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Title: Computational design of corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant titanium alloys for orthopedic implants
Award ID(s):
1954621
NSF-PAR ID:
10361377
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Materials Today Communications
Volume:
33
Issue:
C
ISSN:
2352-4928
Page Range / eLocation ID:
104465
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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  1. Abstract

    Chronically high levels of inorganic nutrients have been documented in Florida’s coral reefs and are linked to increased prevalence and severity of coral bleaching and disease. Naturally disease-resistant genotypes of the staghorn coralAcropora cervicornisare rare, and it is unknown whether prolonged exposure to acute or chronic high nutrient levels will reduce the disease tolerance of these genotypes. Recently, the relative abundance of the bacterial genusAquarickettsiawas identified as a significant indicator of disease susceptibility inA. cervicornis, and the abundance of this bacterial species was previously found to increase under chronic and acute nutrient enrichment. We therefore examined the impact of common constituents of nutrient pollution (phosphate, nitrate, and ammonium) on microbial community structure in a disease-resistant genotype with naturally low abundances ofAquarickettsia.We found that although this putative parasite responded positively to nutrient enrichment in a disease-resistant host, relative abundances remained low (< 0.5%). Further, while microbial diversity was not altered significantly after 3 weeks of nutrient enrichment, 6 weeks of enrichment was sufficient to shift microbiome diversity and composition. Coral growth rates were also reduced by 6 weeks of nitrate treatment compared to untreated conditions. Together these data suggest that the microbiomes of disease-resistantA. cervicornismay be initially resistant to shifts in microbial community structure, but succumb to compositional and diversity alterations after more sustained environmental pressure. As the maintenance of disease-resistant genotypes is critical for coral population management and restoration, a complete understanding of how these genotypes respond to environmental stressors is necessary to predict their longevity.

     
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  3. Dudley, Edward G. (Ed.)
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