Award: OCE-1442206

The Global Coral Microbiome Project (GCMP) has yielded an increased understanding of the role the associated microbial communities in coral holobionts. We now know that the host-algal symbiosis requires the presence of a healthy microbiome for proper functioning where all partners contribute to the metabolic demands of the holobiont. We have also learned that the microbiome may contribute to the response to thermal stress, but this varies across different coral holobionts, a clear understanding of coral-microbiome interactions is therefore critical as we chart the path forward to deal with increasing ocean temperatures. Microbial diversity is vast across the coral phylogeny and not all of it shows coevolutionary patterns, indicating that environmental context is also important. Once all data are processed, we will have a better understanding of microbial biogeography across all ocean basins at a scale never attempted before. We will also have new insight into the metabolomes of the same species across the entire Pacific Ocean. We have examined coral microbiomes across different health states from bleaching to disease and will be able to shed light onto some of the community dynamics associated with these physiological shifts. Through the GCMP, we reached multiple indigenous communities that derive their livelihoods from coral reef ecosystems. Their livelihoods are threatened due through anthropogenic activities. Their participation in our research and outreach activities, in particular through the film Saving Atlantis has helped them feel empowered to engage in conservation initiatives to protect their reefs. Last Modified: 03/04/2020 Submitted by: Monica Medina