Differential Impacts of Land-Based Sources of Pollution on the Microbiota of Southeast Florida Coral Reefs
2017
Coral reefsare dynamic ecosystems known for decades to be endangered due, in large part, to anthropogenic impacts from land-based sources of pollution (LBSP). In this study, we utilized an Illumina-based next-generation sequencing approach to characterize prokaryotic and fungal communities from samples collected off the southeast coast of Florida. Water samples from coastal inlet discharges, oceanic
outfallsof municipal wastewater treatment plants, treated wastewater effluent before discharge, open ocean samples, and
coraltissue samples (mucus and polyps) were characterized to determine relationships between microbial communities in these matrices and those in
reefwater and
coraltissues. Significant differences in microbial communities were noted among all sample types but varied between sampling area. Contamination from
outfallswas found to be the greatest potential source of LBSP influencing native microbial community structure among all
reefsamples, although pollution from inlets was also noted. Notably,
reefwater and
coraltissue communities were found to be more greatly impacted by LBSP at southern
reefs, which also experienced the most degradation during the course of the study. Results of this study provide new insights into how microbial communities from LBSP can impact
coral reefsin Southeast Florida and suggest that wastewater
outfallsmay have a greater influence on the microbial diversity and structure of these
reefcommunities than do contaminants carried in runoff although the influence of runoff and coastal inlet discharge on
coral reefsare still substantial. IMPORTANCE
Coral reefsare known to be endangered due to sewage discharge and to runoff of nutrients, pesticides, and other substances associated with anthropogenic activity. Here we used next-generation sequencing to characterize the microbial communities of potential contaminant sources in order to determine how environmental discharges of microbiota and their genetic material may influence the microbiomes of
coral reefcommunities and coastal receiving waters. Runoff delivered through inlet discharges impacted
coralmicrobial communities, but impacts from oceanic
outfallscarrying treated wastewater were greater. Geographic differences in the degree of impact suggest that
coralmicrobiomes may be influenced by the microbiological quality of treated wastewater.
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