 exploring, preserving and protecting the genetic diversity of the world's oceans |
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Greetings!
In this issue, we are highlighting a new collaborative research project in which a team of scientists from OGL, the New England Aquarium, Bowdoin College, and Northeastern University, are studying corals that live right here in New England. Read on to learn more about this unusual coral, Astrangia poculata. As always, follow our expeditions and other news from the marine world on our Facebook and Twitter pages!   |
Coral Reefs in New England!
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Tropical corals: animal, vegetable, and mineral, all in one! | Think corals only exist in warm, shallow, tropical environments? Think again! We have coral reefs right here in New England! In fact, one New England coral species, called Astrangia poculata, is giving scientists a unique opportunity to study how coral animals interact with microorganisms that live in and on them.
Here at OGL, we think of tropical corals as animal, vegetable, and mineral, all rolled into one. Corals are animals that live in symbiosis with microscopic, plant-like algae that produce energy for their animal hosts. The coral deposits a rock skeleton, resulting in the large reefs that we see in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and the Great Barrier Reef. These precious reefs sustain over 25% of the ocean's biodiversity, even though they cover less than 1% of the earth's surface!
Rhode Island coast: Astrangia lives here!
 | The Astrangia collection team after the dive |
Now, Northeastern University graduate student Allison Kerwin is working with OGL's own Dr. Koty Sharp and a multidisciplinary group of scientists - Dr. Randi Rotjan from the New England Aquarium, James Dimond from Western Washington University, and Dr. Dan Thornhill from Bowdoin College - to study this unusual coral that lives on granite walls among the kelp forests in chilly New England waters.
Unlike tropical corals, Astrangia colonies seem to survive with or without their algal symbionts. When tropical corals lose their golden colored symbiotic algae, they turn white, and often die. This phenomenon, known as "coral bleaching" usually happens as a response to a stressful environment, such as when their water gets too warm. But Astrangia seems to thrive with or without its golden symbionts.
Bleaching can leave corals susceptible to harmful bacterial infections, diseases, and sometimes death. However, as you can see in the photo below, Astrangia colonies can be either brown (with a lot of algae) or white (with very few Two Astrangia colonies - one brown, one white - living next to each other on the rocks in Rhode Island | algae), and both types can thrive in the same environment! Allison and Koty are studying the bacterial communities on white and brown Astrangia colonies to find out why these bleached corals don't become diseased as tropical corals do. This research will further our understanding of coral bleaching, coral diseases, and, ultimately, the health of coral reef ecosystems.
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| Coming Soon... | | Biofuel from wood?
Laboratory culture of wood-degrading bacteria grown here at OGL  | Never mind termites. How does a clam eat wood? In partnership with The Joint Genome Institute, scientists at OGL are exploring how a strange clam (and its bacterial symbionts) use their genetic toolbox to chip away at wood and turn it into sugar!
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