Alterations in sea urchin (Mesocentrotus nudus) microbiota and their potential contributions to host according to barren severity

Abstract Sea urchins are biotic factors driving the decline of kelp forests in marine ecosystems. However, few studies have analyzed the microbiota of surviving sea urchins in barren regions with scarce diet resources. Here, we analyzed the microbiota in the pharynx and gut of the sea urchin Mesocentrotus nudus located along the coast of an expanding barren region in South Korea. The ecological adaptation of genera in sea urchins was predicted using the neutral assembly model. The pharynx and gut microbiota were different, and microbes in the surrounding habitats dispersed more to the pharynx than to the gut. The gut microbiota in sea urchins is altered by barren severity and plays different roles in host energy metabolism. These findings help to understand the microbiota in sea urchins according to urchin barren and its contribution to the survival of sea urchins in severe barren regions with limited macroalgae.