The Hidden Bacterial World

By Amelia Vaz Sep. 23, 2026

While coral reefs make up only 1% of the entire ocean, they hold almost 25% of all oceanic species, per the Smithsonian. Yet, despite being a vital part of the ocean’s ecosystem, the reefs are dying due to coral bleaching, rising water temperatures and other stressors. However, scientists have made recent discoveries of an invisible surrounding microbiome interacting with the corals, opening new avenues for exploration and aiding coral reef recovery. 

Krio Moon Art

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR), located on the northeast coast in Australia, holds the largest collection of over 400 coral species, 1,500 types of fish and endangered species, per UNESCO. On July 22, researchers from the University of Queensland (UQ) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) analyzed  DNA samples from 48 coral reefs, revealing a new microbiome—a community of microbes that help maintain the Earth’s nutrient and gas cycles. According to the Oxford Biodiversity Network, the oxygen production of oceanic microbiomes exceeds that of all forests on Earth combined. 

“Coral reefs are one of the earliest ways we can see the effects of climate change in our ecosystem, even if it is not visible in our daily lives. Coral reefs are home to a multitude of ocean species, so they should be a priority for researchers,” Junior Nakshatra Arun said.

Furthermore, the GBR microbiome contains numerous benefits for the coral reef’s health and recovery. The GBR microbiome directly reflects coral health and stress reactions. By tracking microbial changes, scientists spot  early warnings before symptoms appear and predict how corals express signs of sickness or struggle. The microbiome can guide researchers’ predictions of coral reactions to possible treatments or upcoming environmental events.  

Until recently, the vast numbers of microbes had made it difficult for scientists to individually identify each within the complex marine environment. However, new long-read DNA sequencing technology allows researchers to read long DNA strands at once, making identification possible.  

Using these microbes to condition young corals—via selective breeding, introducing specific bacteria and lab experimentation—may improve their stress resilience later on, per the National Library of Medicine. Further research of the microbiome could also aid the health of humans, plants and the coral reef ecosystem by revealing how to optimize these biological systems.  

To complement the microbiome discovery, AIMS and UQ created the Great Barrier Reef Microbial Genome Database (GBR-MGD) to catalogue and update microbe records

However, there are downsides to the microbiome data. While it signals declining coral conditions, it cannot identify the root cause of the coral’s decline. Moreover, microbes cannot replace the traditional survey methods for coral reefs—such as visual inspections or routine check-ins—because microbiome reports are purely numbers. The reports require visual confirmation since they cannot provide qualitative reports on physical changes that are not biological. There is not enough progress in microbiome research to be able to rely purely on microbiome reports, so scientists plan to rely on both methods for any coral health inspections.  

“The microbiome discovery is a helpful advancement because it can help scientists understand the health of the coral reef and how it reacts to its environment. Even though it doesn’t reveal the exact sources of coral reef sickness, it could identify potential methods to protect coral reefs,” Sophomore Makenzie Liu said. 

While the future is uncertain, AIMS scientists remain confident that this discovery will aid research in the recovery of coral reefs. It is possible to see improvements in coral reefs as new breeds of coral are created, but people must be wary of microbiome reports’ limitations. As the oceans warm and oceanic life continues moving, these significant findings will provide a foundation for the exploration of possible solutions. 

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About the Contributor

Amelia Vaz

Staff Writer

Amelia Vaz is a sophomore at Leland High School and a staff writer for The Charger Account. Often times she can be found hanging out with her friends, trying out a new recipe, fixing a DIY project or petsitting cats.

Krio Moon

Artist

Krio Moon is a senior at Leland High School and an artist for The Charger Account. Outside of school, she likes to watch feel-good movies and play tennis.