Award: OCE-1712540

Outbreaks of coral diseases have caused significant declines of two keystone Caribbean coral species, globally hindered ecologically foundational species, and has increasingly become a dominant threat to coral reefs. While progress has been made to forecast disease outbreaks, we still lack a comparative understanding of the variation in disease susceptibility among coral species. This study compared the phenotypic and microbial responses of seven abundant Caribbean coral species after exposure to white plague disease, a widespread rapid tissue loss disease of corals. The seven coral species represented diverse life history traits, which affect their ecological function and ultimately shape Caribbean coral reef ecosystems. A spectrum of disease susceptibility was observed among the seven coral species tested with disease exposure, and the microbial response to disease corresponded with the phenotypic response. Microbial communities of control corals also showed significant differences among species, but these differences lessened with exposure to and onset of disease. Further analysis highlighted bacteria that may be driving the differences between interspecies and intraspecies disease resistance, including groups that have previously been identified as anti-bacterial or etiological candidates for antibacterial, etiological, or opportunistic properties, which may explain the observed phenotypic susceptibility. The project provides a framework for testing multi-species diseases that can help to identify disease resistant traits, including important components of the microbiome that may make certain corals more or less susceptible to disease. This project brought together students, staff, and researchers from three woman-led science laboratories, which resulted in an abundance of opportunities for cross-training and multi-level mentoring. Over the course of the project, one post-doctoral research associate from an under-represented minority (URM) background, and three female masters students and two female undergraduates (one from an URM background) were trained in field and laboratory-based methods dealing with coral disease transmission. One additional female masters student was provided the opportunity to cross-train in disease ecology and microbiology and bioinformatics through an exchange between the Brandt and Mydlarz laboratories. Outcomes included the post-doc going on to become an Assistant Professor at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. Of the four masters students, one graduated and went on to a PhD program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and the three others graduated and gained employment at the University of the Virgin Islands, The Nature Conservancy, and the Environmental Protection Agency, respectively. Of the two undergraduates, both graduated and began masters programs at the University of the Virgin Islands and Harbor Branch, respectively. Last Modified: 08/06/2020 Submitted by: Marilyn Brandt