BIOTIC INTERACTIONS AND THE SUCCESS OF INVASIONS:: BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES IN INVASIVE VERSUS NATIVE SPECIES OF ALGAE CAULERPA SP. AND SEAGRASSES POSIDONIA SP.

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Biotic interactions and the success of invasions: bacterial communities in invasive versus native species of algae (Caulerpa sp.) and seagrasses (Posidonia sp.)

Publication . Aires, Tania; Arnaud-Haond, Sophie; Serrão, Ester A.; Duarte, Carlos

As invasões biológicas representam uma das maiores ameaças para os ecossistemas terrestres. A evolução e diversificação das rotas de transporte têm vindo a acelerar este processo, especialmente no ambiente marinho, onde a ausência de barreiras físicas facilita o processo de invasão. A sua prevenção e gestão requerem a identificação das fontes e mecanismos da fase inicial da invasão, assim como o conhecimento dos elementos chave que facilitam o seu estabelecimento e distribuição numa vasta gama de ambientes. As relações bióticas com predadores e organismos patogénicos têm sido apontadas como tendo um papel determinante nestas invasões.

2012Doctoral thesis

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Hologenome theory supported by cooccurrence networks of species-specific bacterial communities in siphonous algae (Caulerpa)

Publication . Aires, Tânia; Moalic, Yann; Serrao, Ester A.; ARNAUD-HAOND, Sophie

The siphonous algae of the Caulerpa genus harbor internal microbial communities hypothesized to play important roles in development, defense and metabolic activities of the host. Here, we characterize the endophytic bacterial community of four Caulerpa taxa in the Mediterranean Sea, through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Results reveal a striking alpha diversity of the bacterial communities, similar to levels found in sponges and coral holobionts. These comprise (1) a very small core community shared across all hosts (< 1% of the total community), (2) a variable portion (ca. 25%) shared by some Caulerpa taxa but not by all, which might represent environmentally acquired bacteria and (3) a large (> 70%) species-specific fraction of the community, forming very specific clusters revealed by modularity in networks of cooccurrence, even in areas where distinct Caulerpa taxa occurred in sympatry. Indirect inferences based on sequence homology suggest that these communities may play an important role in the metabolism of their host, in particular on their ability to grow on anoxic sediment. These findings support the hologenome theory and the need for a holistic framework in ecological and evolutionary studies of these holobionts that frequently become invasive.

2015-07Journal article

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