DataSheet_2_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，珊瑚微生物组研究日益表明，生活于珊瑚组织与粘液中的细菌物种在珊瑚健康中发挥着有益的作用。近期研究表明，针对性的抗生素治疗，尽管抑制了有害细菌的生长，但也可能对珊瑚健康产生未预料到的持久影响。陆地珊瑚培育场采用如卢戈氏溶液和KoralMD™浸液等消毒处理，作为恢复最佳实践的一部分，以减少传染性病原体。这些消毒处理通常可以阻止组织损失，但这些处理对珊瑚微生物组的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度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个个体分别接受了卢戈氏溶液或KoralMD™的处理。在治疗前、治疗期间以及治疗后1个月和2个月，对珊瑚组织、粘液和骨骼进行采样，以评估微生物组的转变和恢复。通过3D图像测量的表面积来评估两种处理对珊瑚生长的影响。结果我们发现，与未处理的对照组相比，接受卢戈氏溶液处理的A. palmata的生长速度显著降低，但消毒处理的影响在其他方面有限，且微生物组在处理应用后立即或2个月后均未因处理而显著不同。讨论对这些广泛使用的干预措施效果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，我们的研究结果指出，消毒处理可以应用于缓解珊瑚健康问题，而不会产生长期有害影响或显著的微生物组转变。