Host age is not a consistent predictor of microbial diversity in the coral Porites lutea.

ABSTRACT: Corals harbour diverse microbial communities that can change in composition as the host grows in age and size. Larger and older colonies have been shown to host a higher diversity of microbial taxa and this has been suggested to be a consequence of their more numerous, complex and varied micro-niches available. However, the effects of host age on community structure and diversity of microbial associates remain equivocal in the few studies performed to date. To test this relationship more robustly, we use established techniques to accurately determine coral host age by quantifying annual skeletal banding patterns, and utilise high-throughput sequencing to comprehensively characterise the microbiome of the common reef-building coral, Porites lutea. Our results indicate no clear link between

SUBMITTER: Wainwright BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7463248 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature