Researchers from the Charney School have discovered that coral reefs in the Gulf of Eilat actively regulate microbial communities around them through pronounced daily rhythms – a finding with significant implications for monitoring reef health in an era of climate change.
The study, led by Dr. Herdís G. R. Steinsdóttir, a postdoctoral researcher in the Hatter Department of Marine Technologies, under the joint guidance of Dr. Derya Akkaynak (COLOR Lab) and Dr. Miguel J. Frada (Hebrew University), employed an intensive sampling protocol over multiple 24-hour cycles across different seasons. The team found that reefs filter bacteria during daylight hours while hosting dramatically increased populations of microscopic predators at night.
This research, conducted in collaboration with the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat and published in Science Advances, suggests that tracking these microbial rhythms could provide a sensitive “pulse meter” for reef ecosystem health.
For the full story and detailed findings, see coverage in:
Scientific paper: Science Advances
Photo: Tom Shlesinger
