The role of coral mucus in the microbial loop of coral reef ecosystems

• Project/Area Number: 26870916
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment; Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: NAKAJIMA Ryota 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 海洋生物多様性研究分野, ポストドクトラル研究員 (20546246)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,510,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥810,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: サンゴ粘液 / 微生物 / 細菌 / 鞭毛虫 / 微生物食物網 / バクテリア / 微生物食物連鎖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Scleractinian corals release mucoid organic matter (coral mucus) to the surrounding seawater. This study examined the effect of coral mucus to the carbon flow through the microbial loop in a coral reef ecosystem. Microorganisms (heterotrophic bacteria and nano flagellates) were incubated with and without coral mucus for up to 120 hours. The production rates of both bacteria and flagellates were significantly increased with coral mucus. These results suggest that coral mucus enhances the carbon flows through microbial loop in coral reef ecosystems.

Research Products

• [Presentation] サンゴ粘液は微生物食物連鎖の炭素フローを促進する (2015)
  • Author(s): 中嶋亮太, 田中泰章，栗原晴子
  • Organizer: 日本サンゴ礁学会大18回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 慶応大学，東京都港区
  • Year and Date: 2015-11-28
• [Presentation] サンゴ礁生態系の物質循環におけるサンゴ粘液の役割 (2015)
  • Author(s): 中嶋亮太
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合2015年大会「熱帯・亜熱帯沿岸生態系セッション」
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張メッセ，千葉県千葉市
  • Year and Date: 2015-05-27
  • Invited
• [Presentation] サンゴ粘液に含まれる高濃度無機リンと細菌によるその利用 (2014)
  • Author(s): 中嶋亮太, 田中泰章，吉田輝明，藤澤珠美，中山麻実，淵之上優美，Othman Ross，戸田龍樹
  • Organizer: 日本サンゴ礁学会大17回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 高知城ホール（高知県高知市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-26 – 2014-12-01
• [Presentation] Enrichment of microbial abundance in the sea-surface microlayer over a coral reef (2014)
  • Author(s): Nakajima R, Kenji Tsuchiya, Nobuyuki Nakatomi, Teruaki Yoshida, Yuya Tada, Fumie Konno, Tatsuki Toda, Victor Kuwahara, Koji Hamasaki, BHR Othman, Thirukanthan C. Segaran, AWM Effendy
  • Organizer: The 3rd Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium
  • Place of Presentation: Pingtung (Taiwan)
  • Year and Date: 2014-06-23 – 2014-06-27