MicroEcology Lab

Microenvironmental #ecology of microbial communities & #symbiosis. Researching: #corals, #seagrass, #macroalgae, #biofilms & #microbes. Headed by Michael Kühl

[MicroEcology Lab @MicroSensing]

New faces in @MicroSensing

[Douglas Brumley @BrumleyLab]

Experiments and mathematical theory reveal how cilia generate 3D flows and transport oxygen around reef-building corals. @PRX_Life @pacherres_co @MicroSensing @MCNDLab @uommedia. Supported by @arc_gov_au Future Fellowship and @MooreFound

https://t.co/oV8UAT1VJd

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

Combining mathematical modeling and experiments. A great story by Antony Selvan and myself together with @BrumleyLab @MicroSensing and collaborators. Supported by @arc_gov_au @MooreFound #MSCA #coral #cilia

@PRX_Life
https://t.co/dH6J5ZCs8K

[Lasse Foghsgaard @Foghsgaard]

Et internationalt forskerhold med danske forskere i spidsen har fundet en ny og ekstra forklaring på, hvorfor koraller lider i varmere havvand som følge af de menneskeskabte klimaforandringer https://t.co/Zr5LLsc5f7

[MicroEcology Lab @MicroSensing]

Thanks @BrumleyLab for this nice and very inspiring, interdisciplinary collaboration����

[Douglas Brumley @BrumleyLab]

Experiments and mathematical theory reveal how cilia generate 3D flows and transport oxygen around reef-building corals. @PRX_Life @pacherres_co @MicroSensing @MCNDLab @uommedia. Supported by @arc_gov_au Future Fellowship and @MooreFound

https://t.co/oV8UAT1VJd

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

Our findings reveal a hidden tipping point in coral survival: corals may begin to suffocate internally before or alongside bleaching

These process occur in a water layer <1mm tick, easy to miss in conventional measurements but potentially critical for understanding coral health

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

At higher temperatures, cilia coordination stops. Microscopic flows collapse, oxygen transport slows, and oxygen levels inside the coral drop to critical levels

Using high-speed microscopy, oxygen imaging and flow measurements we directly visualize flow and oxygen around corals

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

But the benefit doesn’t last. As temperatures rise further, these flows begin recirculating oxygen poor water near the coral surface, while coral oxygen demand keeps increasing.

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

Under moderate warming, corals initially cope as their cilia starts to beat faster, essentially creating stronger swirls and temporarily improving oxygen transport.

This mechanism is particularly important at night when both the coral and symbiotic algae consume oxygen.

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

Corals 🪸 are covered with tiny hair-like structures called cilia. Their synchronized beating creates microscopic swirling flows that act like a natural ventilation system, helping transport oxygen around the coral tissue.

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

Coral reefs are increasingly threaten by marine heatwaves, but what pushes corals past their breaking point?

New in @ScienceAdvances: we found that corals can lose the microscopic system that helps move oxygen around their tissues during heat stress 🪸

https://t.co/3NUI9D3L8E

[Cesar O. Pacherres @pacherres_co]

Thank you to all collaborators and funding agencies who made this research possible:

Michael Kühl @MicroSensing
Mads, Mikkel @uni_copenhagen
Douglas @BrumleyLab
Soeren @SoerenAhm
Max, Manuel @KAUST
@MooreFound
@novonordiskfond
@arc_gov_au
#MSCA

[Science Advances @ScienceAdvances]

New research finds that heat stress can disrupt and eventually destroy corals’ cilia-based ventilation systems. https://t.co/SIImJI5ay7

[Douglas Brumley @BrumleyLab]

Heat-stressed cilia increase coral deoxygenation. This collaborative work published in @ScienceAdvances with @pacherres_co @MicroSensing @SoerenAhm examines how microscopic currents generated by corals vary with water temperature. @arc_gov_au @MooreFound

https://t.co/UWo2PIQCap

[MicroEcology Lab @MicroSensing]

https://t.co/Hffyg6Vvhh

[MicroEcology Lab @MicroSensing]

New review on #luminescence #lifetime #imaging - #FLIM and #PLIM
Massive work by @FlImagin3_DN PhD students @HarkhoeRishi and GabrieleFerrari. Nice collaboration with @PhotoBioLab
Check it out🤓

@MooreFound
https://t.co/JyuJMDxl7y

[MicroEcology Lab @MicroSensing]

Great fun at the 2025 DHL run
2 teams: KühlKids1 & KühkKids2

[MicroEcology Lab @MicroSensing]

Great work Nikki👍

[Nikki Di Lernia @DilerniaNikki]

https://t.co/0ZAvnGzCgZ @emmafcamp @DavidJSuggett @ChristineDRoper @reefgenomics @alderdice_r @MicroSensing @FutureReefslab @Utsc3 @UTSscihdr

[Nikki Di Lernia @DilerniaNikki]

New paper alert 🚨 my 2nd PhD chapter has been published ‼️ Uncovering increased maximum oxyregulation capacity retained in corals transplanted from an extreme mangrove environment to a reef flat on the Great Barrier Reef🪸
https://t.co/szqDonHUoW

[Molecular Master @EricBecraft]

I would bet that Don Bryant knew more about phototrophic physiology than anyone who has ever lived on Earth.

https://t.co/3S1kqGOmdV

[Douglas Brumley @BrumleyLab]

I am thrilled to receive a Future Fellowship from @arc_gov_au. The project, "Understanding the role of microscale fluid dynamics in biology", aims to develop novel mathematical models and experimental tools for investigating microscopic fluid flows in biology. @SciMelb @UniMelb