Connectivity and Plasticity of Mesophotic Corals in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean

Coral reef ecosystems worldwide are threatened by disease, anthropogenic damage, and climate change. Recently mesophotic coral ecosystems MCEs have been discovered and characterized as continuations of shallow reefs below traditional SCUBA depths. Because MCEs appear to be sheltered from many of the stressors known to affect shallow reefs, Glynn 1996 originally proposed that deeper reefs may act as a refuge for coral species by providing larvae to nearby shallow reefs. My dissertation research will address key questions that underlie this theory and advance our knowledge of coral ecology and physiology at mesophotic depths. including: 1 How well are MCEs connected to shallow reefs, and 2 Can corals adapt their morphology and gene expression to match changing environmental stimuli? Microsatellite based analysis of genetic connectivity will be complemented by morphometric analyses of corallite phenotypic plasticity and gene expression profiling in the dominant coral species, Montastraea cavernosa. MCEs in the Flower Garden Banks and Pulley Ridge have been surveyed and sampled using both ROVs and technical diving in 2011-2013, with additional expeditions planned for 2014-2015. A reciprocal transplant experiment on Carrie Bow Cay, Belize will assess the physiological and morphological plasticity of M. cavernosa in shallow and mesophotic environments. This project will address the influences of both environment and genotype control on coral’s potentially plastic responses. Additionally, this research is designed to provide data for improved regional management of mesophotic coral reef ecosystems and to strengthen collaborative marine research through NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology CIOERT.