Open AccessMicrobial communities associated with skeletal tumors on Porites compressa
Author(s) -
Breitbart Mya,
Bhagooli Ranjeet,
Griffin Sean,
Johnston Ian,
Rohwer Forest
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsle.2005.01.004
Subject(s) - coral , porites , biology , microbial population biology , vibrio , botany , population , symbiosis , coral reef , ecology , reef , bacteria , genetics , demography , sociology
Coral tumors are atypical skeletal forms found on coral reefs worldwide. Here we present an analysis of the microbial communities associated with skeletal tumors on the coral Porites compressa . Microbial growth rates on both healthy and tumorous P. compressa were decoupled from the surrounding water column. Microbial communities associated with tumorous colonies had a significantly faster growth rate than those associated with healthy P. compressa . The microbial community associated with the tumors contained more culturable Vibrio spp. and could utilize more carbon sources than the microbes associated with healthy colonies. Presence of tumors affected the composition and dynamics of the microbial population associated with the entire colony.