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Cardenas JA, Samadikhoshkho Z, Rehman AU, Valle-Pérez AU, de León EHP, Hauser CAE, Feron EM, Ahmad R. A systematic review of robotic efficacy in coral reef monitoring techniques. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 202:116273. [PMID: 38569302 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are home to a variety of species, and their preservation is a popular study area; however, monitoring them is a significant challenge, for which the use of robots offers a promising answer. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current techniques and tools employed in coral reef monitoring, with a focus on the role of robotics and its potential in transforming this sector. Using a systematic review methodology examining peer-reviewed literature across engineering and earth sciences from the Scopus database focusing on "robotics" and "coral reef" keywords, the article is divided into three sections: coral reef monitoring, robots in coral reef monitoring, and case studies. The initial findings indicated a variety of monitoring strategies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Case studies have also highlighted the global application of robotics in monitoring, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities unique to each context. Robotic interventions driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning have led to a new era in coral reef monitoring. Such developments not only improve monitoring but also support the conservation and restoration of these vulnerable ecosystems. Further research is required, particularly on robotic systems for monitoring coral nurseries and maximizing coral health in both indoor and open-sea settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Cardenas
- Aquaponics 4.0 Learning Factory (AllFactory), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Zahra Samadikhoshkho
- Aquaponics 4.0 Learning Factory (AllFactory), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Ateeq Ur Rehman
- Aquaponics 4.0 Learning Factory (AllFactory), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Alexander U Valle-Pérez
- Laboratory for Nanomedicine, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Elena Herrera-Ponce de León
- Laboratory for Nanomedicine, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Charlotte A E Hauser
- Laboratory for Nanomedicine, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia; Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Jeddah 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eric M Feron
- Laboratory for Nanomedicine, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rafiq Ahmad
- Aquaponics 4.0 Learning Factory (AllFactory), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
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Brown KT, Genin A, Mello‐Athayde MA, Bergstrom E, Campili A, Chai A, Dove SG, Ho M, Rowell D, Sampayo EM, Radice VZ. Marine heatwaves modulate the genotypic and physiological responses of reef-building corals to subsequent heat stress. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10798. [PMID: 38099138 PMCID: PMC10719612 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Back-to-back marine heatwaves in 2016 and 2017 resulted in severe coral bleaching and mortality across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Encouragingly, some corals that survived these events exhibit increased bleaching resistance and may represent thermally tolerant populations that can better cope with ocean warming. Using the GBR as a natural laboratory, we investigated whether a history of minimal (Heron Island) or severe (Lizard Island) coral bleaching in 2016 and 2017 equates to stress tolerance in a successive heatwave (2020). We examined the genetic diversity, physiological performance, and trophic plasticity of juvenile (<10 cm) and adult (>25 cm) corals of two common genera (Pocillopora and Stylophora). Despite enduring greater cumulative heat stress (6.3°C week-1 vs. 5.6°C week-1), corals that experienced the third marine heatwave in 5 years (Lizard) exhibited twice as high survival and visual bleaching thresholds compared to corals that had not experienced significant bleaching in >10 years (Heron). Surprisingly, only one shared host-Symbiodiniaceae association was uncovered between locations (Stylophora pistillata-Cladocopium "C8 group") and there was no genetic overlap in Pocillopora-Cladocopium partnerships, suggesting turnover in species composition from recent marine heatwaves. Corals within the species complex Pocillopora that survived the 2016 and 2017 marine heatwaves at Lizard Island were the most resilient, exhibiting three times greater calcification rates than conspecifics at Heron Island. Further, surviving corals (Lizard) had distinct isotopic niches, lower host carbon, and greater host protein, while conspecifics that had not experienced recent bleaching (Heron) had two times greater symbiont carbon content, suggesting divergent trophic strategies that influenced survival (i.e., greater reliance on heterotrophy vs. symbiont autotrophy, respectively). Ultimately, while corals may experience less bleaching and survive repeated thermal stress events, species-specific trade-offs do occur, leaving open many questions related to the long-term health and recovery of coral reef ecosystems in the face of intensifying marine heatwaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen T. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Amatzia Genin
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of EilatThe Hebrew University of JerusalemEilatIsrael
| | | | | | - Adriana Campili
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsville Mail CentreTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Aaron Chai
- Faculty of Science and EngineeringSouthern Cross UniversityEast LismoreNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Sophie G. Dove
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | | | - Devin Rowell
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Veronica Z. Radice
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
- Department of Biological SciencesOld Dominion UniversityNorfolkVirginiaUSA
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Mills MS, Ungermann M, Rigot G, den Haan J, Leon JX, Schils T. Assessment of the utility of underwater hyperspectral imaging for surveying and monitoring coral reef ecosystems. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21103. [PMID: 38036628 PMCID: PMC10689744 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48263-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Technological innovations that improve the speed, scale, reproducibility, and accuracy of monitoring surveys will allow for a better understanding of the global decline in tropical reef health. The DiveRay, a diver-operated hyperspectral imager, and a complementary machine learning pipeline to automate the analysis of hyperspectral imagery were developed for this purpose. To evaluate the use of a hyperspectral imager underwater, the automated classification of benthic taxa in reef communities was tested. Eight reefs in Guam were surveyed and two approaches for benthic classification were employed: high taxonomic resolution categories and broad benthic categories. The results from the DiveRay surveys were validated against data from concurrently conducted photoquadrat surveys to determine their accuracy and utility as a proxy for reef surveys. The high taxonomic resolution classifications did not reliably predict benthic communities when compared to those obtained by standard photoquadrat analysis. At the level of broad benthic categories, however, the hyperspectral results were comparable to those of the photoquadrat analysis. This was particularly true when estimating scleractinian coral cover, which was accurately predicted for six out of the eight sites. The annotation libraries generated for this study were insufficient to train the model to fully account for the high biodiversity on Guam's reefs. As such, prediction accuracy is expected to improve with additional surveying and image annotation. This study is the first to directly compare the results from underwater hyperspectral scanning with those from traditional photoquadrat survey techniques across multiple sites with two levels of identification resolution and different degrees of certainty. Our findings show that dependent on a well-annotated library, underwater hyperspectral imaging can be used to quickly, repeatedly, and accurately monitor and map dynamic benthic communities on tropical reefs using broad benthic categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Mills
- Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU, USA.
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia.
| | | | | | | | - Javier X Leon
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Tom Schils
- Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU, USA
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Santana EFC, Mies M, Longo GO, Menezes R, Aued AW, Luza AL, Bender MG, Segal B, Floeter SR, Francini-Filho RB. Turbidity shapes shallow Southwestern Atlantic benthic reef communities. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 183:105807. [PMID: 36379169 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Southwestern Atlantic reefs (Brazilian Province) occur along a broad latitudinal range (∼5°N-27°S) and under varied environmental conditions. We combined large-scale benthic cover and environmental data into uni- and multivariate regression tree analyses to identify unique shallow (<30 m) benthic reef communities and their environmental drivers along the Brazilian Province. Turbidity was the leading environmental driver of benthic reef communities, with the occurrence of two main groups: clear-water (dominated by fleshy macroalgae) and turbid (dominated by turf algae). Seven out of 14 scleractinian coral species were more abundant in the turbid group, thus corroborating the photophobic nature of some Brazilian corals. The most abundant scleractinian in Brazil (Montastraea cavernosa), largely dominated (71-93% of total coral cover) both, the shallow turbid and deeper clear-water reefs. Because these habitat types are widely recognized as potential climate refuges, local threats (e.g. pollution, overfishing) should be averted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika F C Santana
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, 58059-900, JP, PB, Brazil
| | - Miguel Mies
- Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Instituto Coral Vivo, Santa Cruz Cabrália, BA, Brazil
| | - Guilherme O Longo
- Laboratório de Ecologia Marinha, Departamento de Oceanografia e Limnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59014-002, Brazil
| | - Rafael Menezes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Cidade Universitária, 58059-900, JP, PB, Brazil
| | - Anaide W Aued
- Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia Marinha, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-970, SC, Brazil
| | - André Luís Luza
- Laboratório de Macroecologia e Conservação Marinha, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Mariana G Bender
- Laboratório de Macroecologia e Conservação Marinha, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Barbara Segal
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Ambientes Recifais, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-970, SC, Brazil
| | - Sergio R Floeter
- Laboratório de Biogeografia e Macroecologia Marinha, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-970, SC, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo B Francini-Filho
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação Marinha, Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de São Paulo, 11612-109, São Sebastião, SP, Brazil.
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Wang JT, Chu CW, Soong K. Comparison of the bleaching susceptibility of coral species by using minimal samples of live corals. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12840. [PMID: 35127294 PMCID: PMC8800388 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In massive bleaching events (losing symbiotic algae from corals), more sensitive corals are bleached earlier than other corals. To perform a comparison of bleaching susceptibility within and across coral species, a simple quantitative method is required. Accordingly, we present a laboratory-based method for comparing the bleaching susceptibility of various coral species by using a standardized image analysis protocol. Coral fragments were sampled from the colonies of five species selected from Kenting, southern Taiwan, and maintained in the same aquarium tank with circulating seawater; 2 seawater temperature regimes were used (i.e., fast-heating program (FHP), with a heating rate of 1 °C per day; and slow-heating program (SHP), with a heating rate of 1 °C per 3 days). Each coral fragment was photographed periodically, and the colored images were subsequently converted to grayscale images and then digitally analyzed to determine the standardized grayscale values (G0) by comparing with that of standard color strip. The G0 of a sample at each time of photographing during bleaching was divided by the difference of G0 between the acclimating and the same but completely bleached fragment to derive the relative grayscale (RG%) at a particular stage of bleaching; this is done for each coral fragment of a colony. The smaller the RG% of a coral fragment the closer it is approaching completely bleached condition. The level of decrease in RG% within a time series of images in each heating regime was used to establish a bleaching time index (BTI). The lower the BTI, the sooner to reach a defined bleaching level (e.g., 30%), this indicates the coral is more sensitive to thermal bleaching. In the experiment, we compared the bleaching susceptibility of the five species. Based on the proposed BTI, the five species were ranked in terms of bleaching susceptibility, and the rankings were identical between the two temperature regimes; three species in Pocilloporidae had lower BTI, whereas the hydrocoral Millepora species had the highest BTI. Within each heating regime, the BTI of different species were ranked and used to indicate susceptibility. In the FHP, the three Pocilloporidae species could be divided into two groups in terms of bleaching susceptibility. FHP not only displayed a higher differentiating capability on coal bleaching susceptibility than SHP, but also had a faster completion time, thus reducing the likelihood of unforeseen complications during the tank experiments. Our color-based method is easier and less effort-intensive than methods involving the assessment of zooxanthellae densities. Moreover, it requires much fewer replicates and all samples in one large tank (e.g., 300 L) for the studies considering multiple species comparisons. This method opens opportunities for studying the effects of species types, acclimatization (e.g., seasons), and environmental factors other than temperature on coral bleaching.
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Abstract
Addressing the global decline of coral reefs requires effective actions from managers, policymakers and society as a whole. Coral reef scientists are therefore challenged with the task of providing prompt and relevant inputs for science-based decision-making. Here, we provide a baseline dataset, covering 1300 km of tropical coral reef habitats globally, and comprised of over one million geo-referenced, high-resolution photo-quadrats analysed using artificial intelligence to automatically estimate the proportional cover of benthic components. The dataset contains information on five major reef regions, and spans 2012–2018, including surveys before and after the 2016 global bleaching event. The taxonomic resolution attained by image analysis, as well as the spatially explicit nature of the images, allow for multi-scale spatial analyses, temporal assessments (decline and recovery), and serve for supporting image recognition developments. This standardised dataset across broad geographies offers a significant contribution towards a sound baseline for advancing our understanding of coral reef ecology and thereby taking collective and informed actions to mitigate catastrophic losses in coral reefs worldwide. Measurement(s) | ecosystem • coral reef • composition | Technology Type(s) | automated image annotation • machine learning | Factor Type(s) | year of data collection • geographic location | Sample Characteristic - Organism | Anthozoa • Algae • Porifera | Sample Characteristic - Environment | marine coral reef biome • marine coral reef fore reef | Sample Characteristic - Location | Atlantic Ocean • Eastern Australia • Indian Ocean • Southeast Asia • Pacific Ocean • Great Barrier Reef |
Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: 10.6084/m9.figshare.13007516
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Coral Reef Community Changes in Karimunjawa National Park, Indonesia: Assessing the Efficacy of Management in the Face of Local and Global Stressors. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse8100760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Karimunjawa National Park is one of Indonesia’s oldest established marine parks. Coral reefs across the park are being impacted by fishing, tourism and declining water quality (local stressors), as well as climate change (global pressures). In this study, we apply a multivariate statistical model to detailed benthic ecological datasets collected across Karimunjawa’s coral reefs, to explore drivers of community change at the park level. Eighteen sites were surveyed in 2014 and 2018, before and after the 2016 global mass coral bleaching event. Analyses revealed that average coral cover declined slightly from 29.2 ± 0.12% (Standard Deviation, SD) to 26.3 ± 0.10% SD, with bleaching driving declines in most corals. Management zone was unrelated to coral decline, but shifts from massive morphologies toward more complex foliose and branching corals were apparent across all zones, reflecting a park-wide reduction in damaging fishing practises. A doubling of sponges and associated declines in massive corals could not be related to bleaching, suggesting another driver, likely declining water quality associated with tourism and mariculture. Further investigation of this potentially emerging threat is needed. Monitoring and management of water quality across Karimunjawa may be critical to improving resilience of reef communities to future coral bleaching.
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Alonso I, Yuval M, Eyal G, Treibitz T, Murillo AC. CoralSeg: Learning coral segmentation from sparse annotations. J FIELD ROBOT 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/rob.21915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iñigo Alonso
- Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A)University of ZaragozaZaragoza Spain
| | - Matan Yuval
- Leon H. Charney School of Marine SciencesUniversity of HaifaHaifa Israel
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of EilatEilat Israel
| | - Gal Eyal
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandQueensland Australia
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life SciencesBar‐Ilan UniversityRamatr‐Gan Israel
| | - Tali Treibitz
- Leon H. Charney School of Marine SciencesUniversity of HaifaHaifa Israel
| | - Ana C. Murillo
- Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A)University of ZaragozaZaragoza Spain
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