Symbiodinium Essay

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Recommended: Cascade effects of coral reefs

Mindy Truong
CIN: 301305048
Lab Section 5
Colpophyllia natans‬ and Symbiodinium Diversity
Co-evolution has occurred in many different forms amongst different species of the different kingdoms. These organisms can either be parasitic or mutualitstic amongst each other. Co-evolution is the key force to building our Earth. An example is Colpophyllia natans and Symbiodinium in which they both have a mutualistic relationship. Edmunds and Gates stated, “Mutualistic symbioses are intimate relationships between two or more taxonomically distinct organisms in which each member benefits from the association and the holobiont has greater functional and ecological scope than each of the individual components (2003).” This type of mutualistic relationship between these two organisms requires a certain adaptation where it can affect speciation and global diversity, the biogeochemical cycles, and maintaining the health of the ecosystems.
Adaptation is critical to establishing this relationship between Colpophyllia natans and Symbiodinium. Colpophyllia natans‬ is part of the reef coral building, which is from Kingdom Anamalia whereas Symbiodinium is the genus of dinoflagellates that is from Kingdom Protista. There are more than one species of the genus group of Symbiodinium; they are grouped in clades from A-D (Finney et al., 2010). There are two clades within the Colpophyllia natans that is B and D (Finney et al., 2010). The Symbiodinium lives within the coral’s gastrodermal cells, together they exchange nutrients such as nitrogen and carbon (Goldberg, 2013). These Symbiodinium can either be inherited by the parents or obtained through the environment. Goldberg stated that these Symbiodinium “…influence the calcification process, they prov...

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... are the source of new medicine and other biochemical agents (2013).” Cyanide fishing can also cause habitat loss for many organisms that depends on these corals for survival (Goldberg, 2013). If global warming and human activity continues to increase, then the health of the ecosystem would face chaos.
Co-evolution has played a huge role in the development of many organisms, such as this symbiotic relationship between the Colpophyllia natans‬ and Symbiodinium Diversity. Without this Symbiodinium Diversity, the Colpophyllia natans‬ may die off. The adaptation between the two has evolved over many years, and now they rely on each other for the exchange of nutrients. The biodiversity of these species plays a special role in the ecosystem, such as providing shelter and protection. The health of the ecosystem depends on these reef-building corals for many things.

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