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Mills MS, Ungermann M, Rigot G, den Haan J, Leon JX, Schils T. Coral reefs in transition: Temporal photoquadrat analyses and validation of underwater hyperspectral imaging for resource-efficient monitoring in Guam. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299523. [PMID: 38502667 PMCID: PMC10950215 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The island of Guam in the west Pacific has seen a significant decrease in coral cover since 2013. Lafac Bay, a marine protected area in northeast Guam, served as a reference site for benthic communities typical of forereefs on the windward side of the island. The staghorn coral Acropora abrotanoides is a dominant and characteristic ecosystem engineer of forereef communities on exposed shorelines. Photoquadrat surveys were conducted in 2015, 2017, and 2019, and a diver-operated hyperspectral imager (i.e., DiveRay) was used to survey the same transects in 2019. Machine learning algorithms were used to develop an automated pipeline to assess the benthic cover of 10 biotic and abiotic categories in 2019 based on hyperspectral imagery. The cover of scleractinian corals did not differ between 2015 and 2017 despite being subjected to a series of environmental disturbances in these years. Surveys in 2019 documented the almost complete decline of the habitat-defining staghorn coral Acropora abrotanoides (a practically complete disappearance from about 10% cover), a significant decrease (~75%) in the cover of other scleractinian corals, and a significant increase (~55%) in the combined cover of bare substrate, turf algae, and cyanobacteria. The drastic change in community composition suggests that the reef at Lafac Bay is transitioning to a turf algae-dominated community. However, the capacity of this reef to recover from previous disturbances suggests that this transition could be reversed, making Lafac Bay an excellent candidate for long-term monitoring. Community analyses showed no significant difference between automatically classified benthic cover estimates derived from the hyperspectral scans in 2019 and those derived from photoquadrats. These findings suggest that underwater hyperspectral imagers can be efficient and effective tools for fast, frequent, and accurate monitoring of dynamic reef communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Mills
- Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Javier X. Leon
- School of Science, Technology, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tom Schils
- Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam
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Ramos A, González-Díaz P, Banaszak AT, Perera O, Hernandez Delgado F, Delfín de León S, Vicente Castro P, Aguilera Pérez GC, Duran A. Seventeen-year study reveals fluctuations in key ecological indicators on two reef crests in Cuba. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16705. [PMID: 38282865 PMCID: PMC10812586 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Reef crests in the Caribbean have lost approximately 80% of the foundational habitat-forming coral Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816), with declines registered as early as the 1950s mainly from anthropogenic causes. We studied two reef crests in the northwestern region of Cuba over 17 years (2005 to 2021) to evaluate temporal changes in coral cover, dominated by A. palmata, and their potential drivers. The density of A. palmata generally showed a negative trend at both reefs, with the lowest density recorded in 2021 at 0.2 ± 0.05 col. m-2 at Playa Baracoa and 1.0 ± 0.1 col. m-2 at Rincon de Guanabo. The mean size of the colonies in the two reefs also decreased over time. In Playa Baracoa, the mean diameter of A. palmata colonies decreased from 2012 at 67 ± 5.9 cm to 2013 at 34 ± 2.2 cm, whereas in Rincon de Guanabo, a change in diameter was evident from 2015 at 44.3 ± 2.3 to 2021 at 21.6 ± 0.9 cm. Adult colonies (10 cm-50 cm diameter) predominated in most years on both reefs. The populations of A. palmata on both reefs were healthy, with an average of 70% colonies in good condition during the study period. However, A. palmata cover decreased by almost half by 2021, to 8.6% in Playa Baracoa and 16.8% in Rincon de Guanabo. By contrast, macroalgal cover increased two-fold to 87.1% in Playa Baracoa and four-fold to 77.2% in Rincon de Guanabo. The density of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum was higher in Playa Baracoa than in Rincon de Guanabo. The highest densities were 2.8 ± 0.2 ind. m-2 in Playa Baracoa in 2005 and 0.1 ± 0.03 ind. m-2 in Rincon de Guanabo in 2008. Although our results show an overall decline of A. palmata (density and percent cover) and an increase in macroalgae, these two reef crests are in better condition than most reefs in the Caribbean in terms of the density and health of A. palmata populations, and the density of D. antillarum at Playa Baracoa. Our results are important in establishing a management plan to ensure the condition of these reef crests does not degrade further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Ramos
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, México
- Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba
| | | | - Anastazia T. Banaszak
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - Orlando Perera
- Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba
| | | | | | | | | | - Alain Duran
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
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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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Silveira CB, Luque A, Haas AF, Roach TNF, George EE, Knowles B, Little M, Sullivan CJ, Varona NS, Wegley Kelly L, Brainard R, Rohwer F, Bailey B. Viral predation pressure on coral reefs. BMC Biol 2023; 21:77. [PMID: 37038111 PMCID: PMC10088212 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01571-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Predation pressure and herbivory exert cascading effects on coral reef health and stability. However, the extent of these cascading effects can vary considerably across space and time. This variability is likely a result of the complex interactions between coral reefs' biotic and abiotic dimensions. A major biological component that has been poorly integrated into the reefs' trophic studies is the microbial community, despite its role in coral death and bleaching susceptibility. Viruses that infect bacteria can control microbial densities and may positively affect coral health by controlling microbialization. We hypothesize that viral predation of bacteria has analogous effects to the top-down pressure of macroorganisms on the trophic structure and reef health. RESULTS Here, we investigated the relationships between live coral cover and viruses, bacteria, benthic algae, fish biomass, and water chemistry in 110 reefs spanning inhabited and uninhabited islands and atolls across the Pacific Ocean. Statistical learning showed that the abundance of turf algae, viruses, and bacteria, in that order, were the variables best predicting the variance in coral cover. While fish biomass was not a strong predictor of coral cover, the relationship between fish and corals became apparent when analyzed in the context of viral predation: high coral cover (> 50%) occurred on reefs with a combination of high predator fish biomass (sum of sharks and piscivores > 200 g m-2) and high virus-to-bacteria ratios (> 10), an indicator of viral predation pressure. However, these relationships were non-linear, with reefs at the higher and lower ends of the coral cover continuum displaying a narrow combination of abiotic and biotic variables, while reefs at intermediate coral cover showed a wider range of parameter combinations. CONCLUSIONS The results presented here support the hypothesis that viral predation of bacteria is associated with high coral cover and, thus, coral health and stability. We propose that combined predation pressures from fishes and viruses control energy fluxes, inhibiting the detrimental accumulation of ecosystem energy in the microbial food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia B Silveira
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA.
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33149, USA.
| | - Antoni Luque
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Andreas F Haas
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ty N F Roach
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Emma E George
- Botany Department, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ben Knowles
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Mark Little
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | | | - Natascha S Varona
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Linda Wegley Kelly
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Russel Brainard
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - Forest Rohwer
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA
| | - Barbara Bailey
- Viral Information Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 92182, USA.
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Carlot J, Vousdoukas M, Rovere A, Karambas T, Lenihan HS, Kayal M, Adjeroud M, Pérez-Rosales G, Hedouin L, Parravicini V. Coral reef structural complexity loss exposes coastlines to waves. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1683. [PMID: 36717604 PMCID: PMC9887012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28945-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs offer natural coastal protection by attenuating incoming waves. Here we combine unique coral disturbance-recovery observations with hydrodynamic models to quantify how structural complexity dissipates incoming wave energy. We find that if the structural complexity of healthy coral reefs conditions is halved, extreme wave run-up heights that occur once in a 100-years will become 50 times more frequent, threatening reef-backed coastal communities with increased waves, erosion, and flooding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Carlot
- PSL Université Paris, UAR 3278 CRIOBE-EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, 52 Av. Paul Alduy, 66000, Perpignan, France. .,Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France. .,CESAB-FRB, Montpellier, France.
| | - Michalis Vousdoukas
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, University Hill, 81100, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Alessio Rovere
- Centre for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), Bremen, Germany.,Dipartimento di Scienze AmbientaliInformatica e Statistica (DAIS), Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Venice, Italy
| | - Theofanis Karambas
- Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Hunter S Lenihan
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
| | - Mohsen Kayal
- Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France.,9ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Mehdi Adjeroud
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, Perpignan, France
| | - Gonzalo Pérez-Rosales
- Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France.,PSL Université - EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, French Polynesia
| | - Laetitia Hedouin
- Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France.,PSL Université - EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, UAR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, French Polynesia
| | - Valeriano Parravicini
- PSL Université Paris, UAR 3278 CRIOBE-EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, 52 Av. Paul Alduy, 66000, Perpignan, France.,Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France.,CESAB-FRB, Montpellier, France
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6
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Rivas N, Gómez CE, Millán S, Mejía-Quintero K, Chasqui L. Coral reef degradation at an atoll of the Western Colombian Caribbean. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15057. [PMID: 37070090 PMCID: PMC10105559 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reef decline is an issue of concern around the globe. Remote and uninhabited coral areas are not exempt from facing changes in species composition and functionality due to global drivers. Quitasueño is a remote atoll within the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, in the Southwestern Caribbean Sea. To evaluate the current status of the coral reefs in Quitasueño we sampled 120 stations through Rapid Ecological Assessment and evaluated four stations through Planar Point Intercept to compare the current percent cover of benthic groups with previous studies in the area. We found pronounced changes in coral and macroalgae covers in time, and great conspicuousness of multiple conditions of deterioration along Quitasueño, including diseases, coral predation, and aggression and invasion of coral colonies by macroalgae and sponges. The reef ecosystem seems to be facing a phase shift, in which the benthic cover previously dominated by hard corals is currently dominated by fleshy macroalgae. It is essential to evaluate the possible drivers of the extent of degradation of Quitasueño to understand the process of deterioration and mitigate the impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Rivas
- Programa de Biodiversidad y Ecosistemas Marinos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras-INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia
| | - Carlos E. Gómez
- Programa de Biodiversidad y Ecosistemas Marinos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras-INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina-BIOMMAR, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Santiago Millán
- Programa de Biodiversidad y Ecosistemas Marinos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras-INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia
| | - Katherine Mejía-Quintero
- Programa de Biodiversidad y Ecosistemas Marinos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras-INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia
| | - Luis Chasqui
- Programa de Biodiversidad y Ecosistemas Marinos, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras-INVEMAR, Santa Marta, Colombia
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Toth LT, Courtney TA, Colella MA, Kupfner Johnson SA, Ruzicka RR. The past, present, and future of coral reef growth in the Florida Keys. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5294-5309. [PMID: 35789026 PMCID: PMC9542952 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Coral-reef degradation is driving global-scale reductions in reef-building capacity and the ecological, geological, and socioeconomic functions it supports. The persistence of those essential functions will depend on whether coral-reef management is able to rebalance the competing processes of reef accretion and erosion. Here, we reconstructed census-based carbonate budgets of 46 reefs throughout the Florida Keys from 1996 to 2019. We evaluated the environmental and ecological drivers of changing budget states and compared historical trends in reef-accretion potential to millennial-scale baselines of accretion from reef cores and future projections with coral restoration. We found that historically, most reefs had positive carbonate budgets, and many had reef-accretion potential comparable to the ~3 mm year-1 average accretion rate during the peak of regional reef building ~7000 years ago; however, declines in reef-building Acropora palmata and Orbicella spp. corals following a series of thermal stress events and coral disease outbreaks resulted in a shift from positive to negative budgets for most reefs in the region. By 2019, only ~15% of reefs had positive net carbonate production. Most of those reefs were in inshore, Lower Keys patch-reef habitats with low water clarity, supporting the hypothesis that environments with naturally low irradiance may provide a refugia from thermal stress. We caution that our estimated carbonate budgets are likely overly optimistic; comparison of reef-accretion potential to measured accretion from reef cores suggests that, by not accounting for the role of nonbiological physical and chemical erosion, census-based carbonate budgets may underestimate total erosion by ~1 mm year-1 (-1.15 kg CaCO3 m-2 year-1 ). Although the present state of Florida's reefs is dire, we demonstrate that the restoration of reef-building corals has the potential to help mitigate declines in reef accretion in some locations, which could allow some key ecosystem functions to be maintained until the threat of global climate change is addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T. Toth
- U.S. Geological SurveySt. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science CenterSt. PetersburgFloridaUSA
| | - Travis A. Courtney
- Scripps Institution of OceanographyUniversity of California San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of Puerto Rico MayagüezMayagüezPuerto Rico
| | - Michael A. Colella
- Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation CommissionSt. PetersburgFloridaUSA
| | | | - Robert R. Ruzicka
- Fish & Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation CommissionSt. PetersburgFloridaUSA
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Alvarez-Filip L, González-Barrios FJ, Pérez-Cervantes E, Molina-Hernández A, Estrada-Saldívar N. Stony coral tissue loss disease decimated Caribbean coral populations and reshaped reef functionality. Commun Biol 2022; 5:440. [PMID: 35681037 PMCID: PMC9184636 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03398-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases are major drivers of the deterioration of coral reefs and are linked to major declines in coral abundance, reef functionality, and reef-related ecosystems services. An outbreak of a new disease is currently rampaging through the populations of the remaining reef-building corals across the Caribbean region. The outbreak was first reported in Florida in 2014 and reached the northern Mesoamerican Reef by summer 2018, where it spread across the ~450-km reef system in only a few months. Rapid spread was generalized across all sites and mortality rates ranged from 94% to <10% among the 21 afflicted coral species. Most species of the family Meandrinadae (maze corals) and subfamily Faviinae (brain corals) sustained losses >50%. This single event further modified the coral communities across the region by increasing the relative dominance of weedy corals and reducing reef functionality, both in terms of functional diversity and calcium carbonate production. This emergent disease is likely to become the most lethal disturbance ever recorded in the Caribbean, and it will likely result in the onset of a new functional regime where key reef-building and complex branching acroporids, an apparently unaffected genus that underwent severe population declines decades ago and retained low population levels, will once again become conspicuous structural features in reef systems with yet even lower levels of physical functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México.
| | - F Javier González-Barrios
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Esmeralda Pérez-Cervantes
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Ana Molina-Hernández
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Nuria Estrada-Saldívar
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
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9
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Brathwaite A, Clua E, Roach R, Pascal N. Coral reef restoration for coastal protection: Crafting technical and financial solutions. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 310:114718. [PMID: 35192980 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coastal erosion, aggravated by coral reef mortality is a major issue for Small Island Developing States. Traditionally gray infrastructure, financed by public budgets has been used to combat beach loss. We examined if three Nature-based Solutions (NbS): (i) coral restoration (green) (ii) restoration + limestone (hybrid) and (iii) restoration + 3D printed concrete (hybrid) could deliver positive outcomes for coastal protection and further incentivize cost sharing for reef conservation, with private beneficiaries. We modelled the impact of restoration on wave attenuation at two reefs off Barbados and simulated up-front and maintenance costs over a 25-year period. All solutions provide additionality when compared to gray infrastructure, especially in mitigating against Sea Level Rise. Restoration was the least costly with the highest risk of failure. The hybrid solutions, were less risky than the green as they provided immediate wave attenuation, alongside complementary services such as increased attractiveness due to the presence of reef fish. Their costs were however between +80% and +450% higher than gray solutions. While this might initially deter the use of NbS, blended finance and in some cases, Payments for Ecosystem Services, could provide options for governments and private beneficiaries to share costs, with ultimately greater benefits for themselves and coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelique Brathwaite
- Blue Finance ECRE (Economics for Coral Reef Ecosystems), Foster Hall, Barbados; CRIOBE - USR 3278: PSL Université Paris: EPHE-CNRS-UPVD: Bâtiment R et T, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan CEDEX, France.
| | - Eric Clua
- CRIOBE - USR 3278: PSL Université Paris: EPHE-CNRS-UPVD: Bâtiment R et T, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan CEDEX, France; Centre de Recherche Insulaire et Observatoire de l'Environnement (CRIOBE), Moorea, French Polynesia.
| | - Ramon Roach
- Coastal Zone Management Unit, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Warrens Tower II, St. Michael, Barbados.
| | - Nicolas Pascal
- Blue Finance ECRE (Economics for Coral Reef Ecosystems), Foster Hall, Barbados; CRIOBE - USR 3278: PSL Université Paris: EPHE-CNRS-UPVD: Bâtiment R et T, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan CEDEX, France.
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A Review of Disturbances to the Ecosystems of the Mexican Caribbean, Their Causes and Consequences. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10050644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In a relatively short timescale (less than 50 years), urbanization has caused many anthropogenic disturbances that have affected ecosystem health and, directly or indirectly, quality of life for the local human population. Global disturbances, such as climate change, can also have a substantial, overarching impact on ecosystems. In this scenario, natural disturbances, previously considered an integral part of ecosystem dynamics, can now cause irreversible change to the state of ecosystems, and at the same time, negatively impact social and economic systems. The objective of this study was to identify ecosystem disturbances at a site of interest to recommend strategies to improve coastal zone management. We chose the Mexican Caribbean as a case study, because its biological and cultural complexity render it an interesting location from a coastal management point of view. The PRISMA framework was used to conduct a systematic literature review to identify the ecosystem disturbances that affect this area, as well as the main causes and consequences of these disturbances. Additionally, we discuss how disturbances and their impacts, as screened through PRISMA, can be incorporated into a coastal zone management framework. Results need to consider the limitations associated with using this technique e.g., the degree of impact from a current disturbance may vary from that reported in an earlier publication. Despite its limitations, we believe that this methodology proves useful for identifying key ecosystem disturbances and their consequences, providing a useful tool for identifying appropriate actions to inform coastal zone management plans.
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Medina-Valmaseda AE, Blanchon P, Alvarez-Filip L, Pérez-Cervantes E. Geomorphically controlled coral distribution in degraded shallow reefs of the Western Caribbean. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12590. [PMID: 35310164 PMCID: PMC8929170 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of coral reefs results from the interaction between ecological and geological processes in space and time. Their difference in scale, however, makes it difficult to detect the impact of ecological changes on geological reef development. The decline of coral cover over the last 50 years, for example, has dramatically impaired the function of ecological processes on reefs. Yet given the limited-resolution of their Holocene record, it is uncertain how this will impact accretion and structural integrity over longer timescales. In addition, reports of this ecological decline have focused on intrinsic parameters such as coral cover and colony size at the expense of extrinsic ones such as geomorphic and environmental variables. Despite these problems, several attempts have been made to predict the long-term accretion status of reefs based entirely on the contemporary health status of benthic communities. Here we explore how this ecological decline is represented within the reef geomorphic structure, which represents the long-term expression of reef development. Using a detailed geomorphic zonation scheme, we analyze the distribution and biodiversity of reef-building corals in fringing-reef systems of the Mesoamerican Reef tract. We find a depth-related pattern in community structure which shows that the relative species distribution between geomorphic zones is statistically different. Despite these differences, contemporary coral assemblages in all zones are dominated by the same group of pioneer generalist species. These findings imply that first, coral species distribution is still controlled by extrinsic processes that generate the geomorphic zonation; second, that coral biodiversity still reflects species zonation patterns reported by early studies; and third that dominance of pioneer species implies that modern coral assemblages are in a prolonged post-disturbance adjustment stage. In conclusion, any accurate assessment of the future viability of reefs requires a consideration of the geomorphic context or risks miscalculating the impact of ecological changes on long-term reef development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Enrique Medina-Valmaseda
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico,Reef Geoscience Group, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Instituto de Ciencias de Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Paul Blanchon
- Reef Geoscience Group, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Instituto de Ciencias de Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Instituto de Ciencias de Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Esmeralda Pérez-Cervantes
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Instituto de Ciencias de Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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12
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Hendy IW, Woolford K, Vincent-Piper A, Burt O, Schaefer M, Cragg SM, Sanchez-Navarro P, Ragazzola F. Climate-driven golden tides are reshaping coastal communities in Quintana Roo, Mexico. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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13
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Community Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change in Coastal Areas of Mexico. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13182483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Climate change adaptation is an increasingly important topic addressed in the face of the current and expected future impacts by climate change that the social, economic and ecological systems are experiencing worldwide. Despite the advances reported in the literature, adaptation to climate change is still considered a challenge to move from planning to the practical implementation of successful interventions. In this regard, identifying international key barriers, exchanges of experiences and lessons learned may facilitate the progress of the coasts’ sustainable and resilient future. The coast of Mexico is an excellent study area. High population densities occur along the coastal zone, whose main economic activity is related to primary and tertiary sectors. Additionally, a great diversity of coastal ecosystems exists, which are threatened by anthropogenic and hydrometeorological impacts. Under these circumstances, the population is becoming aware of the urgent need to adapt to the consequences of climate change. In this sense, this paper reviews research contributions concerning population perception to climate change and adaptation strategies in Mexico’s coastal zone. The findings highlight critical institutional difficulties and social barriers that have impeded the effective implementation of adaptation strategies to climate change in Mexico and consider steps to address them. However, adaptation strategies that show the prevention culture of some coastal communities have been found and also results of successful projects carried out, especially on mangrove forest and coral reef restoration, which are of essential importance to consider to progress on the path of a successful adaptation to climate change in Mexico.
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14
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Froehlich CYM, Klanten
OS, Hing ML, Dowton M, Wong MYL. Uneven declines between corals and cryptobenthic fish symbionts from multiple disturbances. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16420. [PMID: 34385506 PMCID: PMC8361158 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95778-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
With the onset and increasing frequency of multiple disturbances, the recovery potential of critical ecosystem-building species and their mutual symbionts is threatened. Similar effects to both hosts and their symbionts following disturbances have been assumed. However, we report unequal declines between hosts and symbionts throughout multiple climate-driven disturbances in reef-building Acropora corals and cryptobenthic coral-dwelling Gobiodon gobies. Communities were surveyed before and after consecutive cyclones (2014, 2015) and heatwaves (2016, 2017). After cyclones, coral diameter and goby group size (i.e., the number of gobies within each coral) decreased similarly by 28-30%. After heatwave-induced bleaching, coral diameter decreased substantially (47%) and gobies mostly inhabited corals singly. Despite several coral species persisting after bleaching, all goby species declined, leaving 78% of corals uninhabited. These findings suggest that gobies, which are important mutual symbionts for corals, are unable to cope with consecutive disturbances. This disproportionate decline could lead to ecosystem-level disruptions through loss of key symbiont services to corals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catheline Y. M. Froehlich
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XFaculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500 Australia
| | - O. Selma Klanten
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Martin L. Hing
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XFaculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500 Australia
| | - Mark Dowton
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XFaculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500 Australia
| | - Marian Y. L. Wong
- grid.1007.60000 0004 0486 528XFaculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500 Australia
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15
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Cramer KL, Donovan MK, Jackson JBC, Greenstein BJ, Korpanty CA, Cook GM, Pandolfi JM. The transformation of Caribbean coral communities since humans. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10098-10118. [PMID: 34367562 PMCID: PMC8328467 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The mass die-off of Caribbean corals has transformed many of this region's reefs to macroalgal-dominated habitats since systematic monitoring began in the 1970s. Although attributed to a combination of local and global human stressors, the lack of long-term data on Caribbean reef coral communities has prevented a clear understanding of the causes and consequences of coral declines. We integrated paleoecological, historical, and modern survey data to track the occurrence of major coral species and life-history groups throughout the Caribbean from the prehuman period to the present. The regional loss of Acropora corals beginning by the 1960s from local human disturbances resulted in increases in the occurrence of formerly subdominant stress-tolerant and weedy scleractinian corals and the competitive hydrozoan Millepora beginning in the 1970s and 1980s. These transformations have resulted in the homogenization of coral communities within individual countries. However, increases in stress-tolerant and weedy corals have slowed or reversed since the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with intensified coral bleaching and disease. These patterns reveal the long history of increasingly stressful environmental conditions on Caribbean reefs that began with widespread local human disturbances and have recently culminated in the combined effects of local and global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L. Cramer
- Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - Mary K. Donovan
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science and School of Geographical Sciences and Urban PlanningArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - Jeremy B. C. Jackson
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation and Department of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
| | | | - Chelsea A. Korpanty
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental SciencesUniversity of BremenBremenGermany
| | - Geoffrey M. Cook
- Department of Biology and Health ScienceNew England CollegeHennikerNHUSA
| | - John M. Pandolfi
- Centre for Marine ScienceSchool of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQldAustralia
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16
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Thome PE, Rivera-Ortega J, Rodríguez-Villalobos JC, Cerqueda-García D, Guzmán-Urieta EO, García-Maldonado JQ, Carabantes N, Jordán-Dahlgren E. Local dynamics of a white syndrome outbreak and changes in the microbial community associated with colonies of the scleractinian brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10695. [PMID: 33604172 PMCID: PMC7863780 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Reef corals in the Mexican Reef System have been severely affected by the emergence of a white syndrome that resembles both White Plague II and SCTLD descriptions. Meandroid scleractinian coral species are among the most severely affected. To gain insight into this affliction we conducted a broad study in the brain coral Pseudodiploria strigosa at a rear reef site in the NE Mexican Caribbean. We describe macro and microscopical signals of the disease, characterize the outbreak dynamics, the tissue histopathology, explore immunological responses in the individuals, and compare microbial assemblages associated with the surface mucus layer of healthy and unhealthy colonies. At the study site, the white syndrome outbreak on P. strigosa showed a high incidence rate in summer-fall and a low one in winter, as well as low survival expectation of diseased colonies at the end of the study. After 306 days of observation, out of 96 tracked colonies, eight remained apparently healthy and seven were diseased. No effective resistance to colony disease progression was observed once white syndrome signs developed. Tissue loss rate during the study varied among colonies (mean = 10.8 cm2, s.d. = 7.8 cm2) suggesting a complex relation between causal agents and colony resistance. The deterioration of tissues was evidenced from the basal to the surface body wall of polyps (up to 66% hypertrophy and liquefactive necrosis in unhealthy colonies), implying that microscopic alterations begin before macroscopic signals develop, suggesting this may be a systemic disease. We measured high levels of phenoloxidase (two orders of magnitude higher PO activity than P. strigosa affected by BBD) and antibacterial activity without significant reduction in unhealthy samples from the mucus layer, indicative of an enhanced immunological response. Results showed that opportunistic bacteria dominated damaged colonies, where six genera of the Bacteroidia class were found with significant changes in unhealthy colonies after DeSeq2 analysis. Nevertheless, histological observations did not support infection of the tissues. The opportunistic overload seems to be contained within the mucus layer but may be associated with the mortality of tissues in a yet unclear way. Future research should focus on experimental infections, the tracking of natural infections, and the immunocompetence of corals in the face of environmental pressures due to local, regional, and global impacts. If environmental deterioration is the primary cause of the continuing emergence and re-emergence of lethal coral diseases, as has been proposed by many authors, the only true option to effectively help preserve the coral reef biodiversity and services, is to restore the environmental quality of reef waters at the local scale and reduce greenhouse gases at the global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia E Thome
- Instituto de Ciencias Del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Jacqueline Rivera-Ortega
- Instituto de Ciencias Del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Jenny C Rodríguez-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.,Ecosistemas y Conservación, ProAzul Terrestre A.C., La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Daniel Cerqueda-García
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Mérida, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Edgar O Guzmán-Urieta
- Instituto de Ciencias Del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - José Q García-Maldonado
- CONACyT, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Mérida, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Natalia Carabantes
- Instituto de Ciencias Del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Eric Jordán-Dahlgren
- Instituto de Ciencias Del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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17
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González-Barrios FJ, Cabral-Tena RA, Alvarez-Filip L. Recovery disparity between coral cover and the physical functionality of reefs with impaired coral assemblages. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:640-651. [PMID: 33131196 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The ecology and structure of many tropical coral reefs have been markedly altered over the past few decades. Although long-term recovery has been observed in terms of coral cover, it is not clear how novel species configurations shape reef functionality in impaired reefs. The identities and life-history strategies of the corals species that recover are essential for understanding reef functional dynamics. We used a species identity approach to quantify the physical functionality outcomes over a 13 year period across 56 sites in the Mexican Caribbean. This region was affected by multiple stressors that converged and drastically damaged reefs in the early 2000s. Since then, the reefs have shown evidence of a modest recovery of coral cover. We used Bayesian linear models and annual rates of change to estimate temporal changes in physical functionality and coral cover. Moreover, a functional diversity framework was used to explore changes in coral composition and the traits of those assemblages. Between 2005 and 2018, physical functionality increased at a markedly lower rate compared to that of coral cover. The disparity between recovery rates depended on the identity of the species that increased (mainly non-framework and foliose-digitate corals). No changes in species dominance or functional trait composition were observed, whereas non-framework building corals consistently dominated most reefs. Although the observed recovery of coral cover and functional potential may provide some ecological benefits, the long-term effects on reef frameworks remain unclear, as changes in the cover of key reef-building species were not observed. Our findings are likely to be representative of many reefs across the wider Caribbean basin, as declines in coral cover and rapid increases in the relative abundance of weedy corals have been reported regionally. A coral identity approach to assess species turnover is needed to understand and quantify changes in the functionality of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Javier González-Barrios
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, México
- Department of Marine Ecology, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, México
| | - Rafael A Cabral-Tena
- Department of Marine Ecology, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Ensenada, México
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, México
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18
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Molina-Hernández A, González-Barrios FJ, Perry CT, Álvarez-Filip L. Two decades of carbonate budget change on shifted coral reef assemblages: are these reefs being locked into low net budget states? Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202305. [PMID: 33290684 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The ecology of coral reefs is rapidly shifting from historical baselines. One key-question is whether under these new, less favourable ecological conditions, coral reefs will be able to sustain key geo-ecological processes such as the capacity to accumulate carbonate structure. Here, we use data from 34 Caribbean reef sites to examine how the carbonate production, net erosion and net carbonate budgets, as well as the organisms underlying these processes, have changed over the past 15 years in the absence of further severe acute disturbances. We find that despite fundamental benthic ecological changes, these ecologically shifted coral assemblages have exhibited a modest but significant increase in their net carbonate budgets over the past 15 years. However, contrary to expectations this trend was driven by a decrease in erosion pressure, largely resulting from changes in the abundance and size-frequency distribution of parrotfishes, and not by an increase in rates of coral carbonate production. Although in the short term, the carbonate budgets seem to have benefitted marginally from reduced parrotfish erosion, the absence of these key substrate grazers, particularly of larger individuals, is unlikely to be conducive to reef recovery and will thus probably lock these reefs into low budget states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Molina-Hernández
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Ciudad Universitaria 3000, C.P. 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México.,Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - F Javier González-Barrios
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Chris T Perry
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lorenzo Álvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
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19
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Medina-Valmaseda AE, Rodríguez-Martínez RE, Alvarez-Filip L, Jordan-Dahlgren E, Blanchon P. The role of geomorphic zonation in long-term changes in coral-community structure on a Caribbean fringing reef. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10103. [PMID: 33150066 PMCID: PMC7585725 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological processes on coral reefs commonly have limited spatial and temporal scales and may not be recorded in their long-term geological history. The widespread degradation of Caribbean coral reefs over the last 40 years therefore provides an opportunity to assess the impact of more significant ecological changes on the geological and geomorphic structure of reefs. Here, we document the changing ecology of communities in a coral reef seascape within the context of its geomorphic zonation. By comparing basic ecological indices between historical and modern data we show that in 35 years the reef-front zone was transformed from a complex coral assemblage with a three-dimensional structure, to a size-homogenized and flattened one that is quasi indistinguishable from the adjacent non-accretional coral-ground zone. Today coral assemblages at Punta Maroma are characterized by the dominance of opportunistic species which are either tolerant to adverse environmental conditions, including sedimentation, or are known to be the first scleractinian species to recruit on disturbed reefs, implying they reflect a post-hurricane stage of adjustment. Despite an increase in similarity in ecological indices, the reef-front and coral-ground geomorphic zones still retain significant differences in coral assemblages and benthic habitat and are not homogeneous. The partial convergence of coral assemblages certainly has important consequences for the ecology and geological viability of the reef and its role in coastal protection, but environmental physical drivers continue to exert a fundamental role in the character and zonation of benthic communities of this reef seascape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Enrique Medina-Valmaseda
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico.,Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Rosa E Rodríguez-Martínez
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Eric Jordan-Dahlgren
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Paul Blanchon
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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20
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Massive Influx of Pelagic Sargassum spp. on the Coasts of the Mexican Caribbean 2014–2020: Challenges and Opportunities. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12102908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Since late 2014, the Mexican Caribbean coast has periodically received massive, atypical influxes of pelagic Sargassum spp. (sargasso). Negative impacts associated with these influxes include mortality of nearshore benthic flora and fauna, beach erosion, pollution, decreasing tourism and high management costs. To understand the dynamics of the sargasso influx, we used Landsat 8 imagery (from 2016 to mid-2020) to record the coverage of sargasso in the sea off the Mexican Caribbean coastline, with a maximum reported in September 2018. Satellite image analysis also showed local differences in the quantity of beached sargasso along the coastline. Over the years, good practice for collection on the beach and for off-shore collection of sargasso have been established through trial and error, and the Mexican Government and hotel industry have spent millions of dollars on removal and off-shore detention of sargasso. Notwithstanding, sargasso also has various properties that could be harnessed in local industries. The stimulation of local industrial growth would offer alternatives to the dependence on tourism, as a circular economy, based on sargasso, is developed.
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21
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Cybulski JD, Husa SM, Duprey NN, Mamo BL, Tsang TPN, Yasuhara M, Xie JY, Qiu JW, Yokoyama Y, Baker DM. Coral reef diversity losses in China's Greater Bay Area were driven by regional stressors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eabb1046. [PMID: 33008908 PMCID: PMC7852383 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb1046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Observations of coral reef losses to climate change far exceed our understanding of historical degradation before anthropogenic warming. This is a critical gap to fill as conservation efforts simultaneously work to reverse climate change while restoring coral reef diversity and function. Here, we focused on southern China's Greater Bay Area, where coral communities persist despite centuries of coral mining, fishing, dredging, development, and pollution. We compared subfossil assemblages with modern-day communities and revealed a 40% decrease in generic diversity, concomitant to a shift from competitive to stress-tolerant species dominance since the mid-Holocene. Regions with characteristically poor water quality-high chl-a, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and turbidity-had lower contemporary diversity and the greatest community composition shift observed in the past, driven by the near extirpation of Acropora These observations highlight the urgent need to mitigate local stressors from development in concert with curbing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D Cybulski
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stefan M Husa
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Nicolas N Duprey
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Otto Hahn Institute) Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Briony L Mamo
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Toby P N Tsang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Moriaki Yasuhara
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - James Y Xie
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yusuke Yokoyama
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8564, Japan
- Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 113-0033, Japan
- Graduate Program on Environmental Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Meguro 153-0041, Japan
- Biogeochemistry Program, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
| | - David M Baker
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong, Cape D'Aguilar Road, Shek O, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
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22
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Coral Reef Recovery in the Mexican Caribbean after 2005 Mass Coral Mortality—Potential Drivers. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12090338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In 2005, an extreme heatwave hit the Wider Caribbean, followed by 13 hurricanes (including hurricanes Emily and Wilma) that caused significant loss in hard coral cover. However, the drivers of the potential recovery are yet to be fully understood. Based on recent findings in the literature of coral cover recovery in the Mexican Caribbean after the mass bleaching event and associated hurricanes in 2005, this study analyzed, through random-effects meta-analysis, the hard coral and macroalgae benthic development and potential drivers of change between 2005 and 2016 in the Mexican Caribbean. Therefore, we tested the relative effect of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a water concentration, coastal human population development, reef distance to shore, and geographical location on both hard coral and macroalgae cover over time. Findings revealed increases of both hard coral (by 6%) and algae cover (by ca. 14%, i.e., almost three times the increase of corals) over 12 years. Although our findings confirm the partial coral recovery after the 2005 Caribbean mass coral mortality event, they also indicate rapid colonization of algae across the region. Surprisingly, only SST correlated negatively with changes in coral cover. Contrary to expectations, there was a significantly greater algae cover increase in the Central section of the Mexican Caribbean, which is characterized by a low population density. However, a constant discharge of nutrient-rich freshwater may have facilitated algae growth there. This study reports partial regional reef recovery, but it also indicates that local factors, particularly eutrophication, facilitate algae growth at a speed that is much faster than coral recovery.
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Hernández-Landa RC, Barrera-Falcon E, Rioja-Nieto R. Size-frequency distribution of coral assemblages in insular shallow reefs of the Mexican Caribbean using underwater photogrammetry. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8957. [PMID: 32337105 PMCID: PMC7169971 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The characterisation of changes in coral communities depends heavily on systematic monitoring programs and the collection of necessary metrics to assess reef health. Coral cover is the most used metric to determine reef health. The current organizational shift in coral requires the evaluation of complementary metrics, such as colony size and frequency distributions, which help to infer the responses of the coral populations to local stress or larger scale environmental changes. In this study, underwater digital photogrammetry techniques were used to assess the live cover of all coral colonies ≥3 cm2 and determine the size-frequency distribution of the dominant species in the shallow reefs of the Cozumel Reefs National Park (CRNP). In addition, the minimum sampling area (m2) needed to obtain a representative sample of the local species pool was estimated. Areas between 550 and 825 m2 per reef were photographed to generate high-resolution digital ortho-mosaics. The live area of the colonies was digitised to generate community matrices of species and abundance. EstimateS software was used to generate accumulation curves and diversity (Shannon H′) at increasing area intervals. Chi-Square tests (χ2, p = 0.05) were used to compare the observed vs estimated species richness. Spearman’s coefficients (rs), were calculated to correlate the increase in sampling area (m2) vs H′, and the Clench’s function was used to validate the observed richness (R2 = 1 and R > 90%). SIMPER analysis was performed to identify dominant species. Comparisons in terms of abundance, coral cover and size-frequencies were performed with Kruskal-Wallis (H test, p = 0.05), and paired Mann-Whitney (U test, p = 0.05). In order to obtain 90% of the species richness, a minimum sampling area of 374 m2is needed. This sampling area could be used in shallow Caribbean reefs with similar characteristics. Twelve (mainly non-massive) species: Agaricia agaricites, A humilis, A. tenuifolia, Eusmilia fastigiata, Meandrina meandrites, Montastrea cavernosa, Orbicella annularis, Porites astreoides, P. porites, Pseudodiploria strigosa, Siderastrea radians andS. siderea, were dominant in terms of abundance and coral cover. A significant increase (p < 0.05) in the number of colonies and live coral (m2) was observed from north to south of the study area. Furthermore, a wide intraspecific variation of size-frequency, even between adjacent reefs, was also observed. The size-frequency distributions presented positive skewness and negative kurtosis, which are related to stable populations, with a greater number of young colonies and a constant input of recruits. Considering the increase in disturbances in the Caribbean and the appearance of a new coral disease, digital photogrammetry techniques allow coral community characteristics to be assessed at high spatial resolutions and over large scales, which would be complementary to conventional monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto C Hernández-Landa
- Laboratorio de Análisis Espacial de Zonas Costeras (COSTALAB), Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación-Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sierra Papacal, Yucatán, México
| | - Erick Barrera-Falcon
- Laboratorio de Análisis Espacial de Zonas Costeras (COSTALAB), Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación-Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sierra Papacal, Yucatán, México.,Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Rodolfo Rioja-Nieto
- Laboratorio de Análisis Espacial de Zonas Costeras (COSTALAB), Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación-Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sierra Papacal, Yucatán, México.,Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
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