Preference for producer specific exudates shapes microbial communities in coral reefs

Exometabolites released by benthic primary producers (BPP) are an integral part of the coral reef food web. Depending on their origin and composition these complex mixtures of dissolved organic compounds support a distinct microbial community. Which exudate components are preferentially used by microbes, how this preference differs between exudate types, and what molecular features drive the microbial community differentiation is still poorly understood. Here we use an untargeted metabolomics approach (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS)) to assess the microbial uptake of exudates produced by BPP (mixed coral community, macroalgae, turf algae, and coral-macroalgae, coral-turf algae). We can show that that exudate compounds and especially those unique to a specific BPP or mixed community are the most favored substrate for microbes in the respective communities. Our data suggests that in each BPP treatment the unique combination of organic compounds is the main driver selecting for a specific microbial community composition rather than a specific single substance. This emphasizes the complexity of mechanisms and metabolisms that constitute and structure communities in ecosystems as intricate as coral reefs.