Research

Life wouldn’t be as we know it without microbes. They thrive in all habitats on our planet, on all surfaces and in all multicellular life. Specifically, host-associated microbes (such as those in our own guts, or of course in & on the tissues of coral) make significant contributions to their host’s biology, supporting immunity, nutrition, metabolism, development and much, much more. Corals, in particular, are host to a diverse microbiome that includes their algal endosymbiont of the family Symbiodiniaceae, numerous prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea), single-celled and filamentous fungi and the acellular viruses. All of which play important roles in coral health and function.

In our now human-driven world, climate change is raging war on corals - something we refer to as the “coral reef crisis”. Increases in global temperatures are affecting the frequency and intensity of mass bleaching events worldwide, which can lead to coral disease and mass mortality. Exacerbated by local stressors such as pollution runoff, fishing pressures, invasive species and overexploitation, corals are now facing unprecedented stress. So the question is, can the microbiome (which in normal conditions plays a significant role in coral health and function) provide a rescue mechanism for corals? Thus, our research is focused on understanding when, how and why changes in microbial communities occur, and how this may influence both coral and coral reef ecosystem health and resilience.