1126-Key Microbial Allies for Coral Resilience
This research explores how certain corals survive in highly polluted, nitrate-rich waters by associating with specialized microbial allies. While many denitrifying bacteria are common across all reefs, the authors identified unique, hyper-efficient populations within the genus Ruegeria that are specifically enriched in corals from eutrophic "reef oases." These specialists convert harmful nitrates into inert nitrogen gas at rates ten times higher than their non-specialist counterparts. By utilizing population genomics and isotope assays, the study demonstrates that coral resilience is driven…
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