Healthy microbes make for a healthy coral reef. And if that microbiological community is disrupted by overfishing, pollution or climate change, it can contribute to the decline of reefs.
A three-year study
published this month in Nature Communications, conducted on a reef in the Florida Keys, United States, has shed light on how microbes living on corals are instrumental to keeping coral reefs healthy, and how overfishing, pollution and climate change can destabilise the coral’s natural defence and disrupt ecological communities.
According to the lead author of the study Rebecca Thurber, from Oregon State University, healthy corals normally recover easily from small injuries, such as fish bites.
“In our experiment, 100% of the corals bitten in normal waters recovered. But in the presence of elevated nutrients, 66% died after they were bitten by fish, showing that nutrient pollution increases the vulnerability of corals to normal every day events,” she said.
Although this study focused on Caribbean ecosystems, it can inform threats to the Great Barrier Reef, said Jon Brodie from James Cook University, who was not involved in the study.
Coral bleaching and warming ocean temperatures are already affecting tropical reefs, with coral cover already on the decline.
The addition of overfishing and nutrient pollution interact with the elevated temperatures creating more disease-causing bacteria, and this may make reefs less resilient to disruptive events such as cyclones.
According to Zoe Richards, from Western Australian Museum, who was not involved in the study, the study shows “how easily an innocuous interaction like a fish feeding on a coral can turn deadly in overfished and polluted habitats, especially in summer”.
Adding protection
The results suggest it’s especially important to manage overfishing around important reefs, says Richards. This will help sustain the population of fish that feed on microbes that might otherwise increase in numbers and disrupt the normal microbial ecology.
“This will help suppress algal overgrowth and blooms of harmful bacteria, which are major drivers of coral mortality,” said Richards.
Another strategy to protect reefs is to protect the environment around them.
“Rehabilitating catchment areas, preventing clearing and erosion, along with protecting natural waterways and limiting herbicide and pesticide run-off are integral components of reducing nutrient pollution,” said Richards.
Even though climate change is warming the Great Barrier Reef, reducing the impact of other stressors could help maintain a healthy microbial balance.
“If we reduce ocean pollution and ensure that there are abundant fishes to remove the algae on reefs, corals can likely tolerate some increases in water temperatures,” said Thurber
Maxine Gatt, Editor, The Conversation
This article was originally published on The Conversation and republished here with permission. Read the original article.
Originally published by Cosmos as Resilient Great Barrier Reef
The Conversation
The Conversation is an independent, not-for-profit media outlet that uses content sourced from the academic and research community.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.
