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IMAGE: Reef-building corals, such as elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis), and their hybrid, all pictured here, coevolve with the microscopic algae that live within their cells, according to. view more
Credit: Lisa Carne, Fragments of Hope Belize
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. The microscopic algae that live inside and provide nutrients to their reef-building coral hosts may be evolving in tandem with the corals they inhabit, so each partner is fine-tuned to meet one another s needs. A new study by Penn State biologists reveals that genetic differences within a species of these microalgal symbionts correspond to the coral species they inhabit, a discovery that could have implications for the conservation of these endangered corals.
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Reef-building corals and microscopic algae within their cells evolve together
Reef-building corals, such as elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata), staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis), and their hybrid, all pictured here, co-evolve with the microscopic algae that live within their cells, according to a new study by Penn State biologists.
Image: Lisa Carne, Fragments of Hope Belize
The microscopic algae that live inside and provide nutrients to their reef-building coral hosts may be evolving in tandem with the corals they inhabit, so each partner is fine-tuned to meet one another’s needs. A new study by Penn State biologists reveals that genetic differences within a species of these microalgal symbionts correspond to the coral species they inhabit, a discovery that could have implications for the conservation of these endangered corals.