Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth, yet they are declining worldwide due to climate change and other human impacts. The long-term persistence of coral reefs depends on the successful settlement and recruitment of new corals. Coral larvae do not settle randomly; instead, they rely on specific environmental cues that signal suitable habitat for growth and survival. Crustose coralline algae (CCA), a group of calcifying red algae common on healthy reefs, are known to promote coral settlement. Increasing evidence suggests that bacteria associated with the surface of these algae play a critical role in producing the chemical signals that induce coral larvae to settle and metamorphose. The goal of this project is to contribute to ongoing coral restoration research at KAUST by identifying bacterial strains associated with Red Sea CCA that promote coral settlement and characterizing the chemical compounds responsible for this activity. Students will contribute to the isolation and cultivation of CCA-associated bacteria, molecular characterization of bacterial communities, preparation of bacterial biofilms, and extraction of bacterial metabolites. Promising bacterial strains and their chemical extracts will be tested in coral settlement experiments, with the long-term goal of developing tools that can enhance coral recruitment and support reef restoration efforts. This work is part of a funded research program within the Global Change Ecology Lab, under the supervision of Dr. Aurora Giorgi and Professor Maggie Johnson, and is conducted in collaboration with the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI).

Depending on the student's skills and project duration, deliverables may include: · Isolation and culturing of bacteria associated with crustose coralline algae. · Preparation of microbiology media · Daily and weekly maintenance of bacterial cultures · Development of monospecific bacterial biofilms for settlement assays. · Extraction and fractionation of bacterial metabolites. · Analysis of coral larval settlement experiment results.