The Shifts of Diazotrophic Communities in Spring and Summer Associated with Coral Galaxea astreata, Pavona decussata, and Porites lutea.

ABSTRACT: The coral holobiont often resides in oligotrophic waters; both coral cells and their symbiotic dinoflagellates possess ammonium assimilation enzymes and potentially benefit from the nitrogen fixation of coral-associated diazotrophs. However, the seasonal dynamics of coral-associated diazotrophs are not well characterized. Here, the seasonal variations of diazotrophic communities associated with three corals, Galaxea astreata, Pavona decussata, and Porites lutea, were studied using nifH gene amplicon pyrosequencing techniques. Our results revealed a great diversity of coral-associated diazotrophs. nifH sequences related to Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria were ubiquitous and dominant in all corals in two seasons. In

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5118425 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature