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Strudwick P, Camp EF, Seymour J, Roper C, Edmondson J, Howlett L, Suggett DJ. Impacts of plastic-free materials on coral-associated bacterial communities during reef restoration. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2024; 16:e13229. [PMID: 38192237 PMCID: PMC10866064 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Coral propagation and out-planting based restoration approaches are increasingly being applied to assist natural recovery of coral reefs. However, many restoration methods rely on plastic zip-ties to secure coral material which is potentially problematic for the marine environment. Plastic-free biodegradable alternatives may however pose unique risks to coral-associated bacterial communities integral to coral health. Therefore, to identify whether biodegradable materials differentially impact coral-associated bacterial communities we examined Acropora millepora coral-associated bacterial communities during propagation in two experiments on the Great Barrier Reef. Coral fragments were secured to coral nurseries with conventional plastic, metal, or biodegradable (polyester and polycaprolactone) ties. Tie failure and coral-associated bacterial communities were then characterized over six months. Minimal coral mortality was observed (3.6%-8%) and all ties had low failure rates (0%-4.2%) except for biodegradable polyester ties (29.2% failure). No differences were observed between coral-associated bacterial communities of fragments secured with different ties, and no proliferation of putatively pathogenic bacteria was recorded. Overall, our findings suggest that reducing reliance on conventional plastic is feasible through transitions to biodegradable materials, without any notable impacts on coral-associated bacterial communities. However, we caution the need to examine more coral taxa of different morphologies and new plastic-free materials prior to application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige Strudwick
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Justin Seymour
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Christine Roper
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | | | - Lorna Howlett
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - David J. Suggett
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)ThuwalKingdom of Saudi Arabia
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2
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McLeod IM, Hein MY, Babcock R, Bay L, Bourne DG, Cook N, Doropoulos C, Gibbs M, Harrison P, Lockie S, van Oppen MJH, Mattocks N, Page CA, Randall CJ, Smith A, Smith HA, Suggett DJ, Taylor B, Vella KJ, Wachenfeld D, Boström-Einarsson L. Coral restoration and adaptation in Australia: The first five years. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273325. [PMID: 36449458 PMCID: PMC9710771 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
While coral reefs in Australia have historically been a showcase of conventional management informed by research, recent declines in coral cover have triggered efforts to innovate and integrate intervention and restoration actions into management frameworks. Here we outline the multi-faceted intervention approaches that have developed in Australia since 2017, from newly implemented in-water programs, research to enhance coral resilience and investigations into socio-economic perspectives on restoration goals. We describe in-water projects using coral gardening, substrate stabilisation, coral repositioning, macro-algae removal, and larval-based restoration techniques. Three areas of research focus are also presented to illustrate the breadth of Australian research on coral restoration, (1) the transdisciplinary Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP), one of the world's largest research and development programs focused on coral reefs, (2) interventions to enhance coral performance under climate change, and (3) research into socio-cultural perspectives. Together, these projects and the recent research focus reflect an increasing urgency for action to confront the coral reef crisis, develop new and additional tools to manage coral reefs, and the consequent increase in funding opportunities and management appetite for implementation. The rapid progress in trialling and deploying coral restoration in Australia builds on decades of overseas experience, and advances in research and development are showing positive signs that coral restoration can be a valuable tool to improve resilience at local scales (i.e., high early survival rates across a variety of methods and coral species, strong community engagement with local stakeholders). RRAP is focused on creating interventions to help coral reefs at multiple scales, from micro scales (i.e., interventions targeting small areas within a specific reef site) to large scales (i.e., interventions targeting core ecosystem function and social-economic values at multiple select sites across the Great Barrier Reef) to resist, adapt to and recover from the impacts of climate change. None of these interventions aim to single-handedly restore the entirety of the Great Barrier Reef, nor do they negate the importance of urgent climate change mitigation action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian M. McLeod
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Margaux Y. Hein
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- MER Research and Consulting, The Office, Monaco, Monaco
- * E-mail:
| | - Russ Babcock
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Line Bay
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - David G. Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Nathan Cook
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Reef Ecologic, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Mark Gibbs
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter Harrison
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stewart Lockie
- The Cairns Institute, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Neil Mattocks
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Cathie A. Page
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Carly J. Randall
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adam Smith
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Reef Ecologic, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hillary A. Smith
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David J. Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bruce Taylor
- Land & Water, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Dutton Park, Queensland, Australia
| | - Karen J. Vella
- School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - David Wachenfeld
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Lisa Boström-Einarsson
- TropWATER (Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research), James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom
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3
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Lewis BM, Suggett DS, Prentis PJ, Nothdurft LD. Cellular adaptations leading to coral fragment attachment on artificial substrates in Acropora millepora (Am-CAM). Sci Rep 2022; 12:18431. [PMID: 36319668 PMCID: PMC9626494 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23134-8] [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: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive propagation by asexual fragmentation in the reef-building coral Acropora millepora depends on (1) successful attachment to the reef substrate through modification of soft tissues and (2) a permanent bond with skeletal encrustation. Despite decades of research examining asexual propagation in corals, the initial response, cellular reorganisation, and development leading to fragment substrate attachment via a newly formed skeleton has not been documented in its entirety. Here, we establish the first "coral attachment model" for this species ("Am-CAM") by developing novel methods that allow correlation of fluorescence and electron microscopy image data with in vivo microscopic time-lapse imagery. This multi-scale imaging approach identified three distinct phases involved in asexual propagation: (1) the contact response of the coral fragment when contact with the substrate, followed by (2) fragment stabilisation through anchoring by the soft tissue, and (3) formation of a "lappet-like appendage" structure leading to substrate bonding of the tissue for encrustation through the onset of skeletal calcification. In developing Am-CAM, we provide new biological insights that can enable reef researchers, managers and coral restoration practitioners to begin evaluating attachment effectiveness, which is needed to optimise species-substrate compatibility and achieve effective outplanting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M. Lewis
- grid.1024.70000000089150953School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - David S. Suggett
- grid.117476.20000 0004 1936 7611Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Peter J. Prentis
- grid.1024.70000000089150953Centre for Agriculture and Bioeconomy and School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Luke D. Nothdurft
- grid.1024.70000000089150953School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD Australia
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Quigley KM, Hein M, Suggett DJ. Translating the 10 golden rules of reforestation for coral reef restoration. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13890. [PMID: 35075743 PMCID: PMC9543798 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Efforts are accelerating to protect and restore ecosystems globally. With trillions of dollars in ecosystem services at stake, no clear framework exists for developing or prioritizing approaches to restore coral reefs even as efforts and investment opportunities to do so grow worldwide. Restoration may buy time for climate change mitigation, but it lacks rigorous guidance to meet objectives of scalability and effectiveness. Lessons from restoration of terrestrial ecosystems can and should be rapidly adopted for coral reef restoration. We propose how the 10 golden rules of effective forest restoration can be translated to accelerate efforts to restore coral reefs based on established principles of resilience, management, and local stewardship. We summarize steps to undertake reef restoration as a management strategy in the context of the diverse ecosystem service values that coral reefs provide. Outlining a clear blueprint is timely as more stakeholders seek to undertake restoration as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration begins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M. Quigley
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Division of Research & InnovationJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Margaux Hein
- Division of Research & InnovationJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- MER Research and ConsultingMonaco
| | - David J. Suggett
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change ClusterUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
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5
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Henry JA, Szereday S, Lynn CK, Suggett DJ, Camp EF, Patterson JT. Using relative return‐on‐effort (
RRE
) scoring to evaluate a novel coral nursery in Malaysia. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A. Henry
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences University of Florida/IFAS 7922 NW 71st Street Gainesville FL 32653 USA
| | | | - Chew Kok Lynn
- Coralku Solutions, Kuala Lumpur, 60000, Wilayah Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
- Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences C308, Institute for Advanced Studies Building, Universiti Malaya 50603 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
| | - David J. Suggett
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Emma F. Camp
- University of Technology Sydney, Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Joshua T. Patterson
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences University of Florida/IFAS 7922 NW 71st Street Gainesville FL 32653 USA
- The Florida Aquarium, Center for Conservation, 529 Estuary Shore Ln. Apollo Beach FL 33572‐2205 USA
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6
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Horizon scan of rapidly advancing coral restoration approaches for 21st century reef management. Emerg Top Life Sci 2022; 6:125-136. [PMID: 35119476 PMCID: PMC9023016 DOI: 10.1042/etls20210240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef restoration activity is accelerating worldwide in efforts to offset the rate of reef health declines. Many advances have already been made in restoration practices centred on coral biology (coral restoration), and particularly those that look to employ the high adaptive state and capacity of corals in order to ensure that efforts rebuilding coral biomass also equip reefs with enhanced resilience to future stress. We horizon scan the state-of-play for the many coral restoration innovations already underway across the complex life cycle for corals that spans both asexual and sexual reproduction — assisted evolution (manipulations targeted to the coral host and host-associated microbes), biobanking, as well as scalable coral propagation and planting — and how these innovations are in different stages of maturity to support new 21st century reef management frameworks. Realising the potential for coral restoration tools as management aids undoubtedly rests on validating different approaches as their application continues to scale. Whilst the ecosystem service responses to increased scaling still largely remain to be seen, coral restoration has already delivered immense new understanding of coral and coral-associated microbial biology that has long lagged behind advances in other reef sciences.
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7
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Page CE, Leggat W, Heron SF, Fordyce AJ, Ainsworth TD. High flow conditions mediate damaging impacts of sub-lethal thermal stress on corals' endosymbiotic algae. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab046. [PMID: 34188937 PMCID: PMC8226191 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The effects of thermal anomalies on tropical coral endosymbiosis can be mediated by a range of environmental factors, which in turn ultimately influence coral health and survival. One such factor is the water flow conditions over coral reefs and corals. Although the physiological benefits of living under high water flow are well known, there remains a lack of conclusive experimental evidence characterizing how flow mitigates thermal stress responses in corals. Here we use in situ measurements of flow in a variety of reef habitats to constrain the importance of flow speeds on the endosymbiosis of an important reef building species under different thermal regimes. Under high flow speeds (0.15 m s-1) and thermal stress, coral endosymbionts retained photosynthetic function and recovery capacity for longer compared to low flow conditions (0.03 m s-1). We hypothesize that this may be due to increased rates of mass transfer of key metabolites under higher flow, putatively allowing corals to maintain photosynthetic efficiency for longer. We also identified a positive interactive effect between high flow and a pre-stress, sub-lethal pulse in temperature. While higher flow may delay the onset of photosynthetic stress, it does not appear to confer long-term protection; sustained exposure to thermal stress (eDHW accumulation equivalent to 4.9°C weeks) eventually overwhelmed the coral meta-organism as evidenced by eventual declines in photo-physiological function and endosymbiont densities. Investigating flow patterns at the scale of metres within the context of these physiological impacts can reveal interesting avenues for coral reef management. This study increases our understanding of the effects of water flow on coral reef health in an era of climate change and highlights the potential to learn from existing beneficial bio-physical interactions for the effective preservation of coral reefs into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- C E Page
- Life Sciences, Imperial College, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Kensington, High St, New South Wales 2033, Australia
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - W Leggat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - S F Heron
- Physics and Marine Geophysical Laboratory, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, James Cook Dr, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch, College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - A J Fordyce
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
| | - T D Ainsworth
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Kensington, High St, New South Wales 2033, Australia
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8
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Henry JA, Khattri RB, Guingab-Cagmat J, Merritt ME, Garrett TJ, Patterson JT, Lohr KE. Intraspecific variation in polar and nonpolar metabolite profiles of a threatened Caribbean coral. Metabolomics 2021; 17:60. [PMID: 34143280 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-021-01808-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Research aimed at understanding intraspecific variation among corals could substantially increase understanding of coral biology and improve outcomes of active restoration efforts. Metabolomics is useful for identifying physiological drivers leading to variation among genotypes and has the capacity to improve our selection of candidate corals that express phenotypes beneficial to restoration. OBJECTIVES Our study aims to compare metabolomic profiles among known, unique genotypes of the threatened coral Acropora cervicornis. In doing so, we seek information related to the physiological characteristics driving variation among genotypes, which could aid in identifying genets with desirable traits for restoration. METHODS We applied proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to identify and compare metabolomic profiles for seven unique genotypes of A. cervicornis that previously exhibited phenotypic variation in a common garden coral nursery. RESULTS Significant variation in polar and nonpolar metabolite profiles was found among A. cervicornis genotypes. Despite difficulties identifying all significant metabolites driving separation among genotypes, our data support previous findings and further suggest metabolomic profiles differ among various genotypes of the threatened species A. cervicornis. CONCLUSION The implementation of metabolomic analyses allowed identification of several key metabolites driving separation among genotypes and expanded our understanding of the A. cervicornis metabolome. Although our research is specific to A. cervicornis, these findings have broad relevance for coral biology and active restoration. Furthermore, this study provides specific information on the understudied A. cervicornis metabolome and further confirmation that differences in metabolome structure could drive phenotypic variation among genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Henry
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida/IFAS, 7922 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA.
| | - Ram B Khattri
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Joy Guingab-Cagmat
- Southeast Center for Integrated Metabolomics, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Matthew E Merritt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Timothy J Garrett
- Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Joshua T Patterson
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida/IFAS, 7922 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL, 32653, USA
- The Florida Aquarium, Center for Conservation, 529 Estuary Shore Ln, Apollo Beach, FL, 33572-2205, USA
| | - Kathryn E Lohr
- Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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Coral bleaching response is unaltered following acclimatization to reefs with distinct environmental conditions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2025435118. [PMID: 34050025 PMCID: PMC8179235 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025435118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocean warming has caused catastrophic losses of corals on reefs worldwide and is intensifying faster than the adaptive rate of most coral populations that remain. Human interventions, such as propagation of heat-resistant corals, may help maintain reef function and delay further devastation of these valuable ecosystems as society confronts the climate crisis. However, exposing adult corals to a complex suite of new environmental conditions could lead to tradeoffs that alter their heat stress responses, and empirical data are needed to test the utility of this approach. Here, we show that corals transplanted to novel reef conditions did not exhibit changes in their heat stress response or negative fitness tradeoffs, supporting the inclusion of this approach in our management arsenal. Urgent action is needed to prevent the demise of coral reefs as the climate crisis leads to an increasingly warmer and more acidic ocean. Propagating climate change–resistant corals to restore degraded reefs is one promising strategy; however, empirical evidence is needed to determine whether stress resistance is affected by transplantation beyond a coral’s native reef. Here, we assessed the performance of bleaching-resistant individuals of two coral species following reciprocal transplantation between reefs with distinct pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, sedimentation, and flow dynamics to determine whether heat stress response is altered following coral exposure to novel physicochemical conditions in situ. Critically, transplantation had no influence on coral heat stress responses, indicating that this trait was relatively fixed. In contrast, growth was highly plastic, and native performance was not predictive of performance in the novel environment. Coral metabolic rates and overall fitness were higher at the reef with higher flow, salinity, sedimentation, and diel fluctuations of pH and dissolved oxygen, and did not differ between native and cross-transplanted corals, indicating acclimatization via plasticity within just 3 mo. Conversely, cross-transplants at the second reef had higher fitness than native corals, thus increasing the fitness potential of the recipient population. This experiment was conducted during a nonbleaching year, so the potential benefits to recipient population fitness are likely enhanced during bleaching years. In summary, this study demonstrates that outplanting bleaching-resistant corals is a promising tool for elevating the resistance of coral populations to ocean warming.
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Howlett L, Camp EF, Edmondson J, Henderson N, Suggett DJ. Coral growth, survivorship and return-on-effort within nurseries at high-value sites on the Great Barrier Reef. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244961. [PMID: 33428639 PMCID: PMC7799815 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are deteriorating worldwide prompting reef managers and stakeholders to increasingly explore new management tools. Following back-to-back bleaching in 2016/2017, multi-taxa coral nurseries were established in 2018 for the first time on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) to aid reef maintenance and restoration at a “high-value” location–Opal Reef–frequented by the tourism industry. Various coral species (n = 11) were propagated within shallow water (ca. 4-7m) platforms installed across two sites characterised by differing environmental exposure–one adjacent to a deep-water channel (Blue Lagoon) and one that was relatively sheltered (RayBan). Growth rates of coral fragments placed onto nurseries were highly variable across taxa but generally higher at Blue Lagoon (2.1–10.8 cm2 month-1 over 12 months) compared to RayBan (0.6–6.6 cm2 month-1 over 9 months). Growth at Blue Lagoon was largely independent of season, except for Acropora tenuis and Acropora hyacinthus, where growth rates were 15–20% higher for December 2018-July 2019 (“warm season”) compared to August-December 2018 (“cool season”). Survivorship across all 2,536 nursery fragments was ca. 80–100%, with some species exhibiting higher survivorship at Blue Lagoon (Acropora loripes, Porites cylindrica) and others at RayBan (A. hyacinthus, Montipora hispida). Parallel measurements of growth and survivorship were used to determine relative return-on-effort (RRE) scores as an integrated metric of “success” accounting for life history trade-offs, complementing the mutually exclusive assessment of growth or survivorship. RRE scores within sites (across species) were largely driven by growth, whereas RRE scores between sites were largely driven by survivorship. The initial nursery phase of coral propagation therefore appears useful to supplement coral material naturally available for stewardship of frequently visited Great Barrier Reef tourism (high-value) sites, but further assessment is needed to evaluate how well the growth rates and survival for nursery grown corals translate once material is outplanted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna Howlett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Wavelength Reef Cruises, Port Douglas, QLD, Australia
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Nicola Henderson
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - David J. Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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11
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Coral Disease Causes, Consequences, and Risk within Coral Restoration. Trends Microbiol 2020; 28:793-807. [PMID: 32739101 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
As a result of increased reef degradation, restoration efforts are now being widely applied on coral reefs. However, outplanted coral survival in restoration zones varies substantially, and coral mortality can be a significant limitation to the success of restoration efforts. With reef restoration now occurring within, and adjacent to, nationally preserved and managed marine parks, the potential risks of mortality events and disease spread to adjacent marine populations need to be considered, particularly as these ecosystems continue to decline. We review the causes and consequences of coral mortality and disease outbreaks within the context of coral restoration, highlighting knowledge gaps in our understanding of the restored coral microbiome and discussing management practices for assessing coral disease. We identify the need for research efforts into monitoring and diagnostics of disease within coral restoration, as well as practices to mitigate and manage coral disease risks in restoration.
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12
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Duarte CM, Agusti S, Barbier E, Britten GL, Castilla JC, Gattuso JP, Fulweiler RW, Hughes TP, Knowlton N, Lovelock CE, Lotze HK, Predragovic M, Poloczanska E, Roberts C, Worm B. Rebuilding marine life. Nature 2020; 580:39-51. [DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2146-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 332] [Impact Index Per Article: 83.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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13
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Suggett DJ, Edmondson J, Howlett L, Camp EF. Coralclip®: a low‐cost solution for rapid and targeted out‐planting of coral at scale. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David J. Suggett
- Climate Change Cluster (C3)University of Technology Sydney Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
| | - John Edmondson
- Wavelength Reef Cruises, 6/43 Macrossan Street Port Douglas QLD 4877 Australia
| | - Lorna Howlett
- Climate Change Cluster (C3)University of Technology Sydney Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
- Wavelength Reef Cruises, 6/43 Macrossan Street Port Douglas QLD 4877 Australia
| | - Emma F. Camp
- Climate Change Cluster (C3)University of Technology Sydney Ultimo NSW 2007 Australia
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Boström-Einarsson L, Babcock RC, Bayraktarov E, Ceccarelli D, Cook N, Ferse SCA, Hancock B, Harrison P, Hein M, Shaver E, Smith A, Suggett D, Stewart-Sinclair PJ, Vardi T, McLeod IM. Coral restoration - A systematic review of current methods, successes, failures and future directions. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226631. [PMID: 31999709 PMCID: PMC6992220 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems have suffered an unprecedented loss of habitat-forming hard corals in recent decades. While marine conservation has historically focused on passive habitat protection, demand for and interest in active restoration has been growing in recent decades. However, a disconnect between coral restoration practitioners, coral reef managers and scientists has resulted in a disjointed field where it is difficult to gain an overview of existing knowledge. To address this, we aimed to synthesise the available knowledge in a comprehensive global review of coral restoration methods, incorporating data from the peer-reviewed scientific literature, complemented with grey literature and through a survey of coral restoration practitioners. We found that coral restoration case studies are dominated by short-term projects, with 60% of all projects reporting less than 18 months of monitoring of the restored sites. Similarly, most projects are relatively small in spatial scale, with a median size of restored area of 100 m2. A diverse range of species are represented in the dataset, with 229 different species from 72 coral genera. Overall, coral restoration projects focused primarily on fast-growing branching corals (59% of studies), and report survival between 60 and 70%. To date, the relatively young field of coral restoration has been plagued by similar 'growing pains' as ecological restoration in other ecosystems. These include 1) a lack of clear and achievable objectives, 2) a lack of appropriate and standardised monitoring and reporting and, 3) poorly designed projects in relation to stated objectives. Mitigating these will be crucial to successfully scale up projects, and to retain public trust in restoration as a tool for resilience based management. Finally, while it is clear that practitioners have developed effective methods to successfully grow corals at small scales, it is critical not to view restoration as a replacement for meaningful action on climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Russell C. Babcock
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Sebastian C. A. Ferse
- Future Earth Coasts, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB2), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Boze Hancock
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | | | - Margaux Hein
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Shaver
- The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Adam Smith
- Reef Ecologic, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - David Suggett
- University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Tali Vardi
- ECS for NOAA Fisheries, Office of Science & Technology, Silver Spring, MD, United States of America
| | - Ian M. McLeod
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
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Nay TJ, Johansen JL, Rummer JL, Steffensen JF, Pratchett MS, Hoey AS. Habitat complexity influences selection of thermal environment in a common coral reef fish. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa070. [PMID: 32864133 PMCID: PMC7448933 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef species, like most tropical species, are sensitive to increasing environmental temperatures, with many species already living close to their thermal maxima. Ocean warming and the increasing frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves are challenging the persistence of reef-associated species through both direct physiological effects of elevated water temperatures and the degradation and loss of habitat structure following disturbance. Understanding the relative importance of habitat degradation and ocean warming in shaping species distributions is critical in predicting the likely biological effects of global warming. Using an automated shuttle box system, we investigated how habitat complexity influences the selection of thermal environments for a common coral reef damselfish, Chromis atripectoralis. In the absence of any habitat (i.e. control), C. atripectoralis avoided temperatures below 22.9 ± 0.8°C and above 31.9 ± 0.6°C, with a preferred temperature (T pref) of 28.1 ± 0.9°C. When complex habitat was available, individual C. atripectoralis occupied temperatures down to 4.3°C lower (mean ± SE; threshold: 18.6 ± 0.7°C; T pref: 18.9 ± 1.0°C) than control fish. Conversely, C. atripectoralis in complex habitats occupied similar upper temperatures as control fish (threshold: 31.7 ± 0.4°C; preference: 28.3 ± 0.7°C). Our results show that the availability of complex habitat can influence the selection of thermal environment by a coral reef fish, but only at temperatures below their thermal preference. The limited scope of C. atripectoralis to occupy warmer environments, even when associated with complex habitat, suggests that habitat restoration efforts in areas that continue to warm may not be effective in retaining populations of C. atripectoralis and similar species. This species may have to move to cooler (e.g. deeper or higher latitude) habitats under predicted future warming. The integration of habitat quality and thermal environment into conservation efforts will be essential to conserve of coral reef fish populations under future ocean warming scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany J Nay
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, James Cook Dr., Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
- Corresponding author: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Dr., Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
| | - Jacob L Johansen
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, 46-007 Lilipuna Rd, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, James Cook Dr., Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - John F Steffensen
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Strandpromenaden 5, Helsingør, 3000, Denmark
| | - Morgan S Pratchett
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, James Cook Dr., Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Andrew S Hoey
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, James Cook Dr., Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua T. Patterson
- Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and ConservationUniversity of Florida/IFAS 7922 NW 71st Street, Gainesville FL 32653 U.S.A
- Center for ConservationThe Florida Aquarium 529 Estuary Shore Lane, Apollo Beach FL 33572 U.S.A
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