Fig. 1: Experimental design. | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

Fig. 1: Experimental design.

From: Coral reef biofilm bacterial diversity and successional trajectories are structured by reef benthic organisms and shift under chronic nutrient enrichment

Fig. 1

Three 1300 L flow-through incubation tanks were used to maintain constant temperature for nine flow-through aquaria each (total 27 experimental aquaria, 6 L volume each); a schematic of one tank with nine aquaria is shown here. Each aquarium held one of three benthic constituent organisms (algae, coral, or sand) and was supplied via peristaltic pump with filtered seawater amended to one of three nutrient treatments (ambient, low, or high) from independent header mixing aquaria (one for each nutrient level in each tank to maintain independence). Biofilms were cultured on glass slides, evenly spaced in slide racks and suspended vertically in each experimental aquarium to allow water to flow around each surface of the slide. Nutrients were measured weekly and were stable throughout the experiment; averages are reported. Additional data in Quinlan et al.17 and Silbiger et al.32.

Back to article page