Posted By
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au
Posted By
An international team of scientists, led by Prof David Miller and Dr Amin Mohamed, has found that the coral-associated alga Chromera, despite being a near-relative of Symbiodinium (the photosynthetic symbiont essential for the survival of reef-building corals), is not beneficial to corals. Previously it had been assumed that Chromera was an alternative coral photosymbiont that was more tolerant of heat stress than is Symbiodinium. The new study, published in Nature’s ISME Journal, comprehensively debunks the myth that Chromera is beneficial to corals. Rather than being greeted as a friend, corals mount a hostile response when exposed to Chromera.
To better understand the coral-Chromera association, the researchers investigated the response of every gene in the coral genome from the moment the juvenile coral first interacts with Chromera. The team compared this with the typical response of a coral larva to the known ally, Symbiodinium sp, and saw very different responses from those typical for beneficial types of Symbiodinium.
Read full paper here.
A flotilla of Vietnamese fishing boats with crews suffering in harsh conditions is stripping Pacific coral reefs of seafood as the poaching escalates to become an international human rights and securi
In a study published today, scientists report that the long-term success of clownfish depends more on living in a good neighbourhood than it does on good genes. The natural home of the clownfish is
A new study highlights how healthy mangroves can help some coral reef fish navigate the impacts of climate change. Co-author Professor Peter Mumby, from the ARC Centre of Excellence at the Universi
Scientists say a failure of national management means excessive amounts of harmful chemicals—many now banned in other countries such as the EU, USA and Canada—are damaging the nation’s waterways
Abstract: I will talk about what we have learned from studying symbioses in algae and corals. Origin of the photosynthetic organelle in algae led to the major rewiring of host metabolic pathw
Abstract: Because coastal fisheries have been a major provider of food and economic growth in modern human history, the inherent characteristics of fish populations have been studied by researchers f
Abstract Climate change is the fastest-growing global threat to the world's natural and cultural heritage. No systematic approach to assess climate vulnerability of protected areas and their communit
Abstract: This presentation will provide an updated prognosis of the overgrazing collapse of kelp beds driven by the range-extending sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) and outline antidotes cur
Abstract: Disturbances are fundamental to structuring many ecosystems, yet climate-driven alterations to disturbance regimes may prevent recovery in many biomes. Coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef
Abstract: Outbreaks of the corallivorous Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS; Acanthaster cf. solaris) have been responsible for 40% of the decline in coral cover on the GBR over the last 35 years. With
Abstract: Complex interdependencies between social and ecological dynamics underpin many important environmental problems. To account for these complex dynamics, over the past several years my collea
Abstract: Coral reef restoration is gaining momentum globally in response to the threat of climate change and associated coral bleaching. In Australia, as part of the Reef Restoration and Adaptatio
Partner Research Institutions
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
James Cook University Townsville
Queensland 4811 Australia
Phone: 61 7 4781 4000
Email: info@coralcoe.org.au