Welcome
- Bacterial communities associated with corals vary among coral species and along environmental gradients and are further influenced by ecological stressors, including increased ocean temperature and disease. A global perspective of the temporal and spatial variability of these communities can best be achieved by the joint efforts of researchers sharing data that allow for the examination of broader ecological questions over larger spatial scales. For this purpose, we have developed a publicly-accessible website, CoralMicrobes.Org, which will serve as a repository for culture-independent and culture-dependent data of bacteria associated with corals.
- For culture-dependent data, information on isolates obtained will include a suite of phenotypic as well as phylogenetic parameters, while the culture-independent data will focus on 16S rRNA gene clone libraries with future inclusion of metagenomic libraries. In conjunction with a suite database query tools, these data will allow for comprehensive investigations of the ecology of coral-associated bacteria from a wide range of locations, coral species, environmental states, and health conditions.
This archival system is supported jointly by the National Science Foundation´s Biodiversity Survey´s and Inventories program, the Hollings Marine Laboratory, and Clemson University´s Cyberinfrastructure Technology Integration group and Genomics Institute.
- The site will facilitate new scientific objectives, provide the capacity for long-term data storage and data dissemination, as well as provide new opportunities for discovery and foster new collaborations. Together, participants in this virtual organization can freely exchange data and ideas that will expand our understanding of the complex biological components and interactions of corals and bacteria in coral reef ecosystems.