Biology subjects

Carne, L.

Publications and source records attributed to Carne, L..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Acclimatization potential in stress tolerant Caribbean corals - outcomes of a 5 year cross-shelf reciprocal transplant experiment

The identification and use of stress-tolerant coral in outplanting efforts has been proposed as a method of restoring and bolstering reef health under increasing environmental change. Prior research has focused on understanding survival in cross-reef transplantation, but evidence of long term resiliency of outplanted corals remains limited. Here, we report data at a five-year timepoint of a reciprocal transplant study of the stress-tolerant Caribbean corals Pseudodiploria strigosa and Siderastrea siderea between a nearshore and offshore site in Belize. Extreme marine heat wave conditions in August of 2024 revealed species and site-specific bleaching patterns. Through assessments of mortality, energy reserves, and chlorophyll concentrations, P. strigosa appear to be more limited in long-term acclimatization potential to the nearshore environment while S. siderea maintain acclimatization capacity displayed 17 months post transplant to nearshore. This work conveys information relevant to managers in selecting species for restoration efforts based on short-term growth and long-term resilience in native versus non-native sites, offers insight into potential mechanisms driving these trends, and takeaways on site specific management decisions for successful coral outplanting success.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2026

Limited neutral and adaptive genomic divergence suggests Acropora cervicornis can be managed as a single conservation unit across its range

Genomic signatures can provide key insight into the evolutionary history and remaining adaptive potential of threatened populations. As demographic decline erodes both diversity and the processes maintaining it, understanding how remaining variation is distributed becomes increasingly important for conserving species like the staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, a foundational but critically endangered Caribbean reef-builder. We analyzed 46 high-coverage A. cervicornis genomes from 10 locations across the tropical western Atlantic to evaluate neutral and adaptive structure, genomic diversity, demographic history, inbreeding, and connectivity, and generated a regional haplotype reference panel for future genomic monitoring. Genome-wide analyses recovered recurring regional substructure, but differentiation was modest and partly explained by isolation-by-distance and spatial variation in effective migration. Subpopulations had similar levels of genomic diversity, shared demographic history, and limited evidence of local adaptation. These patterns support interpreting sampled Caribbean populations as a single evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) containing multiple regional management units (MUs), rather than as deeply divergent evolutionary lineages. Despite substantial retained variation and low current inbreeding, estimated contemporary effective population size was small, suggesting an increased vulnerability to the effects of drift as demographic collapse continues, especially if structure is reinforced by isolated management. Together, our findings emphasize the urgent need for interventions that preserve and enhance genomic diversity, including risk-managed assisted gene flow. Supported by the haplotype reference panel developed here, these strategies will require coordinated efforts across regional entities to conserve and restore A. cervicornis as a jointly managed, single ESU.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2026

Baseline microbiomes of the pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus reveal novel taxa and regional differences

The pillar coral Dendrogyra cylindrus is a rare but iconic member of Caribbean reefs that has suffered range-wide losses. D. cylindrus is highly susceptible to stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), and the outbreak has contributed to the functional extinction of Floridas population of pillar corals. The coral microbiome can impact the health and disease resistance of coral colonies, yet little is known about what constitutes the core microbiome of D. cylindrus. This information is crucial for comparisons of healthy and diseased tissue in pathogen identification studies and can be applied to restoration efforts as a coral health metric. Therefore, we characterized the microbiomes of D. cylindrus colonies ahead of the SCTLD disease front in Belize and Curacao. The most prevalent members of the D. cylindrus microbial community were bacteria for which taxonomy could not be assigned confidently beyond the level of domain as well as the putatively endosymbiotic genera Endozoicomonas, Ca. Amoebophilus, and Spiroplasma. The coral reefs of Belize and Curacao represent distinct Caribbean marine ecoregions, and we documented regional differences in strains among predominant bacterial taxa. The understudied microbiome of D. cylindrus harbors unique bacterial lineages that are in danger of extinction along with its critically endangered coral host, and these bacterial lineages may be important bioindicators during restoration efforts. IMPORTANCETropical corals face global extinction if average temperatures rise by 2{degrees}C (3.6{degrees}F), which may occur as soon as 2050. Included in the loss of charismatic macrofauna like the majestic pillar coral is the loss of the biological and genetic diversity of its symbionts. Here we examined the bacterial and archaeal communities associated with Caribbean pillar corals and found that the microbiome was dominated by taxonomically unclassified and putatively endosymbiotic taxa. Endosymbiotic bacteria, which live inside the coral tissue, are likely to have evolved unique adaptations to become symbionts and may be important to the health and success of pillar corals in ecosystem restoration efforts.

microbiology↗