Reciprocal Transplantation of Pocillopora acuta within Singapore

In this study we assessed the extent to which microbiome differences between reefs reflect natural microbial variation or an adaptation to conditions within each reef microhabitat by conducting a reciprocal transplantation of Pocillopora acuta between two reefs within the port of Singapore, where corals persist in the face of intense anthropogenic impacts. 16SrRNA amplicon sequencing was used to track the response of coral microbiomes at 1, 2, 4, and 10 days post-transplantation to monitor the rate of change in the microbiome to the new reef environment.