Reshuffling of the Coral Microbiome during Dormancy

Abstract

Using a high-resolution sampling time series, this study is the first to demonstrate a persistent microbial community shift with quiescence (dormancy) in a marine organism, the temperate coral Astrangia poculata . Furthermore, during this period of community turnover, there is a shedding of putative pathogens and copiotrophs and an enhancement of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria ( Nitrosococcales ) and archaea (“ Candidatus Nitrosopumilus”).