Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys

Abstract The success of coral restoration for the critically endangered Acropora palmata is understudied. Here, we examined how habitat and coral microbiomes influenced survivorship in four genets of A. palmata outplanted in three reefs. A. palmata microbiomes were correlated to reef and habitat and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stephanie M. Rosales, Benjamin D. Young, Allan J. Bright, Enrique Montes, Jia-Zhong Zhang, Nikki Traylor-Knowles, Dana E. Williams
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-11-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01816-7
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846164811152359424
author Stephanie M. Rosales
Benjamin D. Young
Allan J. Bright
Enrique Montes
Jia-Zhong Zhang
Nikki Traylor-Knowles
Dana E. Williams
author_facet Stephanie M. Rosales
Benjamin D. Young
Allan J. Bright
Enrique Montes
Jia-Zhong Zhang
Nikki Traylor-Knowles
Dana E. Williams
author_sort Stephanie M. Rosales
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The success of coral restoration for the critically endangered Acropora palmata is understudied. Here, we examined how habitat and coral microbiomes influenced survivorship in four genets of A. palmata outplanted in three reefs. A. palmata microbiomes were correlated to reef and habitat and minimally to coral genet. Carysfort Reef exhibited the lowest survivorship which correlated to lower current velocity and a higher relative abundance of Rhodobacterales in A. palmata. Higher survivorship was present at Pickles Reef which correlated to the highest current velocity, and at North Dry Rocks with the shallowest outplant depth. Habitat factors driven by time of year such as higher levels of nitrate, nitrite, and temperature also correlated with a relative increase in a putative pathogen, Alteromonadales, and a decrease in an uncharacterized core bacteria. We suggest outplanting at sites with high currents, lower depths, and at lower concentrations of nitrate/nitrite to increase A. palmata survivorship.
format Article
id doaj-art-21fafadc581b453ab55ad5b3b38b4bda
institution Kabale University
issn 2662-4435
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Earth & Environment
spelling doaj-art-21fafadc581b453ab55ad5b3b38b4bda2024-11-17T12:50:20ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-11-015111310.1038/s43247-024-01816-7Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida KeysStephanie M. Rosales0Benjamin D. Young1Allan J. Bright2Enrique Montes3Jia-Zhong Zhang4Nikki Traylor-Knowles5Dana E. Williams6Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of MiamiCooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of MiamiCooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of MiamiCooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of MiamiAtlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMarine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of MiamiCooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of MiamiAbstract The success of coral restoration for the critically endangered Acropora palmata is understudied. Here, we examined how habitat and coral microbiomes influenced survivorship in four genets of A. palmata outplanted in three reefs. A. palmata microbiomes were correlated to reef and habitat and minimally to coral genet. Carysfort Reef exhibited the lowest survivorship which correlated to lower current velocity and a higher relative abundance of Rhodobacterales in A. palmata. Higher survivorship was present at Pickles Reef which correlated to the highest current velocity, and at North Dry Rocks with the shallowest outplant depth. Habitat factors driven by time of year such as higher levels of nitrate, nitrite, and temperature also correlated with a relative increase in a putative pathogen, Alteromonadales, and a decrease in an uncharacterized core bacteria. We suggest outplanting at sites with high currents, lower depths, and at lower concentrations of nitrate/nitrite to increase A. palmata survivorship.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01816-7
spellingShingle Stephanie M. Rosales
Benjamin D. Young
Allan J. Bright
Enrique Montes
Jia-Zhong Zhang
Nikki Traylor-Knowles
Dana E. Williams
Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
Communications Earth & Environment
title Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
title_full Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
title_fullStr Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
title_full_unstemmed Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
title_short Reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of Acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the Florida Keys
title_sort reef site and habitat influence effectiveness of acropora palmata restoration and its microbiome in the florida keys
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01816-7
work_keys_str_mv AT stephaniemrosales reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys
AT benjamindyoung reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys
AT allanjbright reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys
AT enriquemontes reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys
AT jiazhongzhang reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys
AT nikkitraylorknowles reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys
AT danaewilliams reefsiteandhabitatinfluenceeffectivenessofacroporapalmatarestorationanditsmicrobiomeinthefloridakeys