The Microbiome of Coral Reefs

Whether it is through a detailed marine documentary on the television or an exciting scuba diving experience during the summer, it is definite that many people have seen these clusters of colorful, boulder-like structures living throughout our many oceans. Mostly concentrated in the tropical oceans near the Earth’s equator, corals are metaorganisms that play an important role in maintaining the marine ecosystems. Coral reefs function as habitats and provide food for many marine organisms, take part in the carbon & nitrogen cycle, and protect nearby coastlines from erosion and natural calamities. Just as coral reefs are essential to the marine ecosystems, so are microbes vital to the coral reef ecosystems in many ways.

Coral microbiomes are extremely diverse and complex, including microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, archaea, and dinoflagellates. Healthy coral reefs naturally contain healthy microbial communities that provide them with a multitude of benefits, whether it is enhancing coral immune systems or playing a role in the many cycles that corals take part in. For instance, zooxanthellae is a dinoflagellate algae that helps corals in their photosynthesis process in exchange for shelter and nutrients. Without these microorganisms, corals would lack the food that they need to survive and their beautiful colors.