DataSheet_1_Common aquarium antiseptics do not cause long-term shifts in coral microbiota but may impact coral growth rates.docx

IntroductionThough bacterial pathogens and parasites can compromise coral health, coral microbiome research increasingly suggests a beneficial role for bacterial species living in coral tissue and mucus. Recent studies suggest the application of targeted antibiotic treatments, while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria, may have unintended and persistent impacts on coral health. Land-based coral nurseries use antiseptic treatments such as Lugol’s solution and KoralMD™ dip to reduce infectious agents as part of restoration best practices. These antiseptic treatments often halt tissue loss, but the short- or long-term effects of these treatments on the coral microbiome is unknown.MethodsWe conducted a controlled tank experiment to assess the effects of these broad-spectrum treatments on coral growth rates and microbial communities when used as a prophylactic measure on healthy corals. Sixty individuals from each of two genotypes of the coral species Acropora palmata and Orbicella faveolata were treated with either Lugol’s solution or KoralMD™. Coral tissue, mucus, and skeleton were sampled pre-treatment, during treatment, and 1 and 2 months after treatment to assess microbiome shifts and recovery. The impact of the two treatments on coral growth was assessed using surface area measurements from 3D imagery.ResultsAlthough we found that A. palmata treated with Lugol’s solution had significantly reduced growth rates compared with untreated controls, impacts of antiseptic treatment were otherwise limited and microbiomes were not significantly different by treatment either immediately after application or 2 months thereafter. DiscussionStudy of the effects of these widely-used interventions may have significant repercussions on management and propagation strategies for corals reared in land-based nurseries. Furthermore, our findings indicate that antiseptic treatments can be applied to mitigate coral health issues without long-term harmful effects or significant microbiome shifts.

引言尽管细菌病原体和寄生虫可能损害珊瑚健康，但珊瑚微生物组研究日益表明，生活在珊瑚组织与粘液中的某些细菌物种在珊瑚健康中起着有益的作用。近期的研究表明，在抑制有害细菌生长的同时，靶向抗生素治疗可能对珊瑚健康产生意料之外且持续的负面影响。陆地珊瑚培育场采用如卢戈尔溶液（Lugol’s solution）和KoralMD™浸泡等消毒处理，作为恢复最佳实践的一部分，以减少传染原。这些消毒处理通常能够阻止组织损失，但此类处理对珊瑚微生物组短期或长期影响尚不明确。
方法我们进行了一项受控水族箱实验，以评估这些广谱处理作为预防措施用于健康珊瑚时，对珊瑚生长速率和微生物群落的影响。来自两种珊瑚物种Acropora palmata和Orbicella faveolata的每个基因型的60个个体分别接受卢戈尔溶液或KoralMD™处理。在处理前、处理期间以及处理后的1个月和2个月，采集珊瑚组织、粘液和骨骼样本，以评估微生物组的转变和恢复。使用三维图像测量的表面积来评估两种处理对珊瑚生长的影响。
结果尽管我们发现，与未处理的对照组相比，接受卢戈尔溶液处理的A. palmata珊瑚的生长速率显著降低，但消毒处理的影响在其他方面有限，且在处理应用后立即或2个月后，微生物组在处理方式上并无显著差异。
讨论对这些广泛应用的干预措施的研究可能对陆地珊瑚培育场珊瑚的管理和繁殖策略产生重大影响。此外，我们的研究结果表明，可以应用消毒处理来减轻珊瑚健康问题，而不会产生长期有害影响或显著的微生物组转变。