Shifting symbiotic states and diversity patterns as an indicator of climate change

Accumulating data strongly suggest that the fate of Scleractinians will be determined in part, by the composition of symbiotic dinoflagellate (Symbiodinium sp.) communities hosted by corals and the functional diversity afforded by flexibility in these associations. Against this backdrop we first examine how Symbiodinium diversity partitions among coral species and genera sampled across reef environments in the Moorea Coral Reef LTER. Second, we explore how Symbiodinium diversity partitions in two coral species sampled across thermal gradients; and third, we present a plan to characterize and evaluate changes in the compartmentalization of Symbiodinium diversity in different reef habitats as a tool to evaluate climate change impacts on reefs.