The role of host-associated microbes in host function

Abstract

Host-associated microbiota are increasingly being recognised as critical for eukaryotic host functioning. This is true even for important habitat forming organisms such as macroalgae, whose functioning and persistence often underpins wider ecosystem function. To improve our understanding of the role of host-associated microbiota on macroalgal host function and components of host fitness, I have combined manipulative field and mesocosm experiments with 16S rRNA gene sequencing to examine host measures that included reproduction and settlement of the dominant intertidal macroalga Hormosira banksii. Overall, this work has provided novel ecological insights into the relationship between a dominant habitat forming macroalga and its bacterial consortia and provides a baseline for future work into holobiont ecology.