Publications by authors named "H Curtis Spalding"
The relative rates of sexual versus asexual reproduction influence the partitioning of genetic diversity within and among populations. During range expansions, asexual reproduction often facilitates colonization and establishment. The arrival of the green alga Avrainvillea lacerata has caused shifts in habitat structure and community assemblages since its discovery in 1981 offshore of O'ahu, Hawai'i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe function and stability of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) have been extensively studied in recent years. These deep reefs are characterized by local physical processes, particularly the steep gradient in irradiance with increasing depth, and their impact on trophic resources. Mesophotic reefs exhibit distinct zonation patterns that segregate shallow reef biodiversity from ecologically unique deeper communities of endemic species.
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- - In mesophotic coral ecosystems (65-125 m deep), corals can survive with very low light, yet it’s unclear how they and their algal partners obtain energy.
- - Researchers studied the carbon and nitrogen isotope values of different coral species and their symbiotic algae in Maui to explore their energy sources and feeding strategies.
- - Findings indicated that both autotrophy (using photosynthesis) and heterotrophy (feeding) are crucial for the corals' survival, with a notable efficiency in nitrogen sharing between hosts and symbionts at deeper depths, highlighting the importance of photosynthesis even in low light conditions.
Over the last 2 decades, routine collections in the Hawaiian Archipelago have expanded to mesophotic reefs, leading to the discovery of a new red algal genus and species, here described as Anunuuluaehu liula gen. et sp. nov.
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- - The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawai'i is a protected area ideal for studying macroalgal-microbial diversity due to its limited human impact, with research focusing on various algae from different depths around Manawai (Pearl and Hermes Atoll).
- - High-throughput amplicon sequencing revealed that Ochrophyta species had the lowest bacterial diversity, and factors such as site and depth significantly influenced the structure of microbial communities associated with different algae.
- - A cryptogenic, potentially invasive alga showed differing microbiota compared to a native species from the same family, indicating that there is generally low connectivity in macroalgal-microbial communities across sites in this environment, suggesting that mesophotic zones