Genetic diversity of zooxanthellae associated with Brazilian corals

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Reef corals have a highly integrated mutualistic association with a dinoflagellate commonly called zooxanthellae ( Family: Symbiodiniaceae), which provides much of the energy required for the host's biological functions. The breakdown of this association leads to coral bleaching, which in turn can result in the death of colonies and profound changes in reef structure. The presence of different zooxanthellae lineages with distinct physiologies is already well known for Caribbean and Pacific corals, and several studies have shown that some zooxanthellae lineages are more tolerant to environmental stresses (e.g., temperature) than others. In Brazil, knowledge of zooxanthellae diversity is still quite scarce. This line of research aims to increase the volume of information on the genetic diversity and specificity of Symbiodinium populations in Brazilian stony corals.