1
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Montaño-Salazar S, Quintanilla E, Sánchez JA. Microbial shifts associated to ENSO-derived thermal anomalies reveal coral acclimation at holobiont level. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22049. [PMID: 38087002 PMCID: PMC10716379 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49049-6] [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: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The coral microbiome conforms a proxy to study effects of changing environmental conditions. However, scarce information exists regarding microbiome dynamics and host acclimation in response to environmental changes associated to global-scale disturbances. We assessed El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-derived thermal anomalies shifts in the bacterial microbiome of Pacifigorgia cairnsi (Gorgoniidae: Octocorallia) from the remote island of Malpelo in the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Malpelo is a hot spot of biodiversity and lacks direct coastal anthropogenic impacts. We evaluated the community composition and predicted functional profiles of the microbiome during 2015, 2017 and 2018, including different phases of ENSO cycle. The bacterial community diversity and composition between the warming and cooling phase were similar, but differed from the neutral phase. Relative abundances of different microbiome core members such as Endozoicomonas and Mycoplasma mainly drove these differences. An acclimated coral holobiont is suggested not just to warm but also to cold stress by embracing similar microbiome shifts and functional redundancy that allow maintaining coral's viability under thermal stress. Responses of the microbiome of unperturbed sea fans such as P. cairnsi in Malpelo could be acting as an extended phenotype facilitating the acclimation at the holobiont level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Montaño-Salazar
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Department for Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elena Quintanilla
- Department of Soil and Water Sciences, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Rd, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
| | - Juan A Sánchez
- Laboratory of Marine Molecular Biology (BIOMMAR), Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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2
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Spring DL, Williams GJ. Influence of upwelling on coral reef benthic communities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230023. [PMID: 36946114 PMCID: PMC10031406 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly competitive coral reef benthic communities are acutely sensitive to changes in environmental parameters such as temperature and nutrient concentrations. Physical oceanographic processes that induce upwelling therefore act as drivers of community structure on tropical reefs. How upwelling impacts coral communities, however, is not fully understood; upwelling may provide a natural buffer against climate impacts and could potentially enhance the efficacy of spatial management and reef conservation efforts. This study employed a systematic review to assess existing literature linking upwelling with reef community structure, and a meta-analysis to quantify upwelling impact on the percentage cover of coral reef benthic groups. We show that upwelling has context-dependant effects on the cover of hard coral and fleshy macroalgae, with effect size and direction varying with depth, region and remoteness. Fleshy macroalgae were found to increase by 110% on inhabited reefs yet decrease by 56% around one well-studied remote island in response to upwelling. Hard coral cover was not significantly impacted by upwelling on inhabited reefs but increased by 150% when direct local human pressures were absent. By synthesizing existing evidence, this review facilitates adaptive and nuanced reef management which considers the influence of upwelling on reef assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L. Spring
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Gareth J. Williams
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5AB, UK
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3
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Mar-Silva AF, Diaz-Jaimes P, Domínguez-Mendoza C, Domínguez-Domínguez O, Valdiviezo-Rivera J, Espinoza-Herrera E. Genomic assessment reveals signal of adaptive selection in populations of the Spotted rose snapper Lutjanus guttatus from the Tropical Eastern Pacific. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15029. [PMID: 37009151 PMCID: PMC10062342 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background
The lack of barriers in the marine environment has promoted the idea of panmixia in marine organisms. However, oceanographic conditions and habitat characteristics have recently been linked to genetic structure in marine species. The Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) is characterized by dynamic current systems and heterogeneous oceanographic conditions. The Gulf of Panama (part of the equatorial segment for the TEP) is influenced by a complex current system and heterogeneous environment, which has been shown to limit the gene flow for shoreline species. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has contributed to detect genetic differences in previously reported panmictic species by the assessment of loci associated with selection and to understand how selection acts affects marine populations. Lutjanus guttatus is a species distributed in the TEP for which previous studies using mitochondrial data recovered a panmictic pattern along its distributional range. In this study, we used SNP data of L. guttatus individuals sampled along its range to evaluate population genetic structure and investigate whether oceanographic factors influence the species’ genetic architecture. Finally, we assessed the role of adaptive selection by evaluating the contribution of outlier and neutral loci to genetic divergence.
Methods
The RADcap method was used to obtain 24 million paired reads for 123 individuals of L. guttatus covering nearly all its distributional area. Genetic variation was assessed using both spatial and non-spatial methods by comparing three different data sets: (i) a Combined Loci (CL dataset = 2003 SNPs); a search for putative loci under selection allowed the evaluation of (ii) Neutral Loci (NL dataset = 1858 SNPs) and (iii) Outlier Loci (OL dataset = 145 SNPs). We used the estimating effective migration surface (EEMS) approach to detect possible barriers to gene flow.
Results
Genetic differences were found in the OL dataset, showing two clusters (Northern and Southern), whereas NL showed no differences. This result may be related to the Selection-Migration balance model. The limit between the Northern and Southern groups was in the Gulf of Panama, which has been previously identified as a barrier to gene flow for other species, mainly due to its heterogeneous oceanographic conditions. The results suggest that selection plays an important role in generating genetic differences in Lutjanus guttatus. A migration corridor was detected that coincides with the Costa Rica Coastal Current that flows from Central America to the Gulf of California, allowing the homogenization of the northern population. In the Southern cluster, a migration corridor was observed with the OL from Panama to Colombia, which could be associated with the currents found in the Gulf of Panama. Genetic variation found in the OL of Lutjanus guttatus highlights the usefulness of NGS data in evaluating the role of selection in population differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adán F. Mar-Silva
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Pindaro Diaz-Jaimes
- Unidad de Ecología y Biodiversidad Acuática, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Cristina Domínguez-Mendoza
- Unidad de Ecología y Biodiversidad Acuática, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Omar Domínguez-Domínguez
- Laboratorio de Biología Acuática, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Quito, Ecuador
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4
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Rodriguez-Ruano V, Toth LT, Enochs IC, Randall CJ, Aronson RB. Upwelling, climate change, and the shifting geography of coral reef development. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1770. [PMID: 36750639 PMCID: PMC9905564 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28489-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The eastern tropical Pacific is oceanographically unfavorable for coral-reef development. Nevertheless, reefs have persisted there for the last 7000 years. Rates of vertical accretion during the Holocene have been similar in the strong-upwelling Gulf of Panamá (GoP) and the adjacent, weak-upwelling Gulf of Chiriquí (GoC); however, seasonal upwelling in the GoP exacerbated a climate-driven hiatus in reef development in the late Holocene. The situation is now reversed and seasonal upwelling in the GoP currently buffers thermal stress, creating a refuge for coral growth. We developed carbonate budget models to project the capacity of reefs in both gulfs to keep up with future sea-level rise. On average, the GoP had significantly higher net carbonate production rates than the GoC. With an estimated contemporary reef-accretion potential (RAP) of 5.5 mm year-1, reefs in the GoP are projected to be able to keep up with sea-level rise if CO2 emissions are reduced, but not under current emissions trajectories. With an estimated RAP of just 0.3 mm year-1, reefs in the GoC are likely already unable to keep up with contemporary sea-level rise in Panamá (1.4 mm year-1). Whereas the GoP has the potential to support functional reefs in the near-term, our study indicates that their long-term persistence will depend on reduction of greenhouse gases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Rodriguez-Ruano
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA.
| | - Lauren T Toth
- U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, 600 4th St. South, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Ian C Enochs
- 3NOAA, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, 4301 Rickenbacker Cswy., Miami, FL, 33149, USA
| | - Carly J Randall
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Richard B Aronson
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
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5
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Rühmkorff S, Wolf F, Vajedsamiei J, Barboza FR, Hiebenthal C, Pansch C. Marine heatwaves and upwelling shape stress responses in a keystone predator. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222262. [PMID: 36651053 PMCID: PMC9845977 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change increases the frequency and intensifies the magnitude and duration of extreme events in the sea, particularly so in coastal habitats. However, the interplay of multiple extremes and the consequences for species and ecosystems remain unknown. We experimentally tested the impacts of summer heatwaves of differing intensities and durations, and a subsequent upwelling event on a temperate keystone predator, the starfish Asterias rubens. We recorded mussel consumption throughout the experiment and assessed activity and growth at strategically chosen time points. The upwelling event overall impaired starfish feeding and activity, likely driven by the acidification and low oxygen concentrations in the upwelled seawater. Prior exposure to a present-day heatwave (+5°C above climatology) alleviated upwelling-induced stress, indicating cross-stress tolerance. Heatwaves of present-day intensity decreased starfish feeding and growth. While the imposed heatwaves of limited duration (9 days) caused slight impacts but allowed for recovery, the prolonged (13 days) heatwave impaired overall growth. Projected future heatwaves (+8°C above climatology) caused 100% mortality of starfish. Our findings indicate a positive ecological memory imposed by successive stress events. Yet, starfish populations may still suffer extensive mortality during intensified end-of-century heatwave conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Rühmkorff
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences-Section Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Fabian Wolf
- Department of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jahangir Vajedsamiei
- Department of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Claas Hiebenthal
- Department of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Christian Pansch
- Department of Marine Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, 24105 Kiel, Germany,Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku/Åbo, Finland
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6
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Hidden heatwaves and severe coral bleaching linked to mesoscale eddies and thermocline dynamics. Nat Commun 2023; 14:25. [PMID: 36609386 PMCID: PMC9822911 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35550-5] [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: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The severity of marine heatwaves (MHWs) that are increasingly impacting ocean ecosystems, including vulnerable coral reefs, has primarily been assessed using remotely sensed sea-surface temperatures (SSTs), without information relevant to heating across ecosystem depths. Here, using a rare combination of SST, high-resolution in-situ temperatures, and sea level anomalies observed over 15 years near Moorea, French Polynesia, we document subsurface MHWs that have been paradoxical in comparison to SST metrics and associated with unexpected coral bleaching across depths. Variations in the depth range and severity of MHWs was driven by mesoscale (10s to 100s of km) eddies that altered sea levels and thermocline depths and decreased (2007, 2017 and 2019) or increased (2012, 2015, 2016) internal-wave cooling. Pronounced eddy-induced reductions in internal waves during early 2019 contributed to a prolonged subsurface MHW and unexpectedly severe coral bleaching, with subsequent mortality offsetting almost a decade of coral recovery. Variability in mesoscale eddy fields, and thus thermocline depths, is expected to increase with climate change, which, along with strengthening and deepening stratification, could increase the occurrence of subsurface MHWs over ecosystems historically insulated from surface ocean heating by the cooling effects of internal waves.
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7
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Pulgar J, Moya A, Fernández M, Varas O, Guzmán-Rivas F, Urzúa Á, Quijón PA, García-Huidobro MR, Aldana M, Duarte C. Upwelling enhances seaweed nutrient quality, altering feeding behavior and growth rates in an intertidal sea urchin, Loxechinus albus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158307. [PMID: 36055497 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Upwelling systems deliver nutrient-rich water into coastal ecosystems, influencing primary productivity and potentially altering seaweed-herbivore interactions. Upwelling bottom-up effects on distinct trophic levels are well-known. However, their influence on seaweed biomolecules and on algae-herbivore interactions and growth are less known. The aim of this study was threefold: i) to compare physical-chemical characteristics and nutrient levels in the water of upwelling (U) and downwelling (DU) zones, ii) to quantify their influence on the content of protein and carbohydrates in seaweed tissues of representative U and DU locations, and iii) to experimentally assess their effect on the feeding behavior and growth of a prominent intertidal herbivore, the sea urchin Loxechinus albus. Waters from U zones showed lower temperatures and pH, and higher phosphate concentrations than those from downwelling zones. Similarly, the tissue of seaweeds from a U location had significantly more proteins and carbohydrates than those from a DU location. The origin location of the sea urchins had a significant influence on consumption and growth rates: in general, those coming from a site with U conditions consumed and grew more than those coming from DU conditions. The quality of the algae was a significant factor on consumption rates, although in the case of preference trials, this factor interacted with sea urchin origin location. Our results show that the availability and quality of the food in upwelling zones has an influence on herbivore-seaweed direct interactions. However, these interactions and the growth of the sea urchins were also related to the coastal site and conditions from which the sea urchins came from. These results are relevant considering the expected impact of climate change on the world's oceans, and the importance of U zones as thermal (cold water) refuges for marine ectotherms.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Pulgar
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones Marinas de Quintay, CIMARQ, Chile.
| | - Antonia Moya
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones Marinas de Quintay, CIMARQ, Chile
| | - Melissa Fernández
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones Marinas de Quintay, CIMARQ, Chile
| | - Oscar Varas
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fabián Guzmán-Rivas
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile; Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ángel Urzúa
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile; Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Av. Alonso de Ribera 2850, Concepción, Chile
| | - Pedro A Quijón
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
| | - M Roberto García-Huidobro
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación para el Cambio Climático (CiiCC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Ejército 146, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcela Aldana
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación para el Cambio Climático (CiiCC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Ejército 146, Santiago, Chile; Doctorado en Conservación y Gestión de la Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Ejército 146, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Duarte
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, República 440, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones Marinas de Quintay, CIMARQ, Chile
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8
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Salois SL, Gouhier TC, Helmuth B, Choi F, Seabra R, Lima FP. Coastal upwelling generates cryptic temperature refugia. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19313. [PMID: 36369260 PMCID: PMC9652353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23717-5] [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: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the effects of climate-mediated environmental variation on the distribution of organisms is critically important in an era of global change. We used wavelet analysis to quantify the spatiotemporal (co)variation in daily water temperature for predicting the distribution of cryptic refugia across 16 intertidal sites that were characterized as 'no', 'weak' or 'strong' upwelling and spanned 2000 km of the European Atlantic Coast. Sites experiencing weak upwelling exhibited high synchrony in temperature but low levels of co-variability at monthly to weekly timescales, whereas the opposite was true for sites experiencing strong upwelling. This suggests upwelling generates temporal thermal refugia that can promote organismal performance by both supplying colder water that mitigates thermal stress during hot Summer months and ensuring high levels of fine-scale variation in temperature that reduce the duration of thermal extremes. Additionally, pairwise correlograms based on the Pearson-product moment correlation coefficient and wavelet coherence revealed scale dependent trends in temperature fluctuations across space, with a rapid decay in strong upwelling sites at monthly and weekly timescales. This suggests upwelling also generates spatial thermal refugia that can 'rescue' populations from unfavorable conditions at local and regional scales. Overall, this study highlights the importance of identifying cryptic spatiotemporal refugia that emerge from fine-scale environmental variation to map potential patterns of organismal performance in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Salois
- grid.261112.70000 0001 2173 3359Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908 USA ,grid.266686.a0000000102217463Present Address: School for Marine Science and Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 836 South Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02744 USA
| | - Tarik C. Gouhier
- grid.261112.70000 0001 2173 3359Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908 USA
| | - Brian Helmuth
- grid.261112.70000 0001 2173 3359Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908 USA
| | - Francis Choi
- grid.261112.70000 0001 2173 3359Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908 USA
| | - Rui Seabra
- grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal ,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Fernando P. Lima
- grid.5808.50000 0001 1503 7226CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal ,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
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9
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Contrasting hydrodynamic regimes of submerged pinnacle and emergent coral reefs. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273092. [PMID: 35972945 PMCID: PMC9380949 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrodynamics on coral reefs vary with depth, reef morphology and seascape position. Differences in hydrodynamic regimes strongly influence the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems. Submerged coral reefs on steep-sided, conical bathymetric features like seamounts experience enhanced water circulation as a result of interactions between currents and the abrupt physical structure. There may also be similar interactions between smaller pinnacles and regional water currents in offshore locations (crests > 10 m), while shallow reefs (crests <10 m) may be more subject to surface currents driven by wind, waves and tide. Here we tested whether coral pinnacles experienced stronger and more variable currents compared to emergent reefs at the same depth in both nearshore and offshore positions. Current speeds and temperature were monitored for 12 months at 11 reefs, representing the three different reef categories: submerged offshore pinnacles, emergent offshore reefs and emergent nearshore reefs. We found different patterns in current speeds and temperature among reef types throughout the year and between seasons. Submerged pinnacles exhibited stronger, more variable current speeds compared to both near and offshore emergent reefs. We found seasonal changes in current speeds for pinnacle and nearshore reefs but no variation in current strength on offshore reefs. Whilst instantaneous current directions did reflect the seascape position of individual sites, there was no difference in the directional variability of current speeds between reef types. Annual daily average temperatures at all reef types were not strongly seasonal, changing by less than 2 °C throughout the year. Daily temperature ranges at specific sites however, exhibited considerable variability (annual range of up to 6.5 °C), particularly amongst offshore emergent reefs which experienced the highest temperatures despite greater exposure to regional-scale circulation patterns. Additionally, we found a consistent mismatch between satellite sea surface temperatures and in-situ temperature data, which was on average 2 °C cooler throughout the annual study period. Our results suggest that distinct hydrodynamic processes occur on smaller submerged structures that are physically analogous to seamounts. Our findings highlight important nuances in environmental processes that occur on morphologically distinct coral reef habitats and these are likely to be important drivers for the community dynamics of organisms that inhabit these reefs.
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10
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Shaver EC, McLeod E, Hein MY, Palumbi SR, Quigley K, Vardi T, Mumby PJ, Smith D, Montoya‐Maya P, Muller EM, Banaszak AT, McLeod IM, Wachenfeld D. A roadmap to integrating resilience into the practice of coral reef restoration. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4751-4764. [PMID: 35451154 PMCID: PMC9545251 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Recent warm temperatures driven by climate change have caused mass coral bleaching and mortality across the world, prompting managers, policymakers, and conservation practitioners to embrace restoration as a strategy to sustain coral reefs. Despite a proliferation of new coral reef restoration efforts globally and increasing scientific recognition and research on interventions aimed at supporting reef resilience to climate impacts, few restoration programs are currently incorporating climate change and resilience in project design. As climate change will continue to degrade coral reefs for decades to come, guidance is needed to support managers and restoration practitioners to conduct restoration that promotes resilience through enhanced coral reef recovery, resistance, and adaptation. Here, we address this critical implementation gap by providing recommendations that integrate resilience principles into restoration design and practice, including for project planning and design, coral selection, site selection, and broader ecosystem context. We also discuss future opportunities to improve restoration methods to support enhanced outcomes for coral reefs in response to climate change. As coral reefs are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to climate change, interventions that enhance reef resilience will help to ensure restoration efforts have a greater chance of success in a warming world. They are also more likely to provide essential contributions to global targets to protect natural biodiversity and the human communities that rely on reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Margaux Y. Hein
- Marine Ecosystem Restoration Research and ConsultingMonacoMonaco
| | | | - Kate Quigley
- Minderoo FoundationPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Tali Vardi
- ECS for NOAA Fisheries Office of Science & TechnologySilver SpringMarylandUSA
| | - Peter J. Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of QueenslandSt LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - David Smith
- Coral Reef Research UnitSchool of Life SciencesEssexUK
- Mars IncorporatedLondonUK
| | | | | | | | - Ian M. McLeod
- TropWATER, The Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - David Wachenfeld
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park AuthorityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
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Combillet L, Fabregat-Malé S, Mena S, Marín-Moraga JA, Gutierrez M, Alvarado JJ. Pocillopora spp. growth analysis on restoration structures in an Eastern Tropical Pacific upwelling area. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13248. [PMID: 35765595 PMCID: PMC9233897 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs in Culebra Bay (North Pacific of Costa Rica) are threatened by multiple anthropogenic disturbances including global warming, overfishing, eutrophication, and invasive species outbreaks. It is possible to assist their recovery by implementing ecological restoration techniques. This study used artificial hexagonal steel structures, called "spiders" to compare growth of Pocillopora spp. coral fragments of different sizes. Three initial fragment class sizes were used: 2, 5 and 8 cm, with each class size having 42 initial fragments. Changes in fragment length, width and area were measured monthly from January to December 2020. Results showed an overall survivorship of 70.21%, and no significant differences in survivorship and linear growth rate were detected between class sizes. The linear growth rates are 4.49 ± 1.19 cm year-1, 5.35 ± 1.48 cm year-1 and 3.25 ± 2.22 cm year-1 for the 2, 5 and 8 cm initial class sizes, respectively. Our results do not show significant differences in growth rates between the different initial fragment sizes. However, since small fragments (2 cm) present higher mortality during the first month, we recommend using larger fragments. In addition, coral fragments grew 48% more during the non-upwelling season, which may suggest that it might be more effective and safer to start the restoration efforts during this period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Combillet
- Master Sciences pour l’Environnement, parcours Gestion de l’environnement et écologie Littorale, Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
| | - Sònia Fabregat-Malé
- Posgrado en Biología, Sistema de Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Sebastián Mena
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica
| | | | | | - Juan José Alvarado
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical (CIBET) (Previously Museo de Zoología), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Costa Rica
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12
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Mo S, Chen T, Chen Z, Zhang W, Li S. Marine heatwaves impair the thermal refugia potential of marginal reefs in the northern South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:154100. [PMID: 35218829 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154100] [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: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Frequent marine heatwaves (MHWs), concurrent with climate warming, threaten global low-latitude, pristine coral reefs, leading to growing interest in identifying marginal coral reefs (relatively high-latitude and/or turbid reef environments) that can serve as thermal refugia from mass coral bleaching. However, the thermal refugia potential of marginal reefs remains controversial. We evaluated the thermal refugia potential of inshore reefs in the northern South China Sea (nSCS), a globally typical marginal reef system, by characterizing the long-term trend of MHW intensity and frequency and assessing thermal stress during a mass bleaching event in summer 2020. An unprecedented peak intensity of around 20 °C-weeks of cumulative heat stress, associated with a prolonged anomalous western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and weakened monsoon activity, induced record-breaking bleaching. The geographical variability of bleaching was strongly related to the extent of heat exposure and satellite-derived temperature anomalies. Under ongoing global warming, the frequency and intensity of MHWs over nSCS coral habitats show a markedly increasing trend, especially during the last decade. Intense MHWs and coral bleaching have already occurred throughout all El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases (e.g., 2010, 2015, and 2020). Climate change has pushed marginal coral reefs to or beyond the limits of their resilience, and frequent MHW events have amplified the increasing risk of thermal stress. There are no long-term thermal refugia for marginal reefs in the nSCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaohua Mo
- Beihai Marine Environmental Monitoring Center Station, State Oceanic Administration, Beihai 536000, China
| | - Tianran Chen
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China.
| | - Zesheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China.
| | - Wenjing Zhang
- South China Sea Information Center, State Oceanic Administration, Guangzhou 510310, China
| | - Shu Li
- Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
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13
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Enochs IC, Toth LT, Kirkland A, Manzello DP, Kolodziej G, Morris JT, Holstein DM, Schlenz A, Randall CJ, Maté JL, Leichter JJ, Aronson RB. Upwelling and the persistence of coral‐reef frameworks in the eastern tropical Pacific. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ian C. Enochs
- Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
| | - Lauren T. Toth
- St. Petersburg Coastal & Marine Science Center U.S. Geological Survey 600 4th Street St. Petersburg Florida 33701 USA
| | - Amanda Kirkland
- The University of New Orleans 2000 Lakeshore Drive New Orleans Louisiana 70148 USA
| | - Derek P. Manzello
- Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
| | - Graham Kolodziej
- Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
| | - John T. Morris
- Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
| | - Daniel M. Holstein
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences College of the Coast & Environment Louisiana State University 2259 Energy, Coast & Environment Building Baton Rouge Louisiana 70803 USA
| | - Austin Schlenz
- Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami Florida 33149 USA
| | - Carly J. Randall
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No. 3 Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
| | - Juan L. Maté
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Apartado Postal 0843‐03092 Panamá Republic of Panama
| | - James J. Leichter
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego 8635 Kennel Way La Jolla California 92037 USA
| | - Richard B. Aronson
- Florida Institute of Technology 150 West University Boulevard Melbourne Florida 32901 USA
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14
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Toth LT, Precht WF, Modys AB, Stathakopoulos A, Robbart ML, Hudson JH, Oleinik AE, Riegl BM, Shinn EA, Aronson RB. Climate and the latitudinal limits of subtropical reef development. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13044. [PMID: 34158523 PMCID: PMC8219804 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87883-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate plays a central role in coral-reef development, especially in marginal environments. The high-latitude reefs of southeast Florida are currently non-accreting, relict systems with low coral cover. This region also did not support the extensive Late Pleistocene reef development observed in many other locations around the world; however, there is evidence of significant reef building in southeast Florida during the Holocene. Using 146 radiometric ages from reefs extending ~ 120 km along Florida's southeast coast, we test the hypothesis that the latitudinal extent of Holocene reef development in this region was modulated by climatic variability. We demonstrate that although sea-level changes impacted rates of reef accretion and allowed reefs to backstep inshore as new habitats were flooded, sea level was not the ultimate cause of reef demise. Instead, we conclude that climate was the primary driver of the expansion and contraction of Florida's reefs during the Holocene. Reefs grew to 26.7° N in southeast Florida during the relatively warm, stable climate at the beginning of the Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM) ~ 10,000 years ago, but subsequent cooling and increased frequency of winter cold fronts were associated with the equatorward contraction of reef building. By ~ 7800 years ago, actively accreting reefs only extended to 26.1° N. Reefs further contracted to 25.8° N after 5800 years ago, and by 3000 years ago reef development had terminated throughout southern Florida (24.5-26.7° N). Modern warming is unlikely to simply reverse this trend, however, because the climate of the Anthropocene will be fundamentally different from the HTM. By increasing the frequency and intensity of both warm and cold extreme-weather events, contemporary climate change will instead amplify conditions inimical to reef development in marginal reef environments such as southern Florida, making them more likely to continue to deteriorate than to resume accretion in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren T Toth
- U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, FL, USA.
| | - William F Precht
- Marine and Coastal Programs, Dial Cordy & Associates, Inc., Miami, FL, USA
| | - Alexander B Modys
- Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | | | - Martha L Robbart
- Marine and Coastal Programs, Dial Cordy & Associates, Inc., Miami, FL, USA.,Independent Consultant, Glenmont, NY, USA
| | | | - Anton E Oleinik
- Department of Geosciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Bernhard M Riegl
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
| | - Eugene A Shinn
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Richard B Aronson
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, USA
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15
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Sellers AJ, Leung B, Altieri AH, Glanz J, Turner BL, Torchin ME. Seasonal upwelling reduces herbivore control of tropical rocky intertidal algal communities. Ecology 2021; 102:e03335. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Sellers
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama City Republic of Panama
- Department of Biology McGill University Montreal QuebecH3A 1B1Canada
| | - Brian Leung
- Department of Biology McGill University Montreal QuebecH3A 1B1Canada
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama City Republic of Panama
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences University of Florida Gainesville Florida32611USA
| | - Jess Glanz
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama City Republic of Panama
- Department of Biology California State University Northridge California91330USA
| | | | - Mark E. Torchin
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama City Republic of Panama
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