Microbial Community Dynamics Provide Evidence for Hypoxia during a Coral Reef Mortality Event.

ABSTRACT: In July 2016, a severe coral reef invertebrate mortality event occurred approximately 200 km southeast of Galveston, Texas, at the East Flower Garden Bank, wherein ∼82% of corals in a 0.06-km² area died. Based on surveys of dead corals and other invertebrates shortly after this mortality event, responders hypothesized that localized hypoxia was the most likely direct cause. However, no dissolved oxygen data were available to test this hypothesis, because oxygen is not continuously monitored within the Flower Garden Banks sanctuary. Here, we quantify microbial plankton community diversity based on four cruises over 2 years at the Flower Garden Banks, including a cruise just 5 to 8 days after the mortality event was first observed. In contrast with observations collected during no

SUBMITTER: Doyle SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9088274 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature