Introduction

The IEA FISHµBIOM (International Emerging Action Biodiversity and role of FISH MICROBIOMes in coral reef socio-ecosystems) managed by Dr. Jean-Christophe Auguet (MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, IRD) in collaboration with the MIVEGEC research unit in Montpellier (Dr Anne-Laure Bañuls), the Institute of Biotechnology of Hanoï (IBT, Dr. Bui Van Ngoc), the University of Science and Technology of Hanoï (USTH, Dr. Huy Nguyen Quang) and the Institute of Oceanography of Nha Trang (IO, Dr. Hanh Kim Nguyen) will be effective from 2019 to 2021.

Missions and research themes

Fishes represent the principal link between coral reef biodiversity and associated human societies as source of food and income, but also through regulation of ecosystem processes. This resource for millions of people worldwide is however endangered by the ongoing decline of their habitat owing to increasing anthropogenic pressures. Microbiomes, through their influence on the heath, physiology and ecology of their hosts could help in the comprehension of fish adaptations to these changes.

The FISHµBIOM project represents an unparalleled effort to characterize the biodiversity of microbial communities associated to coral reef fishes. Understanding the mechanisms generating this biodiversity is critical for management of coral reefs, which are endangered hotspots of biodiversity and ecosystem services, as it is a key challenge towards the establishment of relevant conservation strategies. From a social point of view, coral reef ecosystems support ecological and cultural services, especially as protein source for people living close to these ecosystems. The outcome of the project will help to understand and predict how deterioration of the coral ecosystems may alter the nutritional quality of the fishes and ultimately the health of humans. Determining if reef fishes represent potential reservoirs and vectors of pathogens and drug resistance in coastal areas and developing new diagnostic tools are a relevant objective in terms of human and animal health because of the growing importance of zoonotic diseases.

Main OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

The general objectives of the project are to assess the biodiversity of microbial communities in the intestinal tract of coral reef fishes and to estimate their influence on their host phenotype and the surrounding socio-ecosystem. More specifically, we will address the following complementary questions:

• Which lineages of microbes, associated functions and interactions are present in the gut of coral fishes?
• Do coral reef fishes represent reservoirs and vectors of potentially pathogenic human bacteria (PPHB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)?
• How gut microbiome affect growth and condition of coral fishes and their contribution to ecosystem services through food provision and carbon cycling?

institutions and laboratories involved

France
• Marine Biodivesity, Exploitation and Conservation (MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, IFREMER, http://www.umr-marbec.fr)
• Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, https://mivegec.ird.fr/fr/)

Vietnam
• Institute of Biotechnology of Hanoi (IBT, www.ibt.ac.vn/en/)
• Institute of oceanography of Nha Trang (IO, www.vnio.org.vn)
• University of Science and Technology of Hanoi (USTH, https://usth.edu.vn/)

Collecting water and sediment samples in the bay of Nha Trang in order to characterize the environmental pathobiome and resistome.

Credits: Thierry Bouvier