Publications

Wilkinson, S, Ralph, P & Biloria, NM 2020, 'Algae Building: Is This the New Smart Sustainable Technology' in Biloria, N (ed), Data-Driven Multivalence in the Built Environment, Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp. 245-268.
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Building energy use contributes around 40% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (UNEP 2009) and reducing building-related GHG emissions could mitigate global warming significantly. With a three degree increase in global temperature by 2100 predicted by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change we need to explore ways to mitigate these impacts. An option for the built environment is to build and retrofit using innovative technologies to adopt onsite energy generation and reduce energy use (UNEP 2015). Increasing energy efficiency and using renewable energy are ways to reduce GHG emissions. Technological innovations change over time, and innovations that start as expensive and inefficient can become economic and highly productive, solar energy is an example. In the mid 1800s the photovoltaic (PV) effect was discovered but it took a century to invent a suitable storage device, after which rapid innovation in efficiency and costs followed. Could the same happen for bio-energy? Global biomass energy production reached 88 GW in 2014 (Rosillo et al, 2016); and bio-energy is no longer a transition energy source. In 2013, a residential building in Hamburg Germany adopted algae, as a renewable energy source. Several questions arise; how does algae produce energy for buildings? And how much energy is produced? How does it compare to other renewable energy sources? Furthermore, which building types are suited to adoption of algae as an energy source? This chapter explores the feasibility of algae building technology explaining the technology and how it works; the strengths and weaknesses. Then the chapter sets out the drivers and barriers to adopting Algae Building Technology, and; to assesses opportunities across a range of building types.

Ajani, PA, Larsson, ME, Woodcock, S, Rubio, A, Farrell, H, Brett, S & Murray, SA 2020, 'Fifteen years of Pseudo-nitzschia in an Australian estuary, including the first potentially toxic P. delicatissima bloom in the southern hemisphere', Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 236, pp. 106651-106651.
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Ajani, PA, Lim, HC, Verma, A, Lassudrie, M, McBean, K, Doblin, MA & Murray, SA 2020, 'First report of the potentially toxic marine diatomPseudo-nitzschia simulans(Bacillariophyceae) from the East Australian Current', PHYCOLOGICAL RESEARCH, vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 254-259.
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Antonaru, LA, Cardona, T, Larkum, AWD & Nürnberg, DJ 2020, 'Global distribution of a chlorophyll f cyanobacterial marker.', The ISME journal.
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Some cyanobacteria use light outside the visible spectrum for oxygenic photosynthesis. The far-red light (FRL) region is made accessible through a complex acclimation process that involves the formation of new phycobilisomes and photosystems containing chlorophyll f. Diverse cyanobacteria ranging from unicellular to branched-filamentous forms show this response. These organisms have been isolated from shaded environments such as microbial mats, soil, rock, and stromatolites. However, the full spread of chlorophyll f-containing species in nature is still unknown. Currently, discovering new chlorophyll f cyanobacteria involves lengthy incubation times under selective far-red light. We have used a marker gene to detect chlorophyll f organisms in environmental samples and metagenomic data. This marker, apcE2, encodes a phycobilisome linker associated with FRL-photosynthesis. By focusing on a far-red motif within the sequence, degenerate PCR and BLAST searches can effectively discriminate against the normal chlorophyll a-associated apcE. Even short recovered sequences carry enough information for phylogenetic placement. Markers of chlorophyll f photosynthesis were found in metagenomic datasets from diverse environments around the globe, including cyanobacterial symbionts, hypersaline lakes, corals, and the Arctic/Antarctic regions. This additional information enabled higher phylogenetic resolution supporting the hypothesis that vertical descent, as opposed to horizontal gene transfer, is largely responsible for this phenotype's distribution.

Babayan, A, Neumann, MHD, Herdean, A, Shaffer, JM, Janning, M, Kobus, F, Loges, S, Di Pasquale, F, Kubista, M, Schlumpberger, M, Lampignano, R, Krahn, T, Schlange, T, Sprenger-Haussels, M, Pantel, K & Kloten, V 2020, 'Multicenter Evaluation of Independent High-Throughput and RT-qPCR Technologies for the Development of Analytical Workflows for Circulating miRNA Analysis', CANCERS, vol. 12, no. 5.
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Badis, Y, Klochkova, TA, Brakel, J, Arce, P, Ostrowski, M, Tringe, SG, Kim, GH & Gachon, CMM 2020, 'Hidden diversity in the oomycete genus Olpidiopsis is a potential hazard to red algal cultivation and conservation worldwide', European Journal of Phycology.
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© 2019, © 2019 British Phycological Society. Marine species of the oomycete genus Olpidiopsis that infect cultivated red macroalgae, most notably Pyropia spp., are one of the main causes of economic loss in the Asian seaweed industry. We recently described novel Olpidiopsis species infecting red algae in Scotland, and thus hypothesized that this genus is more abundant and widespread than previously recognized. Here, we show that the eukaryotic microbiome of macroscopically healthy Porphyra umbilicalis thalli frequently contains marker genes closely related to Olpidiopsis. Thanks to a custom pipeline that allows for de novo OTU and biogeography discovery, and the recovery of precomputed OTUs from large-scale metabarcoding campaigns, we unveil more than 20 unknown Olpidiopsis taxa with a worldwide distribution. Additionally, laboratory-controlled cross-infection experiments show that a Scottish variety of O. porphyrae is virulent on the most commonly cultivated Pyropia yezoensis cultivar in Korea and that conversely, a Korean strain of O. porphyrae successfully infects wild Bangia sp. strains isolated from Scotland. These results provide proof-of-concept that a native Olpidiopsis pathogen may threaten an introduced crop or that an Olpidiopsis pathogen potentially introduced alongside a non-native crop might cross-infect a native European alga. Thus, we draw parallels with several current biosecurity crises, where major risks to native floras and faunas, as well as crops, are caused by the inadvertent introduction of poorly known pathogens through the agricultural and horticultural trades. Therefore, we express concern that the rapid growth of algal cultivation worldwide, linked to international movement of seaweed seed and the absence of biosecurity monitoring or regulation pertaining to this trade, potentially lays the ground for grave ecological and economic crises in the marine environment.

Barolo, L, Abbriano, RM, Commault, AS, George, J, Kahlke, T, Fabris, M, Padula, MP, Lopez, A, Ralph, PJ & Pernice, M 2020, 'Perspectives for Glyco-Engineering of Recombinant Biopharmaceuticals from Microalgae', CELLS, vol. 9, no. 3.
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Bodachivskyi, I, Kuzhiumparambil, U & Williams, DBG 2020, 'Catalytic Valorization of Native Biomass in a Deep Eutectic Solvent: A Systematic Approach toward High-Yielding Reactions of Polysaccharides', ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 678-685.
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Bodachivskyi, I, Kuzhiumparambil, U & Williams, DBG 2020, 'Towards furfural from the reaction of cellulosic biomass in zinc chloride hydrate solvents', INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, vol. 146.
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Boström-Einarsson, L, Babcock, RC, Bayraktarov, E, Ceccarelli, D, Cook, N, Ferse, SCA, Hancock, B, Harrison, P, Hein, M, Shaver, E, Smith, A, Suggett, D, Stewart-Sinclair, PJ, Vardi, T & McLeod, IM 2020, 'Coral restoration – A systematic review of current methods, successes, failures and future directions', PLoS ONE, vol. 15, no. 1.
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This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. Coral reef ecosystems have suffered an unprecedented loss of habitat-forming hard corals in recent decades. While marine conservation has historically focused on passive habitat protection, demand for and interest in active restoration has been growing in recent decades. However, a disconnect between coral restoration practitioners, coral reef managers and scientists has resulted in a disjointed field where it is difficult to gain an overview of existing knowledge. To address this, we aimed to synthesise the available knowledge in a comprehensive global review of coral restoration methods, incorporating data from the peer-reviewed scientific literature, complemented with grey literature and through a survey of coral restoration practitioners. We found that coral restoration case studies are dominated by short-term projects, with 60% of all projects reporting less than 18 months of monitoring of the restored sites. Similarly, most projects are relatively small in spatial scale, with a median size of restored area of 100 m2. A diverse range of species are represented in the dataset, with 229 different species from 72 coral genera. Overall, coral restoration projects focused primarily on fast-growing branching corals (59% of studies), and report survival between 60 and 70%. To date, the relatively young field of coral restoration has been plagued by similar ‘growing pains’ as ecological restoration in other ecosystems. These include 1) a lack of clear and achievable objectives, 2) a lack of appropriate and standardised monitoring and reporting and, 3) poorly designed projects in relation to stated objectives. Mitigating these will be crucial to successfully scale up projects, and to retain public trust...

Camp, EF, Kahlke, T, Nitschke, MR, Varkey, D, Fisher, NL, Fujise, L, Goyen, S, Hughes, DJ, Lawson, CA, Ros, M, Woodcock, S, Xiao, K, Leggat, W & Suggett, DJ 2020, 'Revealing changes in the microbiome of Symbiodiniaceae under thermal stress', ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 1294-1309.
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Camp, EF, Suggett, DJ, Pogoreutz, C, Nitschke, MR, Houlbreque, F, Hume, BCC, Gardner, SG, Zampighi, M, Rodolfo-Metalpa, R & Voolstra, CR 2020, 'Corals exhibit distinct patterns of microbial reorganisation to thrive in an extreme inshore environment', CORAL REEFS, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 701-716.
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Carney, RL, Brown, MV, Siboni, N, Raina, J-B, Kahlke, T, Mitrovic, SM & Seymour, JR 2020, 'Highly heterogeneous temporal dynamics in the abundance and diversity of the emerging pathogens Arcobacter at an urban beach', WATER RESEARCH, vol. 171.
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Clerc, EE, Raina, JB, Lambert, BS, Seymour, J & Stocker, R 2020, 'In situ chemotaxis assay to examine microbial behavior in aquatic ecosystems', Journal of Visualized Experiments, vol. 2020, no. 159.
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© 2020 Journal of Visualized Experiments. Microbial behaviors, such as motility and chemotaxis (the ability of a cell to alter its movement in response to a chemical gradient), are widespread across the bacterial and archaeal domains. Chemotaxis can result in substantial resource acquisition advantages in heterogeneous environments. It also plays a crucial role in symbiotic interactions, disease, and global processes, such as biogeochemical cycling. However, current techniques restrict chemotaxis research to the laboratory and are not easily applicable in the field. Presented here is a step-by-step protocol for the deployment of the in situ chemotaxis assay (ISCA), a device that enables robust interrogation of microbial chemotaxis directly in the natural environment. The ISCA is a microfluidic device consisting of a 20 well array, in which chemicals of interest can be loaded. Once deployed in aqueous environments, chemicals diffuse out of the wells, creating concentration gradients that microbes sense and respond to by swimming into the wells via chemotaxis. The well contents can then be sampled and used to (1) quantify strength of the chemotactic responses to specific compounds through flow cytometry, (2) isolate and culture responsive microorganisms, and (3) characterize the identity and genomic potential of the responding populations through molecular techniques. The ISCA is a flexible platform that can be deployed in any system with an aqueous phase, including marine, freshwater, and soil environments.

Clifton, J, Osman, EO, Suggett, DJ & Smith, DJ 2020, 'Resolving conservation and development tensions in a small island state: A governance analysis of Curieuse Marine National Park, Seychelles', Marine Policy.
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© 2019 Elsevier Ltd The management and conservation of marine resources in Seychelles, a small island developing state (SIDS) in the western Indian Ocean, is fundamental to maintaining the flow of international visitors which forms the mainstay of the nation's economy. There is an increasing trend towards empowering non-governmental organisations and parastatal entities with protected area management responsibilities, which partly reflects the chronic underfunding of the state protected area management institution. This paper explores these and related issues through a governance analysis of Curieuse Marine National Park, which is the most popular state-owned marine national park in terms of recorded visitor numbers. This demonstrates that the inability to implement economic incentives through not fully capitalising on the use and non-use values of the park has deleterious consequences for managing the combined impacts of tourism and fisheries on the ecological assets of the park. Furthermore, the capacity of the state management institution is being eroded through a focus on the development of an extensive network of new marine protected areas under the direction of an international non-governmental organisation. Suggestions are made that could strengthen economic, participative and interpretative incentives to provide a more sustainable basis for marine national park management.

Collins, S, Boyd, PW & Doblin, MA 2020, 'Evolution, Microbes, and Changing Ocean Conditions', ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL 12, vol. 12, pp. 181-208.
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Commault, AS, Kaur Walia, N, Fabris, M, Barolo, L, Siboni, N, Adriaans, J, Ralph, PJ & Pernice, M 2020, 'Effect of biphasic temperature regime on therapeutic recombinant protein production in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii', Algal Research, vol. 50.
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© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Microalgae are increasingly being considered for recombinant protein production because of low cultivation costs, absence of endotoxins and insusceptibility to human infectious agents. Despite these advantages, the yield of recombinant protein produced in microalgae is still low compared to more established expression systems and optimization at the genetic and cultivation levels is required for this new system to be economically viable. This study investigates the effect of biphasic temperature regimes on the yield of recombinant human interferon alpha 2a (IFN-α2a), a therapeutic protein known for its anti-cancer and anti-viral properties, produced by the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Cr.IFN-α2a). Biphasic growth is commonly employed to increase recombinant protein production in mammalian cell lines used for commercial production of therapeutic proteins, with a lowering of the temperature resulting in higher yields. In this study, lowering the temperature from 25 °C to 15 °C in mid-exponential growth phase increased the accumulation of Cr.IFN-α2a by 3.3-fold while it slowed down the growth of the three C. reinhardtii transgenic lines tested. In contrast, a rise of temperature from 25 °C to 35 °C accelerated cell growth, while negatively impacting the production of Cr.IFN-α2a. After a two-step chromatography purification, the Cr.IFN-α2a produced was estimated to be 53% pure with a yield of 90 μg/L of culture. The amino acid sequence of Cr.IFN-α2a was confirmed by mass spectrometry. However, the anti-viral activity of Cr.IFN-α2a was found to be 10 times lower than the human IFN-α2a standard produced using E. coli when challenged in a cytopathic effect (CPE) assay, likely due to the formation of aggregates. While the molecular mechanisms driving the accumulation of Cr.IFN-α2a at lower temperature remains unclear, our results support that reducing the temperature at the peak of expression is a valid strategy to increase the yield o...

Fabris, M, Abbriano, RM, Pernice, M, Sutherland, DL, Commault, AS, Hall, CC, Labeeuw, L, McCauley, J, Kuzhiuparambil, U, Ray, P, Kahlke, T & Ralph, PJ 2020, 'Emerging Technologies in Algal Biotechnology: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable, Algae-Based Bioeconomy', FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, vol. 11.
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Fabris, M, George, J, Kuzhiumparambil, U, Lawson, CA, Jaramillo-Madrid, AC, Abbriano, RM, Vickers, CE & Ralph, P 2020, 'Extrachromosomal Genetic Engineering of the Marine Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum Enables the Heterologous Production of Monoterpenoids', ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 598-612.
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Fleck, R, Gill, RL, Pettit, T, Irga, PJ, Williams, NLR, Seymour, JR & Torpy, FR 2020, 'Characterisation of fungal and bacterial dynamics in an active green wall used for indoor air pollutant removal', BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT, vol. 179.
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Focardi, A, Ostrowski, M, Goossen, K, Brown, M & Paulsen, I 2020, 'Investigating the Diversity of Marine Bacteriophage in Contrasting Water Masses Associated with the East Australian Current (EAC) System', VIRUSES-BASEL, vol. 12, no. 3.
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Gao, C, Fernandez, VI, Lee, KS, Fenizia, S, Pohnert, G, Seymour, JR, Raina, JB & Stocker, R 2020, 'Single-cell bacterial transcription measurements reveal the importance of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) hotspots in ocean sulfur cycling', Nature Communications, vol. 11, no. 1.
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© 2020, The Author(s). Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a pivotal compound in marine biogeochemical cycles and a key chemical currency in microbial interactions. Marine bacteria transform DMSP via two competing pathways with considerably different biogeochemical implications: demethylation channels sulfur into the microbial food web, whereas cleavage releases sulfur into the atmosphere. Here, we present single-cell measurements of the expression of these two pathways using engineered fluorescent reporter strains of Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, and find that external DMSP concentration dictates the relative expression of the two pathways. DMSP induces an upregulation of both pathways, but only at high concentrations (>1 μM for demethylation; >35 nM for cleavage), characteristic of microscale hotspots such as the vicinity of phytoplankton cells. Co-incubations between DMSP-producing microalgae and bacteria revealed an increase in cleavage pathway expression close to the microalgae’s surface. These results indicate that bacterial utilization of microscale DMSP hotspots is an important determinant of the fate of sulfur in the ocean.

George, J, Kahlke, T, Abbriano, RM, Kuzhiumparambil, U, Ralph, PJ & Fabris, M 2020, 'Metabolic Engineering Strategies in Diatoms Reveal Unique Phenotypes and Genetic Configurations With Implications for Algal Genetics and Synthetic Biology', FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 8.
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Hughes, DJ, Alderdice, R, Cooney, C, Kuehl, M, Pernice, M, Voolstra, CR & Suggett, DJ 2020, 'Coral reef survival under accelerating ocean deoxygenation', NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 296-307.
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Hughes, DJ, Crosswell, JR, Doblin, MA, Oxborough, K, Ralph, PJ, Varkey, D & Suggett, DJ 2020, 'Dynamic variability of the phytoplankton electron requirement for carbon fixation in eastern Australian waters', Journal of Marine Systems, vol. 202.
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© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Fast Repetition Rate fluorometry (FRRf) generates high-resolution measures of phytoplankton primary productivity as electron transport rates (ETRs). How ETRs scale to corresponding inorganic carbon (C) uptake rates (the so-called electron requirement for carbon fixation, Φe,C), inherently describes the extent and effectiveness with which absorbed light energy drives C-fixation. However, it remains unclear whether and how Φe,C follows predictable patterns for oceanographic datasets spanning physically dynamic, and complex, environmental gradients. We utilise a unique high-throughput approach, coupling ETRs and 14C-incubations to produce a semi-continuous dataset of Φe,C (n = 80), predominantly from surface waters, along the Australian coast (Brisbane to the Tasman Sea), including the East Australian Current (EAC). Environmental conditions along this transect could be generally grouped into cooler, more nutrient-rich waters dominated by larger size-fractionated Chl-a (>10 μm) versus warmer nutrient-poorer waters dominated by smaller size-fractionated Chl-a (<2 μm). Whilst Φe,C was higher for warmer water samples, environmental conditions alone explained <20% variance of Φe,C, and changes in predominant size-fraction(s) distributions of Chl-a (biomass) failed to explain variance of Φe,C. Instead, normalised Stern-Volmer non-photochemical quenching (NPQNSV = F0′/Fv′) was a better predictor of Φe,C, explaining ~55% of observed variability. NPQNSV is a physiological descriptor that accounts for changes in both long-term driven acclimation in non-radiative decay, and quasi-instantaneous PSII downregulation, and thus may prove a useful predictor of Φe,C across physically-dynamic regimes, provided the slope describing their relationship is predictable. We also consider recent advances in fluorescence-based corrections to evaluate the potential role of baseline fluorescence (Fb) in contributing to overestimation of Φe,C and the correlation between Φe,C...

Iermak, I, Szabó, M & Zavafer, A 2020, 'Analysis of OJIP transients during photoinactivation of photosystem ii indicates the presence of multiple photosensitizers in vivo and in vitro', Photosynthetica, vol. 58, no. Special Issue, pp. 497-506.
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© The authors. Generally, excessive excitation absorbed by the pigments is considered the cause of PSII photodamage. Previous studies of action spectra of PSII photodamage concluded that shorter wavelengths induce more damage, supporting the hypothesis of the existence of more than one photosensitizer. However, the relative influence of different photosensitizers is still inconclusive. In this work, we have revisited this question by inducing PSII photodamage in vivo and in vitro at two different wavelengths (460 and 660 nm) where the net absorption cross section was the same using equal irradiance. To correlate PSII photodamage with each wavelength band, we followed its time course using the OJIP transient of the chlorophyll fluorescence to determine the possible contributions of photoinhibition by different photosensitizers. We found evidence that at least two sites of photoinactivation of PSII exist.

Jaramillo-Madrid, AC, Ashworth, J & Ralph, PJ 2020, 'Levels of diatom minor sterols respond to changes in temperature and salinity', Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 8, no. 2.
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© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Diatoms are a broadly distributed and evolutionarily diversified group of microalgae that produce a diverse range of sterol compounds. Sterols are triterpenoids that play essential roles in membrane-related processes in eukaryotic cells. Some sterol compounds possess bioactivities that promote human health and are currently used as nutraceuticals. The relationship between sterol diversity in diatoms and their acclimation to different environments is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of different sterol types across twelve diatom species, as well as the effect of temperature reduction and changes in salinity on the sterol contents of three model diatom species. In the diatoms Thalassiosira pseudonana, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Chaetoceros muelleri, we found that changes in the relative contents of minor sterols accompanied shifts in temperature and salinity. This may be indicative of acquired adaptive traits in diatom metabolism.

Jaramillo-Madrid, AC, Ashworth, J, Fabris, M & Ralph, PJ 2020, 'The unique sterol biosynthesis pathway of three model diatoms consists of a conserved core and diversified endpoints', ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, vol. 48.
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King, WL, Siboni, N, Kahlke, T, Dove, M, O'Connor, W, Mahbub, KR, Jenkins, C, Seymour, JR & Labbate, M 2020, 'Regional and oyster microenvironmental scale heterogeneity in the Pacific oyster bacterial community', FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY, vol. 96, no. 5.
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Kuhl, M, Trampe, E, Mosshammer, M, Johnson, M, Larkum, AWD, Frigaard, N-U & Koren, K 2020, 'Substantial near-infrared radiation-driven photosynthesis of chlorophyll f-containing cyanobacteria in a natural habitat', ELIFE, vol. 9.
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Kulk, G, Platt, T, Dingle, J, Jackson, T, Joensson, BF, Bouman, HA, Babin, M, Brewin, RJW, Doblin, M, Estrada, M, Figueiras, FG, Furuya, K, Gonzalez-Benitez, N, Gudfinnsson, HG, Gudmundsson, K, Huang, B, Isada, T, Kovac, Z, Lutz, VA, Maranon, E, Raman, M, Richardson, K, Rozema, PD, van de Poll, WH, Segura, V, Tilstone, GH, Uitz, J, van Dongen-Vogels, V, Yoshikawa, T & Sathyendranath, S 2020, 'Primary Production, an Index of Climate Change in the Ocean: Satellite-Based Estimates over Two Decades', REMOTE SENSING, vol. 12, no. 5.
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Lampignano, R, Neumann, MHD, Weber, S, Kloten, V, Herdean, A, Voss, T, Groelz, D, Babayan, A, Tibbesma, M, Schlumpberger, M, Chemi, F, Rothwell, DG, Wikman, H, Galizzi, J-P, Bergheim, IR, Russnes, H, Mussolin, B, Bonin, S, Voigt, C, Musa, H, Pinzani, P, Lianidou, E, Brady, G, Speicher, MR, Pantel, K, Betsou, F, Schuuring, E, Kubista, M, Ammerlaan, W, Sprenger-Haussels, M, Schlange, T & Heitzer, E 2020, 'Multicenter Evaluation of Circulating Cell-Free DNA Extraction and Downstream Analyses for the Development of Standardized (Pre) analytical Work Flows', CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, vol. 66, no. 1, pp. 149-160.
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Lawson, CA, Seymour, JR, Possell, M, Suggett, DJ & Raina, JB 2020, 'The Volatilomes of Symbiodiniaceae-Associated Bacteria Are Influenced by Chemicals Derived From Their Algal Partner', Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 7.
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© Copyright © 2020 Lawson, Seymour, Possell, Suggett and Raina. Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are a large group of molecules involved in trophic interactions, stress response and atmospheric chemistry. Although they have been extensively studied in terrestrial ecosystems, their identity and prevalence in the marine environment remains largely unexplored. Here we characterized the volatilome of two abundant marine bacteria that were previously identified as members of the core microbiome of Symbiodiniaceae (phylum: Dinoflagellata), the photosynthetic endosymbionts of reef building corals. To determine the influence of Symbiodiniaceae exudate on their associated bacteria, we incubated isolates of Marinobacter adhaerens HP15 and Labrenzia sp. 21p with Symbiodiniaceae culture filtrate or culture medium (control) and investigated their volatilomes using GC–MS. The volatilome of Labrenzia sp. incubated in Symbiodiniaceae filtrate was significantly different and more diverse relative to the control. In contrast, the overall composition of the M. adhaerens volatilomes were consistent between treatment and control. Among the 35 compounds detected in both bacterial species, the dominant chemical functional groups were halogenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and organosulfurs, some of which are known to play roles in inter-organism signaling, to act as antioxidants and as antimicrobials. This study provides new insights into the potential sources and diversity of marine BVOCs, uncovering a wide range of molecules that may play important physiological and ecological roles for these organisms, while also revealing the role of Symbiodiniaceae-associated bacteria in the emission of important atmospheric gases.

Liu, P-C, Peacock, WJ, Wang, L, Furbank, R, Larkum, A & Dennis, ES 2020, 'Leaf growth in early development is key to biomass heterosis in Arabidopsis', JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, vol. 71, no. 8, pp. 2439-2450.
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Matthews, JL, Raina, J-B, Kahlke, T, Seymour, JR, van Oppen, MJH & Suggett, DJ 2020, 'Symbiodiniaceae-bacteria interactions: rethinking metabolite exchange in reef-building corals as multi-partner metabolic networks', ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 1675-1687.
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McCauley, JI, Labeeuw, L, Jaramillo-Madrid, AC, Nguyen, LN, Nghiem, LD, Chaves, AV & Ralph, PJ 2020, 'Management of Enteric Methanogenesis in Ruminants by Algal-Derived Feed Additives', CURRENT POLLUTION REPORTS.
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Miller, AD, Coleman, MA, Clark, J, Cook, R, Naga, Z, Doblin, MA, Hoffmann, AA, Sherman, CDH & Bellgrove, A 2020, 'Local thermal adaptation and limited gene flow constrain future climate responses of a marine ecosystem engineer', EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS, vol. 13, no. 5, pp. 918-934.
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Murray, JS, Nishimura, T, Finch, SC, Rhodes, LL, Puddick, J, Harwood, DT, Larsson, ME, Doblin, MA, Leung, P, Yan, M, Rise, F, Wilkins, AL & Prinsep, MR 2020, 'The role of 44-methylgambierone in ciguatera fish poisoning: Acute toxicity, production by marine microalgae and its potential as a biomarker for Gambierdiscus spp.', Harmful Algae, vol. 97.
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© 2020 The Author(s) Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is prevalent around the tropical and sub-tropical latitudes of the world and impacts many Pacific island communities intrinsically linked to the reef system for sustenance and trade. While the genus Gambierdiscus has been linked with CFP, it is commonly found on tropical reef systems in microalgal assemblages with other genera of toxin-producing, epiphytic and/or benthic dinoflagellates – Amphidinium, Coolia, Fukuyoa, Ostreopsis and Prorocentrum. Identifying a biomarker compound that can be used for the early detection of Gambierdiscus blooms, specifically in a mixed microalgal community, is paramount in enabling the development of management and mitigation strategies. Following on from the recent structural elucidation of 44-methylgambierone, its potential to contribute to CFP intoxication events and applicability as a biomarker compound for Gambierdiscus spp. was investigated. The acute toxicity of this secondary metabolite was determined by intraperitoneal injection using mice, which showed it to be of low toxicity, with an LD50 between 20 and 38 mg kg−1. The production of 44-methylgambierone by 252 marine microalgal isolates consisting of 90 species from 32 genera across seven classes, was assessed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. It was discovered that the production of this secondary metabolite was ubiquitous to the eight Gambierdiscus species tested, however not all isolates of G. carpenteri, and some species/isolates of Coolia and Fukuyoa.

Najafpour, MM, Zaharieva, I, Zand, Z, Hosseini, SM, Kouzmanova, M, Holynska, M, Tranca, I, Larkum, AW, Shen, J-R & Allakhverdiev, S 2020, 'Water-oxidizing complex in Photosystem II: Its structure and relation to Manganese-oxide based catalysts', COORDINATION CHEMISTRY REVIEWS, vol. 409.
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Nguyen, HM, Kim, M, Ralph, PJ, Marín-Guirao, L, Pernice, M & Procaccini, G 2020, 'Stress Memory in Seagrasses: First Insight Into the Effects of Thermal Priming and the Role of Epigenetic Modifications', Frontiers in Plant Science, vol. 11.
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© Copyright © 2020 Nguyen, Kim, Ralph, Marín-Guirao, Pernice and Procaccini. While thermal priming and the relative role of epigenetic modifications have been widely studied in terrestrial plants, their roles remain unexplored in seagrasses so far. Here, we experimentally compared the ability of two different functional types of seagrass species, dominant in the Southern hemisphere, climax species Posidonia australis and pioneer species Zostera muelleri, to acquire thermal-stress memory to better survive successive stressful thermal events. To this end, a two-heatwave experimental design was conducted in a mesocosm setup. Findings across levels of biological organization including the molecular (gene expression), physiological (photosynthetic performances and pigments content) and organismal (growth) levels provided the first evidence of thermal priming in seagrasses. Non-preheated plants suffered a significant reduction in photosynthetic capacity, leaf growth and chlorophyll a content, while preheated plants were able to cope better with the recurrent stressful event. Gene expression results demonstrated significant regulation of methylation-related genes in response to thermal stress, suggesting that epigenetic modifications could play a central role in seagrass thermal stress memory. In addition, we revealed some interspecific differences in thermal responses between the two different functional types of seagrass species. These results provide the first insights into thermal priming and relative epigenetic modifications in seagrasses paving the way for more comprehensive forecasting and management of thermal stress in these marine foundation species in an era of rapid environmental change.

Nguyen, LN, Commault, AS, Kahlke, T, Ralph, PJ, Semblante, GU, Johir, MAH & Nghiem, LD 2020, 'Genome sequencing as a new window into the microbial community of membrane bioreactors - A critical review.', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 704, pp. 135279-135279.
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Recent developed sequencing techniques have resulted in a new and unprecedented way to study biological wastewater treatment, in which most organisms are uncultivable. This review provides (i) an insight on state-of-the-art sequencing techniques and their limitations; (ii) a critical assessment of the microbial community in biological reactor and biofouling layer in a membrane bioreactor (MBR). The data from high-throughput sequencing has been used to infer microbial growth conditions and metabolisms of microorganisms present in MBRs at the time of sampling. These data shed new insight to two fundamental questions about a microbial community in the MBR process namely the microbial composition (who are they?) and the functions of each specific microbial assemblage (what are their function?). The results to date also highlight the complexity of the microbial community growing on MBRs. Environmental conditions are dynamic and diverse, and can influence the diversity and structural dynamics of any given microbial community for wastewater treatment. The benefits of understanding the structure of microbial communities on three major aspects of the MBR process (i.e. nutrient removal, biofouling control, and micropollutant removal) were symmetrically delineated. This review also indicates that the deployment of microbial community analysis for a practical engineering context, in terms of process design and system optimization, can be further realized.

Nguyen, LN, Truong, MV, Nguyen, AQ, Johir, MAH, Commault, AS, Ralph, PJ, Semblante, GU & Nghiem, LD 2020, 'A sequential membrane bioreactor followed by a membrane microalgal reactor for nutrient removal and algal biomass production', Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 189-196.
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© 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry. A hybrid process combining a single compartment aerobic membrane bioreactor (MBR) and a membrane microalgal reactor (MMR) was evaluated for nutrient removal and microalgal biomass production. When operated without biomass extraction, the microalgal biomass in the MMR reached 920 mg L-1 on day 18 and then collapsed, rendering nutrient removal ineffective. Stable operation of the MMR was achieved by regular biomass extraction (i.e. 1/30 of the microalgal biomass in the reactor daily). The biomass production at steady state was approximately 26 g m-3 d-1. The NO3- and PO43- uptake values by microalgae were 4.0 ± 1.1 and 1.5 ± 0.9 g m-3 d-1, respectively. A facile flocculation and separation technique capable of recovering 98% microalgal biomass was demonstrated. Although the hybrid process can significantly enhance nutrient removal and biomass production, further research is needed to intensify the microalgal growth rate. At the current microalgal growth rate, a large MMR volume (37 times that of the MBR) is necessary for synchronous operation.

Osman, EO, Suggett, DJ, Voolstra, CR, Pettay, DT, Clark, DR, Pogoreutz, C, Sampayo, EM, Warner, ME & Smith, DJ 2020, 'Coral microbiome composition along the northern Red Sea suggests high plasticity of bacterial and specificity of endosymbiotic dinoflagellate communities', Microbiome, vol. 8, no. 1.
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© 2020 The Author(s). Background: The capacity of reef-building corals to tolerate (or adapt to) heat stress is a key factor determining their resilience to future climate change. Changes in coral microbiome composition (particularly for microalgal endosymbionts and bacteria) is a potential mechanism that may assist corals to thrive in warm waters. The northern Red Sea experiences extreme temperatures anomalies, yet corals in this area rarely bleach suggesting possible refugia to climate change. However, the coral microbiome composition, and how it relates to the capacity to thrive in warm waters in this region, is entirely unknown. Results: We investigated microbiomes for six coral species (Porites nodifera, Favia favus, Pocillopora damicornis, Seriatopora hystrix, Xenia umbellata, and Sarcophyton trocheliophorum) from five sites in the northern Red Sea spanning 4° of latitude and summer mean temperature ranges from 26.6 °C to 29.3 °C. A total of 19 distinct dinoflagellate endosymbionts were identified as belonging to three genera in the family Symbiodiniaceae (Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, and Durusdinium). Of these, 86% belonged to the genus Cladocopium, with notably five novel types (19%). The endosymbiont community showed a high degree of host-specificity despite the latitudinal gradient. In contrast, the diversity and composition of bacterial communities of the surface mucus layer (SML) - a compartment particularly sensitive to environmental change - varied significantly between sites, however for any given coral was species-specific. Conclusion: The conserved endosymbiotic community suggests high physiological plasticity to support holobiont productivity across the different latitudinal regimes. Further, the presence of five novel algal endosymbionts suggests selection of certain genotypes (or genetic adaptation) within the semi-isolated Red Sea. In contrast, the dynamic composition of bacteria associated with the SML across sites may contribute to holobiont ...

Osman, EO, Suggett, DJ, Voolstra, CR, Pettay, DT, Clark, DR, Pogoreutz, C, Sampayo, EM, Warner, ME & Smith, DJ 2020, 'Correction to: Coral microbiome composition along the northern Red Sea suggests high plasticity of bacterial and specificity of endosymbiotic dinoflagellate communities (Microbiome (2020) 8:8 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0776-5)', Microbiome, vol. 8, no. 1.
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© 2020 The Author(s). Reference. Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported an error on the legend of of P.damicornis in Fig. 1.

Pernice, M, Raina, J-B, Rädecker, N, Cárdenas, A, Pogoreutz, C & Voolstra, CR 2020, 'Down to the bone: the role of overlooked endolithic microbiomes in reef coral health.', The ISME Journal: multidisciplinary journal of microbial ecology, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 325-334.
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Reef-building corals harbour an astonishing diversity of microorganisms, including endosymbiotic microalgae, bacteria, archaea, and fungi. The metabolic interactions within this symbiotic consortium are fundamental to the ecological success of corals and the unique productivity of coral reef ecosystems. Over the last two decades, scientific efforts have been primarily channelled into dissecting the symbioses occurring in coral tissues. Although easily accessible, this compartment is only 2-3 mm thick, whereas the underlying calcium carbonate skeleton occupies the vast internal volume of corals. Far from being devoid of life, the skeleton harbours a wide array of algae, endolithic fungi, heterotrophic bacteria, and other boring eukaryotes, often forming distinct bands visible to the bare eye. Some of the critical functions of these endolithic microorganisms in coral health, such as nutrient cycling and metabolite transfer, which could enable the survival of corals during thermal stress, have long been demonstrated. In addition, some of these microorganisms can dissolve calcium carbonate, weakening the coral skeleton and therefore may play a major role in reef erosion. Yet, experimental data are wanting due to methodological limitations. Recent technological and conceptual advances now allow us to tease apart the complex physical, ecological, and chemical interactions at the heart of coral endolithic microbial communities. These new capabilities have resulted in an excellent body of research and provide an exciting outlook to further address the functional microbial ecology of the "overlooked" coral skeleton.

Price, S, Kuzhiumparambil, U, Pernice, M & Ralph, PJ 2020, 'Cyanobacterial polyhydroxybutyrate for sustainable bioplastic production: Critical review and perspectives', Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 104007-104007.
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Raven, JA, Suggett, DJ & Giordano, M 2020, 'Inorganic carbon concentrating mechanisms in free-living and symbiotic dinoflagellates and chromerids.', Journal of phycology.
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Photosynthetic dinoflagellates are ecologically and biogeochemically important in marine and freshwater environments. However surprisingly little is known of how this group acquires inorganic carbon or how these diverse processes evolved. Consequently, how CO2 availability ultimately influences the success of dinoflagellates over space and time remains poorly resolved compared to other microalgal groups. Here we review the evidence. Photosynthetic core dinoflagellates have a Form II RuBisCO (replaced by Form IB or Form ID in derived dinoflagellates). The in vitro kinetics of the Form II RuBisCO from dinoflagellates are largely unknown, but dinoflagellates with Form II (and other) RuBisCOs have inorganic carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs), as indicated by in vivo internal inorganic C accumulation and affinity for external inorganic C. However, the location of the membrane(s) at which the essential active transport component(s) of the CCM occur(s) is (are) unresolved; isolation and characterisation of functionally competent chloroplasts would help in this respect. Endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae (in Foraminifera, Acantharia, Radiolaria, Ciliata, Porifera, Acoela, Cnidaria and Mollusca) obtain inorganic C by transport from seawater through host tissue. In corals this transport apparently provides an inorganic C concentration around the photobiont that obviates the need for photobiont CCM. This is not the case for tridacnid bivalves, medusae, or, possibly, Foraminifera. Overcoming these long-standing knowledge gaps relies on technical advances, e.g. the in vitro kinetics of Form II RuBisCO, that can functionally track the fate of inorganic C forms.

Rinke, C, Rubino, F, Messer, LF, Youssef, N, Parks, DH, Chuvochina, M, Brown, M, Jeffries, T, Tyson, GW, Seymour, JR & Hugenholtz, P 2020, 'Correction: A phylogenomic and ecological analysis of the globally abundant Marine Group II archaea (Ca. Poseidoniales ord. nov.).', The ISME journal.
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An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Ros, M, Camp, EF, Hughes, DJ, Crosswell, JR, Warner, ME, Leggat, WP & Suggett, DJ 2020, 'Unlocking the black-box of inorganic carbon-uptake and utilization strategies among coral endosymbionts (Symbiodiniaceae)', LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY.
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Soja-Woźniak, M, Laiolo, L, Baird, ME, Matear, R, Clementson, L, Schroeder, T, Doblin, MA & Suthers, IM 2020, 'Effect of phytoplankton community size structure on remote-sensing reflectance and chlorophyll a products', Journal of Marine Systems, vol. 211.
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© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Remotely-sensed ocean colour is the main tool for estimating chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentration and primary productivity on the global scale. In order to investigate the source of errors in remotely-sensed Chl-a concentration we obtained in situ bio-optical properties, in situ reflectances, satellite-derived reflectances and the Chl-a concentration satellite products of the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) Instrument on board Sentinel-3 A in waters off eastern Australia. The mesoscale eddies of these oligotrophic waters provide contrasting phytoplankton communities that allowed us to focus on the effect of phytoplankton size as a source of errors. In these waters, cold-core cyclonic eddies (CE) are dominated by large phytoplankton cells, while small cells dominate warm-core anticyclonic eddies (ACE). The chlorophyll-specific absorption and backscattering from contrasting sites show significant difference due to the differing package effect of phytoplankton size distributions. After normalising the absorption and backscattering spectra to Chl-a associated with just small phytoplankton, the spectra of optical properties become much more similar, showing that small-sized phytoplankton dominate IOPs even when large cells contain the greater fraction of Chl-a concentration of the phytoplankton community. Measured in situ reflectances agreed with reflectances calculated using a simple optical model based on measured IOPs. Furthermore, the in situ measured reflectances agreed well with the OLCI reflectance (mean normalised bias (MNB) of 7% for wavelengths <600 nm). However, a systematic underestimation of Chl-a concentrations by the OLCI algorithms was found in the region of cyclonic eddies characterised by increased Chl-a concentration and dominance of large-sized phytoplankton. A similar underprediction was found in Chl-a concentration calculated with the band-ratio OC4Me algorithm using in situ and IOP-calculated reflectance. Excluding Ch...

Suggett, DJ & Smith, DJ 2020, 'Coral bleaching patterns are the outcome of complex biological and environmental networking.', Global Change Biology, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 68-79.
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Continued declines in coral reef health over the past three decades have been punctuated by severe mass coral bleaching-induced mortality events that have grown in intensity and frequency under climate change. Intensive global research efforts have therefore persistently focused on bleaching phenomena to understand where corals bleach, when and why-resulting in a large-yet still somewhat patchy-knowledge base. Particularly catastrophic bleaching-induced coral mortality events in the past 5 years have catalyzed calls for a more diverse set of reef management tools, extending far beyond climate mitigation and reef protection, to also include more aggressive interventions. However, the effectiveness of these various tools now rests on rapidly assimilating our knowledge base of coral bleaching into more integrated frameworks. Here, we consider how the past three decades of intensive coral bleaching research has established the basis for complex biological and environmental networks, which together regulate outcomes of bleaching severity. We discuss how we now have enough scaffold for conceptual biological and environmental frameworks underpinning bleaching susceptibility, but that new tools are urgently required to translate this to an operational system informing-and testing-bleaching outcomes. Specifically, adopting network models that can fully describe and predict metabolic functioning of coral holobionts, and how this functioning is regulated by complex doses and interactions among environmental factors. Identifying knowledge gaps limiting operation of such models is the logical step to immediately guide and prioritize future experiments and observations. We are at a time-critical point where we can implement new capacity to resolve how coral bleaching patterns emerge from complex biological-environmental networks, and so more effectively inform rapidly evolving ecological management and social adaptation frameworks aimed at securing the future of coral reefs.

Suggett, DJ, Edmondson, J, Howlett, L & Camp, EF 2020, 'Coralclip®: a low‐cost solution for rapid and targeted out‐planting of coral at scale', Restoration Ecology.
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Re‐attaching or out‐planting coral as fragments, colonies, and on larval settlement devices to substrates is a major bottleneck limiting scalabilty and viability of reef restoration practices. Many attachment approaches are in use, but none that are low‐cost, opportunistic, rapid but effective, for integration into existing tour operations on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) where staff and boat time is a major cost and chemical fixatives cannot be easily used. We describe a novel attachment device—Coralclip®—developed to meet this need and so aid maintenance and restoration of GBR tourism sites. Coralclip® is a stainless steel springclip attached by a nail integrated through the spring coil, and can be deployed with a coral fragment in as fast as 15 seconds. Initial laboratory tests demonstrated that Coralclip® secured coral fragments or larval settlement tiles under dynamic flow regimes characteristic of exposed reefs. Coral out‐planting from fragments of opportunity and from nurseries (n = 4,580; 0.3–1.9 coral/minute; US$0.6–3.0/coral deployed) or larval settlement tiles (n = 400; 2.5 tiles/minute; US$0.5 tile deployed−1) when deployed by divers from routine boat operations at Opal Reef confirmed highly effective attachment, with ≤15% failure of clips found after 3–7 months. We discuss how Coralclip® is a cost‐effective means to support reef maintenance and restoration practices.

Sukacova, K, Buzova, D & Cerveny, J 2020, 'Biphasic optimization approach for maximization of lipid production by the microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa', FOLIA MICROBIOLOGICA.
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Sutherland, DL & Ralph, PJ 2020, '15 years of research on wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds in New Zealand: discoveries and future directions', NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF BOTANY.
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Sutherland, DL, Howard-Williams, C, Ralph, P & Hawes, I 2020, 'Environmental drivers that influence microalgal species in meltwater pools on the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica', POLAR BIOLOGY, vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 467-482.
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Sutherland, DL, Park, J, Heubeck, S, Ralph, PJ & Craggs, RJ 2020, 'Size matters - Microalgae production and nutrient removal in wastewater treatment high rate algal ponds of three different sizes', ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, vol. 45.
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Sutherland, DL, Park, J, Ralph, PJ & Craggs, RJ 2020, 'Improved microalgal productivity and nutrient removal through operating wastewater high rate algal ponds in series', Algal Research, vol. 47.
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© 2020 Elsevier B.V. High rate algal ponds are recognised as a cost effective and efficient upgrade to conventional wastewater ponds for the treatment of a wide range of wastewaters. Their design allows microalgae to proliferate, which, in turn, results in high levels of nutrient removal, via algal assimilation. Furthermore, these ponds offer the opportunity to recover resources, in the form of algal biomass, for beneficial re-use, thus creating a circular bio-economy using wastewater. However, both increased microalgal biomass and nutrient removal is required to make coupled full-scale systems commercially viable. The performance of high rate algal ponds operated in series, on short hydraulic retention time of 4 days, versus in parallel, on a longer retention time of 8 days, was assessed with respect to nutrient removal and microalgal production. For microalgal productivity, the combined total volatile suspended solids (organic matter) and chlorophyll-a biomass were significantly higher (p < 0.01) under Series (191 ± 41 kg per day for volatile suspended solids) than Parallel (127 ± 18 kg per day) operation. The combined total dissolved inorganic nitrogen removed per day was significantly higher (p < 0.01) under Series (23 ± 4 kg of nitrogen per day) than Parallel (17 ± 4 kg) operation. The total amount of phosphorus removed per day was unaffected by mode of operation. Higher biomass production under short retention times came at the expense of nitrogen removal but treatment of the harvested effluent through a second pond in series, resulted in overall higher daily nitrogen removal and biomass production than ponds in parallel, for the same volume of wastewater treated. This study has demonstrated that with simple modifications to pond operation higher microalgal yields and improved effluent water quality without increased capital or operational costs.

Teoh, F, Shah, B, Ostrowski, M & Paulsen, I 2020, 'Comparative membrane proteomics reveal contrasting adaptation strategies for coastal and oceanic marine Synechococcus cyanobacteria', ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 1816-1828.
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Thackeray, SJ, Robinson, SA, Smith, P, Bruno, R, Kirschbaum, MUF, Bernacchi, C, Byrne, M, Cheung, W, Cotrufo, MF, Gienapp, P, Hartley, S, Janssens, I, Jones, TH, Kobayashi, K, Luo, Y, Penuelas, J, Sage, R, Suggett, DJ, Way, D & Long, S 2020, 'Civil disobedience movements such as School Strike for the Climate are raising public awareness of the climate change emergency', GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 1042-1044.
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Trevathan-Tackett, SM, Jeffries, TC, Macreadie, PI, Manojlovic, B & Ralph, P 2020, 'Long-term decomposition captures key steps in microbial breakdown of seagrass litter', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 705.
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© 2018 Elsevier B.V. Seagrass biomass represents an important source of organic carbon that can contribute to long-term sediment carbon stocks in coastal ecosystems. There is little empirical data on the long-term microbial decomposition of seagrass detritus, despite this process being one of the key drivers of carbon-cycling in coastal ecosystems, that is, it influences the amount and quality of carbon available for sequestration. Here, our goal was to investigate how litter quality (leaf vs. rhizome/root) and the microbial communities involved in organic matter remineralisation shift over a 2-year field decomposition study north of Sydney, Australia using the temperate seagrass Zostera muelleri. The sites varied in bulk sediment characteristics and the sediment-associated microbial communities, but these variables overall had little influence on long-term seagrass decomposition rates or seagrass-associated microbiomes. The results showed a clear succession of bacterial and archaeal communities for both tissues types from r-strategists such as α- and γ-proteobacteria to K-strategies, including δ-proteobacteria, Bacteroidia and Spirochaetes. We used a new mathematical model to capture how decay rates varied over time and found that two decomposition events occurred for some seagrass leaf samples, possibly due to exudate input from living seagrass roots growing into the litter bag. The new model also indicated that conventional single exponential models overestimate long-term decay rates, and we detected for the first time the refractory, or stable, phase of decomposition for rhizome/root biomass. The stable phase began at approximately 20% mass remaining and after 600 days, and the persistence of rhizome/root biomass was attributed to the anoxic conditions and the preservation of refractory organic matter. While we predict that rhizome/root biomass will contribute more to the long-term sediment carbon stocks, the preservation of leaf carbon may be enhanced at loc...

Verma, A, Hughes, DJ, Harwood, DT, Suggett, DJ, Ralph, PJ & Murray, SA 2020, 'Functional significance of phylogeographic structure in a toxic benthic marine microbial eukaryote over a latitudinal gradient along the East Australian Current', Ecology and Evolution.
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Viet, KN, King, WL, Siboni, N, Mahbub, KR, Dove, M, O'Connor, W, Seymour, JR & Labbate, M 2020, 'The Sydney rock oyster microbiota is influenced by location, season and genetics', AQUACULTURE, vol. 527.
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Wilkinson, S, Biloria, N & Ralph, P 2020, 'The technical issues associated with algae building technology', International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation.
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© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: As the impacts of climate change become more evident, the need to adopt new ways of constructing buildings becomes more urgent. The Earth has experienced hotter climates globally for the last 70 years (NASA, 2019), and this has resulted in unprecedented levels of bushfire in Australia, flooding in the UK and drought in Africa in early 2020 (World Resources Institute, 2019). The predictions are for increased temperatures globally and increasing carbon emissions from fossil fuel consumption. There is a critical need to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels as a building energy source (WCED, 1987). Existing renewables focus on solar, wind and wave power, where technological improvements have increased efficiencies (Hinnells, 2008). Uptake of the technologies is variable depending on location and willingness to adopt renewables. As well as further uptake of existing renewable energy sources, we need to look wider and across traditional discipline groups, at new technologies such as biotechnologies. One potential energy source is biofuels. Biofuels are produced from biomass, which is algae. In 2016, the BIQ, a four-storey apartment building, was constructed in Hamburg, Germany. The BIQ features glazed façade panels filled with algae to produce biomass and solar thermal energy. Could algae building technology (ABT), in the form of façade panels, offer a new renewable energy source? Design/methodology/approach: What are the technical issues associated with Algae building technology? This qualitative research sought to identify what technical issues likely to arise in terms of algae building construction, operation and maintenance. Semi-structured interviews with 24 experienced built environment professionals in Australia were undertaken in 2016 to assess the most likely issues that could arise with this new innovative technology. Findings: As a result, a greater understanding of the range of technical issues related to design, ...

Wilkinson, S, Ralph, P & Biloria, N 2020, 'The technical Issues associated with Algae Building TechnologyDOI (10.1108/IJBPA-02-2020-0012)', International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation.
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As the impacts of climate change become more evident, the need to adopt new ways of constructing buildings becomes more urgent. The earth has experienced hotter climates globally for the last 70 years (NASA 2019) and this has resulted in unprecedented levels of bushfire in Australia, flooding in the UK and drought in Africa in early 2020 (World Resources Institute, 2019). The predictions are for increased temperatures (Climate Chip, 2020) globally and increasing carbon emissions from fossil fuel consumption. There is a critical need to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels as a building energy source (WCED 1987). Existing renewables focus on solar, wind and wave power, where technological improvements have increased efficiencies (Hinnells, 2008). Uptake of the technologies is variable depending on location and willingness to adopt renewables. As well as further uptake of existing renewable energy sources, we need to look wider and across traditional discipline groups, at new technologies such as bio-technologies. One potential energy source is biofuels. Biofuels are produced from biomass, which is algae. In 2016 the BIQ, a four storey apartment building, was constructed in Hamburg, Germany. The BIQ features glazed façade panels filled with algae to produce biomass and solar thermal energy. Could algae building technology (ABT), in the form of façade panels offer a new renewable energy source? What are the technical issues associated with Algae building technology? This qualitative research sought to identify what technical issues likely to arise in terms of algae building construction, operation and maintenance. Semi structured interviews with 24 experienced built environ-ment professionals in Australia were undertaken in 2016 to assess the most likely issues that could arise with this new innovative technology. As a result, a greater understanding of the range of technical issues related to design, construction, maintenance and operation were identified, as well ...

Zavafer, A, Gonzalez-Solis, A, Palacios-Bahena, S, Saucedo-Garcia, M, Tapia de Aquino, C, Vazquez-Santana, S, King-Diaz, B & Gavilanes-Ruiz, M 2020, 'Organized Disassembly of Photosynthesis During Programmed Cell Death Mediated By Long Chain Bases', SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 10, no. 1.
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