Coral holobiont dynamics and adaptation
Coral reefs belong to the most diverse ecosystems on this planet, but they also belong to those that are most vulnerable to anthropogenic (man-made) climate change and coastal pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the complex world of reef-building corals, which build the foundation of coral reef ecosystems. Stony corals are holobionts (metaorganisms) composed of a coral animal that hosts a variety of microbial symbionts, including photosynthetic dinoflagellates (Symbiodiniaceae) and bacteria. In a healthy holobiont, the symbiont compartments maintain an equilibrium. When this equilibrium is disturbed, the coral holobiont becomes prone to disease and bleaching that, in the worst case, this may entail the death of the coral host. At the same time, the phenotype and environmental stress tolerance of the coral holobiont are influenced by its microbial associates.
Microbial adaption may take place on short time scales.
Image source: Voolstra and Ziegler 2020 BioEssays
We investigate how “microbiome flexibility” shapes environmental adaption of coral holobionts or in other words how microbial functions within the coral holobiont contribute to rapid responses in the face of climate change. This knowledge is used to design and test active intervention and restoration activities, such as coral probiotics.
Highlighted publications
- Dubé, C.E.; Ziegler, M.; Mercière, A.; Boissin, E.; Planes, S.; Bourmaud, C.A.F.; Voolstra, C.R. (2021): Naturally occurring fire coral clones demonstrate a genetic and environmental basis of microbiome composition. Nature Communications, 12, 6402.
- Voolstra, C.R.; Ziegler, M. (2020): Adapting with Microbial Help: Microbiome Flexibility Facilitates Rapid Responses to Environmental Change. Bioessays, 42, e2000004.
- Ziegler, M.; Grupstra, C.G.B.; Barreto, M.M.; Eaton, M.; BaOmar, J.; Zubier, K.; Al-Sofyani, A.; Turki, A.J.; Ormond, R.; Voolstra, C.R. (2019): Coral bacterial community structure responds to environmental change in a host-specific manner. Nature Communications, 10, 3092.
- Ziegler, M.; Eguiluz, V.M.; Duarte, C.M.; Voolstra, C.R. (2018): Rare symbionts may contribute to the resilience of coral-algal assemblages. The ISME Journal, 12, 161-172.
- Ziegler, M.; Seneca, F.O.; Yum, L.K.; Palumbi, S.R.; Voolstra, C.R. (2017): Bacterial community dynamics are linked to patterns of coral heat tolerance. Nature Communications, 8, 1-8.
- Ziegler, M.; Arif, C.; Burt, J.A.; Dobretsov, S.; Roder, C.; LaJeunesse, T.C.; Voolstra, C.R. (2017): Biogeography and molecular diversity of coral symbionts in the genus Symbiodinium around the Arabian Peninsula. Journal of Biogeography, 44, 674-686.
- Ziegler, M.; Roik, A.; Porter, A.; Zubier, K.; Mudarris, M.S.; Ormond, R.; Voolstra, C.R. (2016): Coral microbial community dynamics in response to anthropogenic impacts near a major city in the central Red Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 105, 629-640.
- Ziegler, M.; Roder, C.; Büchel, C.; Voolstra, C.R. (2015): Niche acclimatization in Red Sea corals is dependent on flexibility of host-symbiont association. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 533, 149-161.