Symbiodinium Research Experiment

[rsmith05]

Dear fellow aquarists,

The Coral Culture Laboratory at Florida International University is looking for advanced aquarists to participate in a Symbiodinium (zooxanthellae) diversity study. The overall focus of our laboratory’s research utilizes molecular techniques to investigate patterns of diversity of corals and their endosymbionts (see http://www.fiu.edu/~lajeunes/ ). More specifically, we are interested in understanding the stability and/or flexibility of coral-algal symbioses and the implications to global climate change. We have learned that while some associations between host species and algal “type� may be somewhat flexible, a vast majority of these associations are highly specialized and display no propensity to change (see LaJeunesse et al., 2005. Coral Reefs, 24: 157-159 at http://www.fiu.edu/~lajeunes/LaJeunesseetal%202005.pdf ). To investigate the stability of these specialized symbioses, we have genetically typed the symbiont populations from a few host specimens maintained in aquaria for several years. Preliminary analyses reveal that the expected “natural� symbiont types of these hosts have persisted in the artificial environment of an aquarium for periods of up to 6 years.

To substantiate these preliminary results, we are looking for aquarists willing to donate small coral fragments (~2cm) for genetic analyses. Specifically, we need specimens belonging to the genera Montipora and Porites (originating from the Pacific) that have been maintained in aquaria for a period of at least 1 year. Common examples may include (but not limited to): M. digitata, M. capricornis, M. foliosa, M. angulata, M. meandrina, M. millepora, M. danae, M. undata, P. lobata, P. cylindrica, P. annae, P. nigrenscens, P. lutea, P. rus).

Additionally, it would be useful (although not critical) to have a detailed description of the aquarium conditions and history of the host colony (i.e. lighting, water parameters, location of the host specimen, descriptive color and/or growth morphology, origin of host specimen if known, other host species maintained, etc.). Findings from this investigation will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal with acknowledgment given to participating aquarists.

To participate in this study, please e-mail Robin Smith (rsmith05@fiu.edu) with a description of host species available and estimated time period in culture for each host colony. Arrangements will be made to ship out sample vials containing preservation buffer and instructions for sampling as well as return shipping account information.

Thanks

[mhurley]

I would be glad to send some in. I will email Robin.

[Agu]

Bump..........

[mhurley]

I mailed my samples in today Robin.


Gang,

This is an interesting study and if you can spare a tiny frag of some of these corals, it would be a great help to this group of researchers. There is no cost to you, just a couple minutes of your time. They'll send you packaging and shipping labels.

The researchers have agreed to provide us a copy of their final report this summer and we can post it here when we get it.

If you are interested, please send an email to Robin at the address up above. They are expecting a heavy load of responses so keep your correspondece brief and to the point if possible. Simply list the species you have from their desired list posted above as well as your name and address and they'll send everything to you. When you return your frags, try and remember to include a written description of the system that she asks for above (I forgot to do this).

Thanks!

[coralite]

Hey robin, I just sent you an email, I just got back from the Fitt and Schmidt lab at UGA and was really surprised to see this post. Hope I can be of service. Will you be going to Symbiofest?

[sod]

Why use tank bred specimens when ones aquaried from the wild would be of much more use to the scientific comunity. Data you obtained can be used by many others looking into coral evolutionary relationships and distrubution. Please try and get a grant to obtain specimens with capture locations and details. Your grant money be better spent this way.

[HWCOZ]

Reminds me of the quote: "It is better to be quiet and thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

[sod]

The fact is this a a research project. If they designed it right then it would be useful to more than just writing a journal article. Biogeoggraphy is extremly important to conservation, more important than the phylogenetics themself. Information obtained from collection sites will be more useful than how they are in a persons artificial environment. This project is really wasting money and the specimens. If only they got a grant to collect the specimens then thier data can be used by many others and actually aid in coral reef conservation, ecology, phylogenetics, biogeography, and aquaculture. As it stands the data is really just phylogenetics with details on how they are kept, not very useful to anyone besides aquarist.

Call me what you will, This is just my opinion as a Biologist and researcher. I just think this is a poorly designed research project and it would be a million times more useful if the specimens came from the wild with locations and ecology information.

[futrtrubl]

I presume you've seen these papers...
SCHOENBERG D.A. & R.K. TRENCH (1980) Genetic variation in Symbiodinium (=Gymnodinium) microadriaticum Freudenthal, and specificity in its symbiosis with marine invertebrates: I. Isoenzyme and soluble protein patterns of axenic cultures of S. microadriaticum. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 207: 405-427.

SCHOENBERG D.A. & R.K. TRENCH (1980) Genetic variation in Symbiodinium (=Gymnodinium) microadriaticum Freudenthal, and specificity in its symbiosis with marine invertebrates: II. Morphological variation in S. microadriaticum. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B. 207: 429-444.

SCHOENBERG D.A. & R.K. TRENCH (1980) Genetic variation in Symbiodinium (=Gymnodinium) microadriaticum Freudenthal, and specificity in its symbiosis with marine invertebrates: III. Specificity and infectivity of S. microadriaticum. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 207: 445-460.

Also I have seen a paper that claims while corals show some specificity, it's usually to a cell size rather than a species. I can't remember now the name or author of the paper.

Edward

[coralite]

Hey futrtrubl, what kind of stuff do you do at Discovery Bay? have you seen any of those fungias they suposedly have running around?

Robin, I sent your samples a couple of days ago so you should have them soon.

Sod, you should be Scorned for criticizing science which you know seemingly little about. This is a rare instance when the aquarium hobby has been harnessed by scientists for use in a [IMG]well designed[/IMG] coral research experiment. Shame on you for harassing this young coral scientist.
SOD, if you read the little part about "understanding the stability and/or flexibility of coral-algal symbioses" you might stop to realize that it is impractical and unethical to transplant corals all over the ocean and wait x number of years for stability and flexibility to show itself. Not to mention this would be prohibitively expensive more than twice over.
And if you were familiar with the field of coral symbiosis you would realize that Robin works for Todd LaJeunesse who is more or less responsible for developing Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) for use as a symbiodinium identification tool. Saying this study is poorly designed is like saying Jordan cant play ball. Dr. LaJeunesse has already typed out thousands of samples with ecological relevance from all over the world and this study aims to compliment research which has already been performed.

[Serioussnaps]

Sod, you should be Scorned for criticizing science which you know seemingly little about. This is a rare instance when the aquarium hobby has been harnessed by scientists for use in a coral research experiment. Shame on you for harassing this young coral scientist.
SOD, if you read the little part about "understanding the stability and/or flexibility of coral-algal symbioses" you might stop to realize that it is impractical and unethical to transplant corals all over the ocean and wait x number of years for stability and flexibility to show itself. Not to mention this would be prohibitively expensive more than twice over.
And if you were familiar with the field of coral symbiosis you would realize that Robin works for Todd LaJeunesse who is more or less responsible for developing Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) for use as a symbiodinium identification tool. Saying this study is poorly designed is like saying Jordan cant play ball. Dr. LaJeunesse has already typed out thousands of samples with ecological relevance from all over the world and this study aims to compliment research which has already been performed.



DAAAAAAAAAAMNNNNNNN

[boxfishpooalot]

Why use tank bred specimens when ones aquaried from the wild would be of much more use to the scientific comunity

I would rather know the information pertaining to aquarium kept corals than wild ones

rsmith05, if my tank could keep sps corals I would send some down. But for now im working on my 3ppm phosphates.

[TypicalNoah]

Cool beans.

I'm here as an undergraduate student at UMiami in the "marine science / bio majors and chem minor" thing myself. School spits out about 30 or so of these every year, of variable quality...

In any case, last month in a marine bio class RSMAS PhD student Andrew Baker gave a guest lecture on Symbiodinium flexibility and clade identification in the field. I thought his work might be helpful, if you haven't already seen it. Sorry I can't provide corals myself yet... it's really hard to keep a reef tank in a dorm room!


I think publications such as the following provide the specific arguments and considerations that sod was considering:

Baker AC, Ateweberhan M, Maina J, Moothien-Pillay KR (2005) Refining coral bleaching experiments and models through reiterative field studies. Marine Ecology Progress Series 305: 301-303



But what's important is the biogeography experiment itself, and I was just hoping it might help to see how Mr. Baker's experiment worked. Besides, FIU is so close... can't we all just get along?

Baker AC (2003) Flexibility and specificity in coral-algal symbiosis: Diversity, ecology and biogeography of Symbiodinium. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 34: 661-689

Baker AC(2004) Diversity, distribution and ecology of Symbiodinium on coral reefs and its relationship to bleaching resistance and resilience. In: Coral Health and Disease (Rosenberg E & Loya Y, eds.), Springer-Verlag, New York, Berlin, pp. 177-194


I'm sure you can all handle the research thing yourselves... but... hey, it's my two cents worth.

[earraval]

Very nice research. Maybe I can send you some sample from my reef tank here in Brazil !!! it would be good if you could get samples around the world.
congrats to you....

[ryan_paskadi]

I think Sod was just trying to help and did not really deserve the criticism.

When I first read this the research idea it seemed pointless. What conclusions can you draw about corals which were not raised under laboratory conditions with controlled variables?

Regardless if someone wants to research something that I see *** pointless it doesn’t bother me.

Just my two cents.

[thecoralreefer]

If you do get to the point where you want to order I can get some from almost anywhere.
Although they would in most cases be wild, some are cultured and would fit the parameters too.
If you careto order some in I can arrange that for you.
But I can not cover costs.

[thecoralreefer]

I do wonder, Not to change the subject, But, can someone tell me
more about zoxanthelli and color.
Is what the naked eye sees a refraction of light or a photochemical responce or both? What is it that makes the colors we see from them? I know keep algae inside. That this gives the color but is it a refraction, a reflection, or a reaction. please expalin futher?

[Kalkbreath]

Originally posted by thecoralreefer
I do wonder, Not to change the subject, But, can someone tell me
more about zoxanthelli and color.
Is what the naked eye sees a refraction of light or a photochemical responce or both? What is it that makes the colors we see from them? I know keep algae inside. That this gives the color but is it a refraction, a reflection, or a reaction. please expalin futher?

All zooxanthellae are brown. Its the proteins in the host tissue which yields color.

[Kalkbreath]

Would you guy be interested in tank raised clams?
I have been working on the idea that clams which are destined for the reef keeping hobby should be inoculated using domesticated/captive raised strains of zooxanthellae.
I have a feeling the clades morph under the stimuli of artificial conditions, creating a new type of artificial clade .
Its been known for some time that wild corals seem to bleach at temperatures much cooler then the average home aquarium.)
Why do domestic kept corals seem to thrive in warm temperatures?
Are these domestic raised zooxanthellae a new stain of algae which may only develop under artificial conditions.
These captive monstrosities may not only be beeter able to survive warm spells , but also be better suited to captive research then wild collected, due to the fact that they have already adapted to laboratory conditions and have already fully adjusted to captive life.
Any studies conducted using these domesticated clades will have the advantage of using algae which are not still acclimating to the (not wild) conditions of the lab.
Corals or clams which are not fully adjusted to captive conditions may skew the results of any secondary research.

I can supply the clams if you would like to identify adaptations which may take place in clam zoox during captive conditioning.
Jeff