Microbial Communities of Coral Surface Mucopolysaccharide Layers

Abstract

Microbes associated with corals form communities that differ significantly from water mass communities. Physiological and metabolic activities occur- ring within these close,mutualistic relationships are very different from the surrounding environment and tend to be very specific. Coral-associated mi- crobial communities are likely to resemble microbial mats in structure.Verti- cal stratification of populations, fromproximal toward distal regions (with re- spect to the surface of the coral), results in fluxes of organic and inorganic nutrients.The presence of an actively metabolizing microbiota has significant influences on overall population structure. Theoretical and observed conse- quences of environmental changes lead to the disruption of the ‘normal’ com- munities associated with healthy corals. Because it is likely that the normal microbiota protects the coral animal from invading microbes, changes in the community structure may result in the development of disease.