A critical step in the life cycle of a coral is when the free-swimming larvae find a surface to settle on. For each settled larva, the selected spot is where they will grow into a juvenile coral and spend their life. The settlement process is controlled by multiple factors, including the detection of chemical signals that indicate a good home.
Identifying and applying microorganisms that produce such signals can assist the successful development of large-scale coral aquaculture.
In 2021 and 2022, we investigated the relationship between the surfaces where coral larvae were settling and the thin layer of microbes (biofilm) on those surfaces using molecular analyses. With the help of advanced statistical approaches, we identified microorganisms that are associated with high settlement success.
In 2023, we successfully isolated and cultured microorganisms from these biofilms and seawater, including many bacteria that are related to those identified as possible producers of settlement inducing chemistry. We then tested our suspected signal-producers and found that many of them indeed induced settlement of coral larvae.
We are now studying these bacteria to understand how they signal coral larvae to settle and how we could use them to enhance coral settlement in aquaculture for reef restoration.
Feature image: Felicity Kuek
Researchers
Dr Laura Rix (UQ)
Dr Paul O’Brien (UQ)
Dr Sara Bell
Dr Felicity Kuek (UQ)
Dr Inka Vanwonterghem
This research is supported by
The Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program, funded by the partnership between the Australian Government's Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
This page was updated in October 2024.
