Diversity of Symbiotic Dinoflagellates in Northern Latitude Corals

Open Access
- Author:
- Taylor, Madison Lee
- Area of Honors:
- Biology
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Todd C. LaJeunesse, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. James Harold Marden, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Symbiosis
Japan
Climate Change
Conservation
Symbiodinium
Corals - Abstract:
- Reef building corals are widespread throughout the tropics and subtropics; however, some species exist at high temperate latitudes. Temperate conditions such as high seasonality in temperature and turbidity impact coral physiology and likely affect the endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium) that live in their host tissues. The identities of endosymbionts from corals at extreme northern latitudes are poorly characterized, therefore we used molecular genetic approaches to examine Symbiodinium collected across a broad host taxonomic range around Honshu Island, Japan. We observed patterns of high specificity between coral and symbiont as well as a few generalist symbionts. In addition, our data provide evidence that many high latitude Symbiodinium species are new species well adapted to the seasonal fluctuations of temperate environments like Japan. These findings suggest a long-term co-evolution of symbionts that are highly adapted to the intracellular environment of particular coral species at high latitudes. This research improves our understanding of Symbiodinium diversity in high latitude coral communities and begins to elucidate to what extent this diversity is unique relative to the symbionts that thrive in coral populations at lower latitudes. Moreover, characterizing these symbioses is important for the future of coral reef conservation by establishing a baseline of biodiversity at northern latitudes, as corals may find protection from the effects of climate change by colonizing at northern latitudes like Japan.