SEMINAR: OI Seminar Series - Michael Stat

Title: Coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis: evolution, ecology and interaction states

Abstract: Corals form an obligate symbiosis with unicellular photosynthetic dinoflagellates. The diversity of dinoflagellates associated with a host is the result of both evolutionary and ecological influences. While mutualism is the paradigm for coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis, recent evidence shows that not all host-symbiont interactions are equally beneficial. The dynamics of host-symbiont partnerships and the exchange of nutrients that ultimately defines the interaction state of the symbiosis are important factors that contribute to the variability in response of corals to changes in the environment.

Biography: PhD 2006, University of Sydney 2006-2011, Postdoctoral Fellow, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii 2011-current, IOMRC Post-Doctoral Fellow