First
- Identified over 4,000 microbial species in coral reefs, with only 10% having available genetic information.
- Reconstructed genomes of 645 microbial species, more than 99% of which were previously undescribed.
- Found coral-associated bacteria contain a wider range of biosynthetic gene clusters than recorded elsewhere in the ocean.
- Based on samples from 99 coral reefs across 32 Pacific islands, a region containing about 40% of the world's reefs.
- Led by researchers from the University of Galway's Marine Biodiversity Lab with support from the Tara Pacific consortium.
What Happened
An international team of scientists published a study in the journal Nature on coral ecosystems and their unique microbial communities. With support from the Tara Pacific consortium, researchers examined microbiome samples collected between 2016 and 2018 from 99 coral reefs across 32 Pacific islands. They reconstructed the genomes of 645 microbial species, with more than 99% of these having no prior genetic description. The study found that coral-associated bacteria contain a wider range of biosynthetic gene clusters than has been recorded elsewhere in the ocean.
Why this Matters to You
Coral reefs support approximately one third of all visible marine life and provide services including tourism support and nutrient cycling in ocean ecosystems. This new genetic map of coral microbiomes may lead to a better understanding of reef health, which could inform future conservation efforts that protect these vital marine habitats and the coastal economies that depend on them. The discovery of a vast, previously unknown microbial world within reefs highlights how much remains to be learned about ocean biodiversity.
What's Next
Dr. Maggie Reddy and Professor Olivier Thomas will participate in the Tara Coral expedition in Papua New Guinea this June, supported by the Tara Foundation and other partners. This continued research could build on the foundational map created by the Tara Pacific expedition to further explore how microbial communities influence coral resilience to climate pressures.