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Jandang S, Alfonso MB, Nakano H, Phinchan N, Darumas U, Viyakarn V, Chavanich S, Isobe A. Possible sink of missing ocean plastic: Accumulation patterns in reef-building corals in the Gulf of Thailand. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176210. [PMID: 39278501 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Revised: 09/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024]
Abstract
Individual coral polyps contain three distinct components-the surface mucus layer, tissue, and skeleton; each component may exhibit varying extent of microplastic (MP) accumulation and serve as a short- or long-term repository for these pollutants. However, the literature on MP accumulation in wild corals, particularly with respect to the different components, is limited. In this study, we investigated the adhesion and accumulation of MPs in four coral species, including both large (Lobophyllia sp. and Platygyra sinensis) and small (Pocillopora cf. damicornis and Porites lutea) polyp corals collected from Si Chang Island in the upper Gulf of Thailand. The results revealed that MP accumulation varied significantly among the four coral species and their components. Specifically, P. cf. damicornis exhibited the highest degree of accumulation (2.28 ± 0.34 particles g-1 w.w.) [Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) test, p < 0.05], particularly in their skeleton (52.63 %) and with a notable presence of high-density MPs (Fisher's extract test, p < 0.05). The most common MP morphotype was fragment, accounting for 75.29 % of the total MPs found in the coral. Notably, the majority of MPs were black, white, or blue, accounting for 36.20 %, 15.52 %, and 11.49 % of the samples, respectively. The predominant size range of MP particles was 101-200 μm. Nylon, polyacetylene, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were the prevalent polymer types, accounting for 20.11 %, 14.37 %, and 9.77 % of the identified samples, respectively. In the large polyp corals, while MP shapes, colors, and sizes exhibited consistent patterns, remarkable differences were noted in the polymer types across the three components. The findings of this study improve the understanding of MP accumulation and its fate in coral reef ecosystems, underscoring the need for further investigation into MP-accumulation patterns in reef-building corals worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suppakarn Jandang
- Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan; Center for Ocean Plastic Studies, Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, CU Research Building 14th floor, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - María Belén Alfonso
- Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan; Center for Ocean Plastic Studies, Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, CU Research Building 14th floor, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Haruka Nakano
- Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan; Center for Ocean Plastic Studies, Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, CU Research Building 14th floor, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Nopphawit Phinchan
- Center for Ocean Plastic Studies, Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, CU Research Building 14th floor, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Udomsak Darumas
- Reef Biology Research Group, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Voranop Viyakarn
- Reef Biology Research Group, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Institute Building No. 3, 9th floor, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Suchana Chavanich
- Reef Biology Research Group, Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Institute Building No. 3, 9th floor, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Atsuhiko Isobe
- Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, Kasuga-Koen, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan; Center for Ocean Plastic Studies, Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, CU Research Building 14th floor, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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2
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Suedel BC, Wilkens JL, McQueen AD, Gailani JZ, Lackey TC, Mays N. Adaptation of a risk-based framework for evaluating indirect effects of dredging on sensitive habitats near federal navigation channels: An application of the framework to coral reefs at Honolulu Harbor, Hawai'i. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2024; 20:547-561. [PMID: 37593916 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
In major harbors and ports in the United States and its territories, the US Army Corps of Engineers maintains federal navigation channels in proximity to coral reefs (e.g., Honolulu Harbor, HI; Miami Harbor, FL; Apra Harbor, Guam) and other sensitive habitats. To effectively predict potential adverse impacts from dredging activities near these sensitive habitats, a holistic approach to improve understanding of the pressures on these habitats is needed to foster a more complete prediction of risk drivers. To achieve this, risk-based frameworks that account for the full range of natural and anthropogenic impacts need to be adapted and applied specifically for assessing and managing indirect dredging impacts on sensitive environments. In this article, we address this need by incorporating a drivers-pressures-stressors-condition-response (DPSCR4 ) conceptual framework to broaden a comprehensive conceptual model of the coupled human-ecological system. To help understand these complex interactions, DPSCR4 was applied to evaluate dredging and other unrelated environmental pressures (e.g., terrestrial runoff) in a proof-of-concept dredging project in Honolulu Harbor, Hawai'i, USA, with a focus on the indirect effects of dredge plumes. Particle tracking models and risk-based tools were used to evaluate sediment resuspended during a hypothetical mechanical dredging activity near sensitive coral habitats. Stoplight indicators were developed to predict indirect sediment plume impacts on coral and then compared to exposure modeling results. The strengths and limitations of the approach are presented and the incorporation of the risk framework into environmental management decisions is discussed. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:547-561. Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burton C Suedel
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
| | - Justin L Wilkens
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
| | - Andrew D McQueen
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
| | - Joseph Z Gailani
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
| | - Tahirih C Lackey
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
| | - Nathan Mays
- US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA
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3
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Reichert J, Tirpitz V, Oponczewski M, Lin C, Franke N, Ziegler M, Wilke T. Feeding responses of reef-building corals provide species- and concentration-dependent risk assessment of microplastic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169485. [PMID: 38143004 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The negative impacts of microplastic on reef-building corals are often attributed to the feeding responses to these particles. Although reactions to and ingestion of microplastic are frequently reported, a quantitative comparison to natural particles and of the factors influencing these responses is largely missing. Thus, this study aims to compare the feeding rates of corals to microplastic and natural particles, considering factors influencing these responses. Specifically, we I) studied the feeding responses of corals to microplastic, natural food, and non-food particles, II) examined the influence of biotic factors (i.e., biofilm on the particles and presence of natural food), III) evaluated species-specific differences in feeding responses to microplastic particles, and IV) applied a toxicodynamic model for species- and concentration-dependent risk assessments. We assessed the feeding responses of 11 coral species, spanning different life-history strategies and growth forms in experimental feeding trials. The results showed that the feeding responses of corals to microplastic differ from those to naturally occurring particles. Reactions to microplastic and natural food occurred equally often, while sand was more frequently rejected. Yet, the ingestion process was much more selective, and microplastic was ingested less frequently than natural food. The presence of a biofilm and natural food had activating effects on the feeding behavior of the corals on microplastic. Generally, coral species that exhibit a higher degree of heterotrophic feeding also reacted more often to microplastic. The species- and concentration-dependent toxicodynamic risk model built on these data reveals that most tested coral species are unlikely to be at risk under present environmental concentration levels. However, highly heterotrophic feeders, such as Blastomussa merleti, or generally vulnerable species, such as Pocillopora verrucosa, need special consideration. These findings help to better evaluate the responses of corals to microplastic and their risk in an increasingly polluted ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Reichert
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany; Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, HI, Kāne'ohe, USA.
| | - Vanessa Tirpitz
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Mareike Oponczewski
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Chieh Lin
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Niklas Franke
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Maren Ziegler
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Thomas Wilke
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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Fähse M, Orejas C, Titschack J, Försterra G, Richter C, Laudien J. Ecophysiological and behavioural response of juveniles of the Chilean cold-water coral Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) huinayensis to increasing sediment loads. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21538. [PMID: 38057359 PMCID: PMC10700329 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47116-6] [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: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chilean Patagonia is a hotspot of biodiversity, harbouring cold-water corals (CWCs) that populate steep walls and overhangs of fjords and channels. Through anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, roadworks, aquafarming and increased landslide frequency, sediment input increases in the fjord region. While the absence of CWCs on moderately steep slopes has been suggested to reflect high vulnerability to sedimentation, experimental evidence has been lacking. Here, we investigated the sensitivity of CWCs to sediment stress, using juvenile Caryophyllia (Caryophyllia) huinayensis as a model. A 12-week aquarium experiment was conducted with three sediment loads: the average natural sediment concentration in Comau Fjord, 100- and 1000-fold higher sediment levels, expected from gravel road use and coastal erosion. Changes in coral mass and calyx dimensions, polyp expansion, tissue retraction and respiration were measured. For CWCs exposed to two and three order of magnitude higher sediment concentrations, 32% and 80% of the animals experienced a decrease in tissue cover, respectively, along with a decrease in respiration rate of 34% and 66%. Under the highest concentration corals showed reduced polyp expansion and a significantly reduced growth of ~ 95% compared to corals at natural concentration. The results show that C. huinayensis is affected by high sediment loads. As human activities that increase sedimentation steadily intensify, coastal planners need to consider detrimental effects on CWCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Fähse
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27515, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Covadonga Orejas
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27515, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón (IEO, CSIC), Avenida Príncipe de Asturias 70 Bis, 33212, Gijón, Spain
- Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg - Institute for Advanced Study (HWK), Lehmkuhlenbusch 4, 27753, Delmenhorst, Germany
| | - Jürgen Titschack
- MARUM-Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Leobener Str. 8, 28359, Bremen, Germany
- Senckenberg Am Meer, Marine Research Department, Südstrand 40, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Günter Försterra
- Huinay Scientific Field Station, Casilla 462, Puerto Montt, Chile
- Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Claudio Richter
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27515, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Universität Bremen, Bibliothekstraße 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Jürgen Laudien
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, 27515, Bremerhaven, Germany.
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de Souza MR, Caruso C, Ruiz-Jones L, Drury C, Gates RD, Toonen RJ. Importance of depth and temperature variability as drivers of coral symbiont composition despite a mass bleaching event. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8957. [PMID: 37268692 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35425-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are iconic examples of climate change impacts because climate-induced heat stress causes the breakdown of the coral-algal symbiosis leading to a spectacular loss of color, termed 'coral bleaching'. To examine the fine-scale dynamics of this process, we re-sampled 600 individually marked Montipora capitata colonies from across Kāne'ohe Bay, Hawai'i and compared the algal symbiont composition before and after the 2019 bleaching event. The relative proportion of the heat-tolerant symbiont Durusdinium in corals increased in most parts of the bay following the bleaching event. Despite this widespread increase in abundance of Durusdinium, the overall algal symbiont community composition was largely unchanged, and hydrodynamically defined regions of the bay retained their distinct pre-bleaching compositions. We explain ~ 21% of the total variation, of which depth and temperature variability were the most significant environmental drivers of Symbiodiniaceae community composition by site regardless of bleaching intensity or change in relative proportion of Durusdinium. We hypothesize that the plasticity of symbiont composition in corals may be constrained to adaptively match the long-term environmental conditions surrounding the holobiont, despite an individual coral's stress and bleaching response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Rocha de Souza
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA.
| | - Carlo Caruso
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Lupita Ruiz-Jones
- Chaminade University of Honolulu, 3140 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI, 96816, USA
| | - Crawford Drury
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Ruth D Gates
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI, 96744, USA
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Wang X, Li Y, Lin M, Su Z, Liu X, Yu K. Variations in the coral community at the high-latitude Bailong Peninsula, northern South China Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:274-286. [PMID: 35900625 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21881-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
High-latitude coral communities have attracted much attention due to their potential as refuges during global climate change. However, this function is being constrained by the combined pressure of global climate and anthropogenic activities. To determine how the reef has developed, we conducted a long-term monitoring study on coral communities along the Bailong Peninsula in the northern South China Sea. The results showed that the distribution area of corals was 3.67 km2 and that corals extended about 4.7 km along the coastline. The coral distribution pattern is scattered and uneven. Our results showed that the growth of reef-building corals and coral recruitment are improving, indicating that coral recruitment plays an important role in regulating the structure of adult coral populations and promoting the development of coral communities. Bailong Peninsula is expected to become a refuge for corals provided that human activities impacting coral restoration potential are controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center of Guangxi Sciences Academy, Beihai, 536000, China
- Forestry College of Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Yinqiang Li
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Mingqing Lin
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center of Guangxi Sciences Academy, Beihai, 536000, China
| | - Zhinan Su
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center of Guangxi Sciences Academy, Beihai, 536000, China
| | - Xiong Liu
- Sea Area Use Dynamic Supervision Center, Fangchenggang, 53800, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.
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Schlaefer JA, Tebbett SB, Bowden CL, Collins WP, Duce S, Hemingson CR, Huertas V, Mihalitsis M, Morais J, Morais RA, Siqueira AC, Streit RP, Swan S, Valenzuela J, Bellwood DR. A snapshot of sediment dynamics on an inshore coral reef. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 181:105763. [PMID: 36206642 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105763] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Sediments are ubiquitous on coral reefs. However, studies of reef sediments have largely focused on isolated reservoirs, or processes, and rarely consider hydrodynamic drivers. We therefore provide a quantitative snapshot of sediment dynamics on a coral reef. Across a depth profile, we simultaneously examined: suspended sediments, sediment deposition and accumulation, and hydrodynamic and biological movement processes. We reveal the marked potential for the water column to deliver sediments. Currents carried 12.6 t of sediment over the 2,314 m2 study area in 6 days. Sediment traps suggested that a surprisingly high percentage of this sediment was potentially deposited (5.2%). Furthermore, wave-driven resuspension and reworking by parrotfishes separated a highly dynamic sediment regime on the shallow reef flat (3 m), from a more stagnant reef slope (4.5 m-12 m). This study provides a comprehensive model of how hydrodynamic forces and on-reef processes may shape sediment dynamics on a coral reef.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodie A Schlaefer
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000, Australia
| | - Sterling B Tebbett
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Casey L Bowden
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - William P Collins
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Stephanie Duce
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Christopher R Hemingson
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Victor Huertas
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Michalis Mihalitsis
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Juliano Morais
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Renato A Morais
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Alexandre C Siqueira
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Robert P Streit
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Sam Swan
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Jessica Valenzuela
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - David R Bellwood
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
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8
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de Souza MR, Caruso C, Ruiz-Jones L, Drury C, Gates R, Toonen RJ. Community composition of coral-associated Symbiodiniaceae differs across fine-scale environmental gradients in Kāne'ohe Bay. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:212042. [PMID: 36117869 PMCID: PMC9459668 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.212042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The survival of most reef-building corals is dependent upon a symbiosis between the coral and the community of Symbiodiniaceae. Montipora capitata, one of the main reef-building coral species in Hawai'i, is known to host a diversity of symbionts, but it remains unclear how they change spatially and whether environmental factors drive those changes. Here, we surveyed the Symbiodiniaceae community in 600 M. capitata colonies from 30 sites across Kāne'ohe Bay and tested for host specificity and environmental gradients driving spatial patterns of algal symbiont distribution. We found that the Symbiodiniaceae community differed markedly across sites, with M. capitata in the most open-ocean (northern) site hosting few or none of the genus Durusdinium, whereas individuals at other sites had a mix of Durusdinium and Cladocopium. Our study shows that the algal symbiont community composition responds to fine-scale differences in environmental gradients; depth and temperature variability were the most significant predictor of Symbiodiniaceae community, although environmental factors measured in the study explained only about 20% of observed variation. Identifying and mapping Symbiodiniaceae community distribution at multiple scales is an important step in advancing our understanding of algal symbiont diversity, distribution and evolution and the potential responses of corals to future environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Rocha de Souza
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Carlo Caruso
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Lupita Ruiz-Jones
- Chaminade University of Honolulu, 3140 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816, USA
| | - Crawford Drury
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Ruth Gates
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
| | - Robert J. Toonen
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA
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Tebbett SB, Sgarlatta MP, Pessarrodona A, Vergés A, Wernberg T, Bellwood DR. How to quantify algal turf sediments and particulates on tropical and temperate reefs: An overview. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 179:105673. [PMID: 35688019 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Algal turfs are the most abundant benthic covering on reefs in many shallow-water marine ecosystems. The particulates and sediments bound within algal turfs can influence a multitude of functions within these ecosystems. Despite the global abundance and importance of algal turfs, comparison of algal turf-bound sediments is problematic due to a lack of standardisation across collection methods. Here we provide an overview of three methods (vacuum sampling, airlift sampling, and TurfPods), and the necessary equipment (including construction suggestions), commonly employed to quantify sediments from algal turfs. We review the purposes of these methods (e.g. quantification of standing stock versus net accumulation) and how methods can vary depending on the research question or monitoring protocol. By providing these details in a readily accessible format we hope to encourage a standardised set of approaches for marine benthic ecologists, geologists and managers, that facilitates further quantification and global comparisons of algal turf sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterling B Tebbett
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia.
| | - M Paula Sgarlatta
- Centre for Marine Science & Innovation and Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Albert Pessarrodona
- UWA Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Adriana Vergés
- Centre for Marine Science & Innovation and Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Thomas Wernberg
- UWA Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, 6009, Australia; Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, His, Norway
| | - David R Bellwood
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
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10
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Tuttle LJ, Donahue MJ. Effects of sediment exposure on corals: a systematic review of experimental studies. ENVIRONMENTAL EVIDENCE 2022; 11:4. [PMID: 39294657 PMCID: PMC8818373 DOI: 10.1186/s13750-022-00256-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Management actions that address local-scale stressors on coral reefs can rapidly improve water quality and reef ecosystem condition. In response to reef managers who need actionable thresholds for coastal runoff and dredging, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies that explore the effects of sediment on corals. We identified exposure levels that 'adversely' affect corals while accounting for sediment bearing (deposited vs. suspended), coral life-history stage, and species, thus providing empirically based estimates of stressor thresholds on vulnerable coral reefs. METHODS We searched online databases and grey literature to obtain a list of potential studies, assess their eligibility, and critically appraise them for validity and risk of bias. Data were extracted from eligible studies and grouped by sediment bearing and coral response to identify thresholds in terms of the lowest exposure levels that induced an adverse physiological and/or lethal effect. Meta-regression estimated the dose-response relationship between exposure level and the magnitude of a coral's response, with random-effects structures to estimate the proportion of variance explained by factors such as study and coral species. REVIEW FINDINGS After critical appraisal of over 15,000 records, our systematic review of corals' responses to sediment identified 86 studies to be included in meta-analyses (45 studies for deposited sediment and 42 studies for suspended sediment). The lowest sediment exposure levels that caused adverse effects in corals were well below the levels previously described as 'normal' on reefs: for deposited sediment, adverse effects occurred as low as 1 mg/cm2/day for larvae (limited settlement rates) and 4.9 mg/cm2/day for adults (tissue mortality); for suspended sediment, adverse effects occurred as low as 10 mg/L for juveniles (reduced growth rates) and 3.2 mg/L for adults (bleaching and tissue mortality). Corals take at least 10 times longer to experience tissue mortality from exposure to suspended sediment than to comparable concentrations of deposited sediment, though physiological changes manifest 10 times faster in response to suspended sediment than to deposited sediment. Threshold estimates derived from continuous response variables (magnitude of adverse effect) largely matched the lowest-observed adverse-effect levels from a summary of studies, or otherwise helped us to identify research gaps that should be addressed to better quantify the dose-response relationship between sediment exposure and coral health. CONCLUSIONS We compiled a global dataset that spans three oceans, over 140 coral species, decades of research, and a range of field- and lab-based approaches. Our review and meta-analysis inform the no-observed and lowest-observed adverse-effect levels (NOAEL, LOAEL) that are used in management consultations by U.S. federal agencies. In the absence of more location- or species-specific data to inform decisions, our results provide the best available information to protect vulnerable reef-building corals from sediment stress. Based on gaps and limitations identified by our review, we make recommendations to improve future studies and recommend future synthesis to disentangle the potentially synergistic effects of multiple coral-reef stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillian J. Tuttle
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744 USA
- NOAA NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, Honolulu, HI 96860 USA
| | - Megan J. Donahue
- Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Kāne‘ohe, HI 96744 USA
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11
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Sannassy Pilly S, Richardson LE, Turner JR, Roche RC. Atoll-dependent variation in depth zonation of benthic communities on remote reefs. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 173:105520. [PMID: 34775207 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The distribution and organisation of benthic organisms on tropical reefs are typically heterogenous yet display distinct zonation patterns across depth gradients. However, there are few datasets which inform our understanding of how depth zonation in benthic community composition varies spatially among and within different reef systems. Here, we assess the depth zonation in benthic forereef slope communities in the Central Indian Ocean, prior to the back-to-back bleaching events in 2014-2017. We compare benthic communities between shallow (5-10 m) and deep (20-25 m) sites, at two spatial scales: among and within 4 atolls. Our analyses showed the variation in both major functional groups and hard coral assemblages between depth varied among atolls, and within-atoll comparisons revealed distinct differences between shallow and deep forereef slope communities. Indicator taxa analyses characterising the hard coral community between depths revealed a higher number of coral genera characteristic of the deep forereef slopes (10) than the shallow forereef slopes (6). Only two coral genera consistently associated with both depths across all atolls, and these were Acropora and Porites. Our results reveal spatial variation in depth zonation of benthic communities, potentially driven by biophysical processes varying across depths and atolls, and provide a baseline to understand and measure the impacts of future global climate change on benthic communities across depths.
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12
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Bollati E, Rosenberg Y, Simon-Blecher N, Tamir R, Levy O, Huang D. Untangling the molecular basis of coral response to sedimentation. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:884-901. [PMID: 34738686 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Urbanized coral reefs are often chronically affected by sedimentation and reduced light levels, yet many species of corals appear to be able to thrive under these highly disturbed conditions. Recently, these marginal ecosystems have gained attention as potential climate change refugia due to the shading effect of suspended sediment, as well as potential reservoirs for stress-tolerant species. However, little research exists on the impact of sedimentation on coral physiology, particularly at the molecular level. Here, we investigated the transcriptomic response to sediment stress in corals of the family Merulinidae from a chronically turbid reef (one genet each of Goniastrea pectinata and Mycedium elephantotus from Singapore) and a clear-water reef (multiple genets of G. pectinata from the Gulf of Aqaba/Eilat). In two ex-situ experiments, we exposed corals to either natural sediment or artificial sediment enriched with organic matter and used whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA sequencing) to quantify gene expression. Analysis revealed a shared basis for the coral transcriptomic response to sediment stress, which involves the expression of genes broadly related to energy metabolism and immune response. In particular, sediment exposure induced upregulation of anaerobic glycolysis and glyoxylate bypass enzymes, as well as genes involved in hydrogen sulphide metabolism and in pathogen pattern recognition. Our results point towards hypoxia as a probable driver of this transcriptomic response, providing a molecular basis to previous work that identified hypoxia as a primary cause of tissue necrosis in sediment-stressed corals. Potential metabolic and immunity trade-offs of corals living under chronic sedimentation should be considered in future studies on the ecology and conservation of turbid reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bollati
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Biology, Marine Biology Section, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Yaeli Rosenberg
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Noa Simon-Blecher
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Raz Tamir
- School of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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13
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Luter HM, Pineda MC, Ricardo G, Francis DS, Fisher R, Jones R. Assessing the risk of light reduction from natural sediment resuspension events and dredging activities in an inshore turbid reef environment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 170:112536. [PMID: 34126443 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The reduction in benthic light from natural sediment resuspension events, dredging activities and clouds was quantified over multiple time periods (days to weeks) from a 3-year in-situ field study in the inshore turbid-zone coral communities of the Great Barrier Reef. The results were then used to examine the tolerance levels of three coral species and a sponge to light reduction and associated changes in spectral light quality (in conjunction with elevated sediment concentrations) in a 28-day laboratory-based study. All species survived the exposures but sub-lethal responses involving changes in pigmentation, lipids and lipid ratios were observed. A pocilloporid coral was the most sensitive taxon, with a 28-d EC10 value for bleaching (dissociation of the symbiosis) of 2.7 mol photons m2 d-1. The possibility of such light reduction levels occurring naturally and/or during maintenance dredging activities was then examined using the 3-year in-situ field study as part of a risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi M Luter
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD and Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Mari-Carmen Pineda
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD and Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Gerard Ricardo
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD and Perth, WA, Australia
| | - David S Francis
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Rebecca Fisher
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD and Perth, WA, Australia; The UWA Oceans Institute University of Western Australia, WA, Australia
| | - Ross Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD and Perth, WA, Australia; The UWA Oceans Institute University of Western Australia, WA, Australia.
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14
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Schlaefer JA, Tebbett SB, Bellwood DR. The study of sediments on coral reefs: A hydrodynamic perspective. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 169:112580. [PMID: 34102417 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There is a rich literature on coral reef sediments. However, this knowledge is spread among research fields, and the extent to which major sediment reservoirs and reservoir connecting processes have been quantified is unclear. We examined the literature to quantify where and how sediments have been measured on coral reefs and, thereby, identified critical knowledge gaps. In most studies, sediments in one reservoir or one sedimentary process were quantified. The measurement of water column sediments (55% of reservoir measurements) and sediment trapping rates (42% of process measurements) were over-represented. In contrast, sediments on reef substrata, and the transition of sediments from the water column to the benthos, were rarely quantified. Furthermore, only ~20% of sediment measurements were accompanied by the quantification of hydrodynamic drivers. Multidisciplinary collaborative approaches offer great promise for advancing our understanding of the connections between sediment reservoirs, and the sedimentary and hydrodynamic processes that mediate these connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodie A Schlaefer
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
| | - Sterling B Tebbett
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - David R Bellwood
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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15
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Hierl F, Wu HC, Westphal H. Scleractinian corals incorporate microplastic particles: identification from a laboratory study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:37882-37893. [PMID: 33718998 PMCID: PMC8302493 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13240-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been detected on beaches and in the ocean from surface habitats to the deep-sea. Microplastics can be mistaken for food items by marine organisms, posing a potential risk for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the food chain. Our understanding of microplastic pollution effects on ecosystem and physiological processes of coral reefs is still limited. This study contributes to the understanding of effects of microplastic pollution on skeletal precipitation of hermatypic corals. In a five month aquarium-based experiment, specimens of four tropical species were temporarily exposed to high concentrations (ca. 0.5 g L-1) of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastic particles (< 500 μm). The coral specimens all survived this treatment and show skeletal growth. The skeletal material produced during the experiment, however, incorporated plastic particles and plastic fibres in the aragonitic structure. Long-term consequences of such inclusions on skeletal properties such as stability are yet unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Hierl
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Fahrenheitstraße 6, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße 4, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Henry C Wu
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Fahrenheitstraße 6, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Hildegard Westphal
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Fahrenheitstraße 6, 28359, Bremen, Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße 4, 28359, Bremen, Germany
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16
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Brunner CA, Uthicke S, Ricardo GF, Hoogenboom MO, Negri AP. Climate change doubles sedimentation-induced coral recruit mortality. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 768:143897. [PMID: 33454467 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef replenishment is threatened by global climate change and local water-quality degradation, including smothering of coral recruits by sediments generated by anthropogenic activities. Here we show that the ability of Acropora millepora recruits to remove sediments diminishes under future climate conditions, leading to increased mortality. Recruits raised under future climate scenarios for fourteen weeks (highest treatment: +1.2 °C, pCO2: 950 ppm) showed twofold higher mortality following repeated sediment deposition (50% lethal sediment concentration LC50: 14-24 mg cm-2) compared to recruits raised under current climate conditions (LC50: 37-51 mg cm-2), depending on recruit age at the time of sedimentation. Older and larger recruits were more resistant to sedimentation and only ten-week-old recruits grown under current climate conditions survived sediment loads possible during dredging operations. This demonstrates that water-quality guidelines for managing sediment concentrations will need to be climate-adjusted to protect future coral recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Brunner
- James Cook University School of Marine and Tropical Biology, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; AIMS@JCU, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Sven Uthicke
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; AIMS@JCU, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Gerard F Ricardo
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Mia O Hoogenboom
- James Cook University School of Marine and Tropical Biology, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Andrew P Negri
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia; AIMS@JCU, School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University and Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
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17
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Evans RD, Wilson SK, Fisher R, Ryan NM, Babcock R, Blakeway D, Bond T, Dorji P, Dufois F, Fearns P, Lowe RJ, Stoddart J, Thomson DP. Early recovery dynamics of turbid coral reefs after recurring bleaching events. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 268:110666. [PMID: 32510431 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The worlds' coral reefs are declining due to the combined effects of natural disturbances and anthropogenic pressures including thermal coral bleaching associated with global climate change. Nearshore corals are receiving increased anthropogenic stress from coastal development and nutrient run-off. Considering forecast increases in global temperatures, greater understanding of drivers of recovery on nearshore coral reefs following widespread bleaching events is required to inform management of local stressors. The west Pilbara coral reefs, with cross-shelf turbidity gradients coupled with a large nearby dredging program and recent history of repeated coral bleaching due to heat stress, represent an opportune location to study recovery from multiple disturbances. Mean coral cover at west Pilbara reefs was monitored from 2009 to 2018 and declined from 45% in 2009 to 5% in 2014 following three heat waves. Recruitment and juvenile abundance of corals were monitored from 2014 to 2018 and were combined with biological and physical data to identify which variables enhanced or hindered early-stage coral recovery of all hard corals and separately for the acroporids, the genera principally responsible for recovery in the short-term (<7 years). From 2014 to 2018, coral cover increased from 5 to 10% but recovery varied widely among sites (0-13%). Hard coral cover typically recovered most at shallower sites that had higher abundance of herbivorous fish, less macroalgae, and lower turbidity. Similarly, acroporid corals recovered most at sites with lower turbidity and macroalgal cover. Juvenile acroporid densities were a good indicator of recovery at least two years after they were recorded. However, recruitment to settlement tiles was not a good predictor of total coral or acroporid recovery. This study shows that coral recovery can be slower in areas of high turbidity and the rate may be reduced by local pressures, such as dredging. Management should focus on improving or maintaining local water quality to increase the likelihood of coral recovery under climate stress. Further, in turbid environments, juvenile coral density predicts early coral recovery better than recruits on tiles and may be a more cost-effective technique for monitoring recovery potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Evans
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, W.A, 6151, Australia; Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Shaun K Wilson
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, W.A, 6151, Australia; Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Rebecca Fisher
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Nicole M Ryan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Russ Babcock
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | | | - Todd Bond
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; School of Biological Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Passang Dorji
- Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group, Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Francois Dufois
- IFREMER, DYNECO/DHYSED, ZI Pointe du Diable, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Peter Fearns
- Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group, Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Ryan J Lowe
- School of Biological Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jim Stoddart
- Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Hwy, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia; MScience Pty Ltd, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Damian P Thomson
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia
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18
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Schack CR, Gordon DP, Ryan KG. Community assembly in a modular organism: the impact of environmental filtering on bryozoan colony form and polymorphism. Ecology 2020; 101:e03106. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolann R. Schack
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington Kelburn Wellington 6012 New Zealand
- New Zealand Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Science 301 Evans Bay Parade Hataitai Wellington 6021 New Zealand
| | - Dennis P. Gordon
- New Zealand Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Science 301 Evans Bay Parade Hataitai Wellington 6021 New Zealand
| | - Ken G. Ryan
- School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington Kelburn Wellington 6012 New Zealand
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19
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Chase TJ, Pratchett MS, McWilliam MJ, Hein MY, Tebbett SB, Hoogenboom MO. Damselfishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:192074. [PMID: 32431885 PMCID: PMC7211878 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mutualisms play a critical role in ecological communities; however, the importance and prevalence of mutualistic associations can be modified by external stressors. On coral reefs, elevated sediment deposition can be a major stressor reducing the health of corals and reef resilience. Here, we investigated the influence of severe sedimentation on the mutualistic relationship between small damselfishes (Pomacentrus moluccensis and Dascyllus aruanus) and their coral host (Pocillopora damicornis). In an aquarium experiment, corals were exposed to sedimentation rates of approximately 100 mg cm-2 d-1, with and without fishes present, to test whether: (i) fishes influence the accumulation of sediments on coral hosts, and (ii) fishes moderate partial colony mortality and/or coral tissue condition. Colonies with fishes accumulated much less sediment compared with colonies without fishes, and this effect was strongest for colonies with D. aruanus (fivefold less sediment than controls) as opposed to P. moluccensis (twofold less sediment than controls). Colonies with symbiont fishes also had up to 10-fold less sediment-induced partial mortality, as well as higher chlorophyll and protein concentrations. These results demonstrate that fish mutualisms vary in the strength of their benefits, and indicate that some mutualistic or facilitative interactions might become more important for species health and resilience at high-stress levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. J. Chase
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture Group, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - M. S. Pratchett
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - M. J. McWilliam
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - M. Y. Hein
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture Group, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - S. B. Tebbett
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture Group, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - M. O. Hoogenboom
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture Group, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
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Abdul Wahab MA, Maldonado M, Luter HM, Jones R, Ricardo G. Effects of sediment resuspension on the larval stage of the model sponge Carteriospongia foliascens. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133837. [PMID: 31422324 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Sponges are important components of many marine communities and perform key functional roles. Little is known on the processes that drive larval dispersal and habitat selection in sponges, and in particular under stress scenarios. The increase in sediment in the marine environment is a growing concern for the health of ecosystems, but scarce information exists on the effects of sediment on sponge larvae. This study assessed the effects of suspended and deposited sediment on the larva of Carteriospongia foliascens. A suspended sediment concentration (SSC) of 100 mg L-1 caused homogenisation of the natural pattern of phototactic responses, leading to 100% of photonegative behaviours and a reduction of swim speeds by 27%. After 24 h exposure to suspended sediments, fine particles were found attached to larval cilia, causing abnormal swimming behaviours. Larvae did not have the ability to remove the attached sediment that led to a transformation of the larval body into a cocoon-like morphology and death. Mortality tripled from 3 mg L-1 (9%) to 300 mg L-1 (30%) and the relative SSC EC10 and EC50 values corresponded to 2.6 mg L-1 and 17.6 mg L-1 respectively. Survival, as determined by live swimming larvae, exceeded 50% even in the highest SSC of 300 mg L-1, however settlement success decreased by ~20%. Larvae were able to settle onto substrate having deposited sediment levels (DSLs) up to 3 mg cm-2 (~24%), but recorded a 25 × chance of dislodgement compared to settlers on substrate with DSL of 0.3 mg cm-2. Larvae avoided settling onto substrates with DSLs >10 mg cm-2 and preferentially settled onto alternative vertical substrate that were free of sediment. While C. foliascens larvae have some ability to survive and settle through conditions of elevated sediment, detrimental effects are also clear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Arafura Timor Research Facility, Brinkin, NT 0810, Australia.
| | - Manuel Maldonado
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Acceso Cala St. Francesc 14, Blanes 17300, Girona, Spain
| | - Heidi M Luter
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - Ross Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia (M096), 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Gerard Ricardo
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
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21
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Cunning R, Silverstein RN, Barnes BB, Baker AC. Extensive coral mortality and critical habitat loss following dredging and their association with remotely-sensed sediment plumes. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 145:185-199. [PMID: 31590775 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/12/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Dredging poses a potential threat to coral reefs, yet quantifying impacts is often difficult due to the large spatial footprint of potential effects and co-occurrence of other disturbances. Here we analyzed in situ monitoring data and remotely-sensed sediment plumes to assess impacts of the 2013-2015 Port of Miami dredging on corals and reef habitat. To control for contemporaneous bleaching and disease, we analyzed the spatial distribution of impacts in relation to the dredged channel. Areas closer to dredging experienced higher sediment trap accumulation, benthic sediment cover, coral burial, and coral mortality, and our spatial analyses indicate that >560,000 corals were killed within 0.5 km, with impacts likely extending over 5-10 km. The occurrence of sediment plumes explained ~60% of spatial variability in measured impacts, suggesting that remotely-sensed plumes, when properly calibrated against in situ monitoring data, can reliably estimate the magnitude and extent of dredging impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Cunning
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA; Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA.
| | | | - Brian B Barnes
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South, MSL119, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Andrew C Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA
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22
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Jones R, Fisher R, Bessell-Browne P. Sediment deposition and coral smothering. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216248. [PMID: 31216275 PMCID: PMC6584000 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dredging in the marine environment to create and maintain safe, navigable shipping channels, and subsequent disposal of the material at sea in dredge material placement sites (spoil grounds) can generate large quantities of suspended sediment that can impact upon epibenthic marine communities. For sensitive taxa such as hard corals, understanding the mechanisms of mortality and the spatial scale over which these occur is critically important for impact prediction purposes, management of dredging using zonation schemes, and also public perception. We describe the sediment deposition field from suspended sediment falling back out of suspension created around a large (7.6 Mm3) 1.5-year capital dredging project on a reef, using data from 2 weekly repeat observations of >500 individually tagged corals at multiple locations from 0.2-25 km from the dredging. The observations were supported by concurrent in situ measurements of proxy suspended sediment concentrations, underwater light, and sediment deposition (using optical backscatter sensors), and before and after surveys of seabed particle size distributions (PSDs). The distance at which 90% of the effect (from maximum to minimum) had dissipated (ED10) was 20 km away from the dredging for suspended sediment concentrations (estimated via nephelometry), and underwater light (measured using PAR sensors) associated with turbid plumes, 14 km for sediment deposition (measured using optical backscatter sensors) and 4.6 km for changes seabed clay and silt content (PSD analysis). The ED10 for smothering of corals (the build-up of pools of loose sediment on the surface that could not be removed by self-cleaning) occurred much closer still at 3-3.3 km or (0.5-0.6 km for an ED50). Smothering was common on encrusting and foliose forms where sediments accumulated in hollows and massive hemispherical forms where surface undulations (bumps) allowed sediments to pool. Smothering was never observed on branching species, even under extreme levels of sedimentation. Sediment smothering resulted in tissue bleaching and partial mortality (lesion formation), but if sediments were removed (by currents) bleached areas regained pigmentation over weeks and there was regrowth/reparation of lesions over weeks and months even before the dredging was completed. Overall sedimentation tolerance was highly related to coral morphology and surface inclination and the ability to avoid smothering by having uninterrupted downhill pathways for sediment transport across the colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Rebecca Fisher
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Pia Bessell-Browne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- The Oceans Institute and The Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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23
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Synergistic and antagonistic impacts of suspended sediments and thermal stress on corals. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2346. [PMID: 31138792 PMCID: PMC6538670 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10288-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding pressure pathways and their cumulative impacts is critical for developing effective environmental policy. For coral reefs, wide spread bleaching resulting from global warming is occurring concurrently with local pressures, such as increases in suspended sediments through coastal development. Here we examine the relative importance of suspended sediment pressure pathways for dredging impacts on corals and evidence for synergistic or antagonistic cumulative effects between suspended sediments and thermal stress. We show that low to moderate reductions in available light associated with dredging may lead to weak antagonistic (less than expected independently) cumulative effects. However, when sediment loads are high any reductions in mortality associated with reduced bleaching are outweighed by increased mortality associated with severe low light periods and high levels of sediment deposition and impacts become synergistic (greater than what would occur independently). The findings suggest efforts to assess global cumulative impacts need to consider how pressures interact to impact ecosystems, and that the cumulative outcome may vary across the range of realised pressure fields.
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24
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Latrille FX, Tebbett SB, Bellwood DR. Quantifying sediment dynamics on an inshore coral reef: Putting algal turfs in perspective. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 141:404-415. [PMID: 30955750 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.02.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Increased sediment loads within algal turfs, can be highly detrimental to coral reef systems. However, significant knowledge gaps remain in relation to sediment dynamics, especially linking suspended sediments, sedimentation and turf-bound sediments. To examine these links, a series of different methods for quantifying suspended sediments, sedimentation and the accumulation of turf sediments were compared, simultaneously, on an inner-shelf reef. We revealed that the amount and composition of sediment quantified using different methods varied markedly, with commonly employed measures of sedimentation failing to accurately reflect patterns of sediment accumulation in turfs. Our results highlighted the propensity for turfs to trap and retain sediments, with turfs accumulating approximately 2.6 times more sediment than traps, and 6 times more sediment than SedPods, over a seven-day period. This study highlights the major, but often overlooked, role that algal turfs can play in sediment dynamics on coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- François X Latrille
- College of Science and Engineering, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, QLD, Australia
| | - Sterling B Tebbett
- College of Science and Engineering, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, QLD, Australia
| | - David R Bellwood
- College of Science and Engineering, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, QLD, Australia.
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25
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Plasticity in Three-Dimensional Geometry of Branching Corals Along a Cross-Shelf Gradient. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11030044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian corals often exhibit high levels of morphological plasticity, which is potentially important in enabling individual species to occupy benthic spaces across a wide range of environmental gradients. This study tested for differences in the three-dimensional (3D) geometry of three branching corals, Acropora nasuta, Pocillopora spp. and Stylophora pistillata among inner-, mid- and outer-shelf reefs in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Important attributes of coral morphology (e.g., surface area to volume ratio) were expected to vary linearly across the shelf in accordance with marked gradients in environmental conditions, but instead, we detected non-linear trends in the colony structure of A. nasuta and Pocillopora spp. The surface area to volume ratio of both A. nasuta and Pocillopora spp. was highest at mid-shelf locations, (reflecting higher colony complexity) and was significantly lower at both inner-shelf and outer-shelf reefs. The branching structure of these corals was also far more tightly packed at inner-shelf and outer-shelf reefs, compared to mid-shelf reefs. Apparent declines in complexity and inter-branch spacing at inner and outer-shelf reefs (compared to conspecifics from mid-shelf reefs) may reflect changes driven by gradients of sedimentation and hydrodynamics. The generality and explanations of observed patterns warrant further investigation, which is very feasible using the 3D-photogrammetry techniques used in this study.
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26
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Ma W, Schott D, van Rhee C. Numerical calculations of environmental impacts for deep sea mining activities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 652:996-1012. [PMID: 30586835 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
With the expected dramatic increase of mineral resources consumption, deep sea mining (DSM) was proposed as a method supplying the running of world economy by cooperating with or compensating for the terrestrial mining industry. However, its industrialization process is hindered by various reasons including the technological feasibility, economic profitability, and the DSM environmental impacts. The objective of this paper is to calculate the DSM environmental impacts based on a DSM environmental impact framework, which was selected through a systematic literature review in earlier work. The numerical calculations focus on the initial DSM disturbances and plume source, species disturbance, sediment plume and tailings. More importantly, the interconnection between the sediment plume and the species disturbances is also analysed particularly in this paper. The research quantifies the environmental impacts into a systematic framework, which could be helpful to assess the comprehensive environmental performances of a DSM activity and to promote the DSM industrialization process in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Ma
- Department of Maritime & Transport Technology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands.
| | - Dingena Schott
- Department of Maritime & Transport Technology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Cees van Rhee
- Department of Maritime & Transport Technology, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands
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27
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Bainbridge Z, Lewis S, Bartley R, Fabricius K, Collier C, Waterhouse J, Garzon-Garcia A, Robson B, Burton J, Wenger A, Brodie J. Fine sediment and particulate organic matter: A review and case study on ridge-to-reef transport, transformations, fates, and impacts on marine ecosystems. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 135:1205-1220. [PMID: 30301020 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies documenting the effects of land-derived suspended particulate matter (SPM, i.e., particulate organic matter and mineral sediment) on marine ecosystems are typically disconnected from terrestrial studies that determine their origin, transport and fate. This study reviews sources, transport, transformations, fate and effects of SPM along the 'ridge-to-reef' continuum. We show that some of the SPM can be transported over long distances and transformed into large and easily resuspendible organic-rich sediment flocs. These flocs may lead to prolonged reductions in water clarity, impacting upon coral reef, seagrass and fish communities. Using the Great Barrier Reef (NE Australia) as a case study, we identify the latest research tools to determine thresholds of SPM exposure, allowing for an improved appreciation of marine risk. These tools are used to determine ecologically-relevant end-of-basin load targets and reliable marine water quality guidelines, thereby enabling enhanced prioritisation and management of SPM export from ridge-to-reef.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Bainbridge
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.
| | - S Lewis
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - R Bartley
- CSIRO, Brisbane, Queensland 4068, Australia
| | - K Fabricius
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - C Collier
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - J Waterhouse
- TropWATER, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - A Garzon-Garcia
- Department of Environment and Science, GPO Box 5078, Brisbane 4001, Australia
| | - B Robson
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - J Burton
- Department of Environment and Science, GPO Box 5078, Brisbane 4001, Australia
| | - A Wenger
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - J Brodie
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
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