title: Microbial composition of biofilms associated with lithifying rubble of Acropora palmata branches.
abstract: Coral reefs are among the most productive ecosystems on the planet, but are rapidly declining due to global-warming-mediated changes in the oceans. Particularly for the Caribbean region, Acropora sp. stony corals have lost ∼80% of their original coverage, resulting in vast extensions of dead coral rubble. We analyzed the microbial composition of biofilms that colonize and lithify dead Acropora palmata rubble in the Mexican Caribbean and identified the microbial assemblages that can persist under scenarios of global change, including high temperature and low pH. Lithifying biofilms have a mineral composition that includes aragonite and magnesium calcite (16 mole% MgCO(3)) and calcite, while the mineral phase corresponding to coral skeleton is basically aragonite. Microbial composition of the lithifying biofilms are different in comparison to surrounding biotopes, including a microbial mat, water column, sediments and live A. palmata microbiome. Significant shifts in biofilm composition were detected in samples incubated in mesocosms. The combined effect of low pH and increased temperature showed a strong effect after two-week incubations for biofilm composition. Findings suggest that lithifying biofilms could remain as a secondary structure on reef rubble possibly impacting the functional role of coral reefs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, D.F., México 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yislem
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, D.F., México 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cerqueda-García
authors.affiliation: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Ecology Department, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taş
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, UNAM. Ado. Post. 1152, Cancun, QR, México 77500, Mexico.
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Thomé
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, UNAM. Ado. Post. 1152, Cancun, QR, México 77500, Mexico.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Prieto
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología Bacteriana, Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, D.F., México 04510, Mexico falcon@ecologia.unam.mx.
authors.forename: Luisa I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Falcón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000382:microbiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D018441:Biofilms / Q000145:classification*; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000378:metabolism; D017691:Caribbean Region; D057894:Coral Reefs; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017616:Magnesium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D008800:Mexico; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D002119:Calcium Carbonate
keywords: Acropora palmata; genetic diversity; global warming; lithifying biofilms; microbial carbonates; pH