科研人员对大堡礁进行了迄今最全面的微生物研究，从48个珊瑚礁的海水样本中发现了超过360,000种不同病毒和500多种此前未知的细菌物种 [1]。这项由昆士兰大学和澳大利亚海洋科学研究所主导的研究用时超过5年，采用长读测序技术进行分析 [1]，成果已发表在《自然》期刊 [1]。
研究共鉴定了808,585个病毒基因组和5,283个细菌及古菌基因组 [1]。在所发现的细菌物种中，584种为科学界首次记录 [1]。
参与研究的科学家指出，微生物在珊瑚礁生态系统中扮演着极其重要的角色 [1]。这份微生物图谱可作为珊瑚礁监测工具使用，帮助评估气候变化、热应力等环保压力对珊瑚礁的影响 [1]。
Scientists have completed the most comprehensive microbiome analysis of the Great Barrier Reef to date, revealing extraordinary microbial diversity within the world's largest coral ecosystem. [1]
Led by researchers from the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the team analyzed DNA from water samples collected at 48 coral reef sites using long-read sequencing technology. [1] The study, published in the journal Nature, identified more than 360,000 distinct viral species and over 500 bacterial species previously unknown to science. [1] In total, the research catalogued 808,585 viral genomes and 5,283 bacterial and archaeal genomes across 876 bacterial species. [1]
Dr. Yun Kit Yeoh emphasized that microorganisms represent "a very important part of coral reef ecosystems," while Prof. Philip Hugenholtz noted the findings illustrate "just how vast the microbial world is." [1]
The research, which took over five years to complete, creates a microbiome map that scientists believe can serve as a monitoring tool for reef health. [1] By establishing this baseline of microbial composition, researchers aim to assess how environmental stressors such as climate change and thermal stress impact coral reef ecosystems. [1]