Horizontal transmission of Symbiodinium cells between adult and juvenile corals is aided by benthic sediment

Published source details Nitschke M.R., Davy S.K. & Ward S. (2016) Horizontal transmission of Symbiodinium cells between adult and juvenile corals is aided by benthic sediment. Coral Reefs, 35, 335-344.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery Action Link

Cultivate corals in an ex-situ nursery

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2011–2013 at an aquarium on Heron Island, Australia (Nitschke et al. 2016) found that cultivating stony coral Acropora millepora, Acropora selago and Isopora palifera spat (settled larvae) in tanks containing sterilized sediment plus an adult coral fragment led to increased uptake of zooxanthellae (beneficial algae), but mixed results for survival. After 9–12 days, 61–73% of spat in the sediment+adult coral tanks had acquired zooxanthellae compared to 20–52% (sediment only); 14–47% (adult coral only); and 15–19% (seawater control). Survival rates for A. selago were highest in the adult-coral-only (55%) than the sediment+adult coral (27%) and sediment-only tanks (20%). There were no significant differences in survival between treatments for A. millepora (57%–78%) or I. palifera (data reported as statistical model results). For three consecutive years, wild-growing colonies of A. millepora (2011), A. selago (2012), and I. palifera (2013) were taken to an aquarium to spawn or release larvae. Egg/sperm bundles and larvae developed and settled onto pre-conditioned terracotta tiles. Tiles with spat were randomly allocated to one of four treatment tanks filled with sterilized seawater (sediment+adult coral; sediment only; adult coral only; seawater only). One tile was suspended 1 cm above the bottom of the tank in each of five tanks/treatment. Adult coral fragments (5 × 1 cm) were taken from the recently spawned colonies. Sediment was collected from the reef flat and sterilized at 134^°C for 20 minutes. Zooxanthellae cells were counted periodically for 12 days (A. millepora and A. selago) and eight days (I. palifera) using a microscope.

(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)