@article{fdi:010068113,
  title = {{R}eleased coral mucus does not enhance planktonic {N}-2 fixation rates},
  author = {{C}amps, {M}. and {B}enavides, {M}. and {L}ema, {K}. {A}. and {B}ourne, {D}. {G}. and {G}rosso, {O}. and {B}onnet, {S}ophie},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{D}initrogen ({N}-2) fixation by prokaryotic microorganisms provides bioavailable nitrogen in oligotrophic marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. {T}he widespread though largely unknown heterotrophic diazotrophs require dissolved organic matter ({DOM}) for their nutrition. {I}n coral reef ecosystems, {DOM}-rich mucus released by corals potentially sustains heterotrophic diazotrophic growth and activity. {I}n this study, we investigated the effect of coral mucus on planktonic {N}-2 fixation in in situ experiments over a seasonal cycle within a {N}ew {C}aledonian lagoon, as well as in in vitro experiments in which the effect of mucus was monitored for 72 h. {D}uring the field experiment, {N}-2 fixation rates ranged between 0.12 and 7.90 nmol {N}1(-1) d(-1). {D}espite the highest {N}-2 fixation being found after mucus release, no significant difference was measured between the seawater surrounding the coral before and after mucus release. {S}imilarly, the addition of mucus during the in vitro experiment enhanced {N}-2 fixation rates 1.5-fold, but this increase was not significantly different from the control. {T}he abundance of 2 dominant populations of diazotrophs associated with corals and their surrounding seawater environments (unicellular cyanobacteria and rhizobia) found within pure mucus samples was on average 18-fold higher than in the surrounding seawater in the summer period and 400-fold higher in the winter. {O}ur results suggest that although coral mucus does not influence planktonic {N}-2 fixation, the release of large numbers of diazotrophic cells associated with the mucus likely influences the abundance and diversity of diazotroph populations within the lagoon waters.},
  keywords = {{D}iazotrophs ; {C}oral mucus ; {D}issolved organic matter ; {P}elagic-benthic ; interactions ; {NOUVELLE} {CALEDONIE} ; {PACIFIQUE} ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{A}quatic {M}icrobial {E}cology},
  volume = {77},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {51--63},
  ISSN = {0948-3055},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.3354/ame01787},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068113},
}