New Israeli research shows coral reefs shape the ebb and flow of local microbial life |
A new peer-reviewed study led by Israeli researchers has found that coral reefs help control the daily lives of microbes, tiny bacteria, and microscopic algae that live in the water around them.
The researchers believe that as climate change continues to threaten coral reefs worldwide, gaining knowledge of these daily microbial cycles could become an important tool for monitoring reef health.
“We found very interesting, unique diversity, and also very noteworthy daily patterns that probably are key to the well-being and function of these coral ecosystems,” said Dr. Miguel J. Frada, a microbiologist with the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, speaking with The Times of Israel from his Eilat office.
“It opens the door to better understanding the physiology and ecology of coral reefs,” Frada said.
“The microbes are very reactive to variations in the conditions, and they most likely influence the health of corals and other animals living on reefs,” said Frada.
Shifts in their daily patterns might provide early warning signs of stress caused by pollution, warming oceans, or coral bleaching.
Dr. Herdís G. R. Steinsdóttir, a postdoctoral researcher working under Frada’s guidance, together with Dr. Derya Akkaynak, also from the Interuniversity Institute and the University of Haifa, collaborated in the study, which was recently published in the scientific journal Science Advances.
Coral reefs are found typically in warm waters around the globe, said Frada, who is originally from Portugal and has lived in Eilat since 2015.
“Coral reefs are these hotspots of diversity,” Frada explained. “You can find them in the Caribbean, you can find them in East Asia and Australia, and in Eilat.”
Frada said that his office is just 10 meters (33 feet) away from the coral reef in the northern Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea.
“It just makes sense to study the beautiful coral reefs here,” he said.
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