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Yu XL, Liu CY, Jiang L, Huang LT, Luo Y, Zhang P, Zhang YY, Liu S, Huang H. Local adaptation of trophic strategy determined the tolerance of coral Galaxea fascicularis to environmental fluctuations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 943:173694. [PMID: 38852868 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173694] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The escalation of global change has resulted in heightened frequencies and intensities of environmental fluctuations within coral reef ecosystems. Corals originating from marginal reefs have potentially enhanced their adaptive capabilities in response to these environmental variations through processes of local adaptation. However, the intricate mechanisms driving this phenomenon remain a subject of limited investigation. This study aimed to investigate how corals in Luhuitou reef, a representative relatively high-latitude reef in China, adapt to seasonal fluctuations in seawater temperature and light availability. We conducted a 190-day plantation experiment with the widespread species, Galaxea fascicularis, in Luhuitou local, and from Meiji reef, a typical offshore tropical reef, to Luhuitou as comparison. Drawing upon insights from physiological adaptations, we focused on fatty acid (FA) profiles to unravel the trophic strategies of G. fascicularis to cope with environmental fluctuations from two origins. Our main findings are threefold: 1) Native corals exhibited a stronger physiological resilience compared to those transplanted from Meiji. 2) Corals from both origins consumed large quantities of energy reserves in winter, during which FA profiles of local corals altered, while the change of FA profiles of corals from Meiji was probably due to the excessive consumption of saturated fatty acid (SFA). 3) The better resilience of native corals is related to high levels of functional polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), while insufficient nutrient reserves, possibly due to weak heterotrophic ability, result in the obstruction of the synthesis pathway of PUFA for corals from Meiji, leading to their intolerance to environmental changes. Consequently, we suggest that the tolerance of G. fascicularis to environmental fluctuations is determined by their local adapted trophic strategies. Furthermore, our findings underscore the notion that the rapid adaptation of relatively high-latitude corals to seasonal environmental fluctuations might not be readily attainable for their tropical counterparts within a brief timeframe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Lei Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Cheng-Yue Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Lin-Tao Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Pan Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu-Yang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Sheng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China; CAS-HKUST Sanya Joint Laboratory of Marine Science Research, Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, SCSIO, Sanya 572000, China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China.
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McLaren E, Sommer B, Pandolfi JM, Beger M, Byrne M. Taxa-dependent temporal trends in the abundance and size of sea urchins in subtropical eastern Australia. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11412. [PMID: 38770118 PMCID: PMC11103280 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Subtropical reefs host a dynamic mix of tropical, subtropical, and temperate species that is changing due to shifts in the abundance and distribution of species in response to ocean warming. In these transitional communities, biogeographic affinity is expected to predict changes in species composition, with projected increases of tropical species and declines in cool-affinity temperate species. Understanding population dynamics of species along biogeographic transition zones is critical, especially for habitat engineers such as sea urchins that can facilitate ecosystem shifts through grazing. We investigated the population dynamics of sea urchins on coral-associated subtropical reefs at 7 sites in eastern Australia (28.196° S to 30.95° S) over 9 years (2010-2019), a period impacted by warming and heatwaves. Specifically, we investigated the density and population size structure of taxa with temperate (Centrostephanus rodgersii, Phyllacanthus parvispinus), subtropical (Tripneustes australiae) and tropical (Diadema spp.) affinities. Counter to expectation, biogeographic affinity did not explain shifts in species abundances in this region. Although we expected the abundance of tropical species to increase at their cold range boundaries, tropical Diadema species declined across all sites. The subtropical T. australiae also showed declines, while populations of the temperate C. rodgersii were remarkably stable throughout our study period. Our results show that temporal patterns of sea urchin populations in this region cannot be predicted by bio-geographic affinity alone and contribute critical information about the population dynamics of these important herbivores along this biogeographic transition zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily McLaren
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Coastal and Marine Ecosystems GroupThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Coastal and Marine Ecosystems GroupThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - John M. Pandolfi
- School of the EnvironmentThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological SciencesUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of the EnvironmentThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Maria Byrne
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Coastal and Marine Ecosystems GroupThe University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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Sommer B, Hodge JM, Lachs L, Cant J, Pandolfi JM, Beger M. Decadal demographic shifts and size-dependent disturbance responses of corals in a subtropical warming hotspot. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6327. [PMID: 38491152 PMCID: PMC10943097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56890-w] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Long-term demographic studies at biogeographic transition zones can elucidate how body size mediates disturbance responses. Focusing on subtropical reefs in eastern Australia, we examine trends in the size-structure of corals with contrasting life-histories and zoogeographies surrounding the 2016 coral bleaching event (2010-2019) to determine their resilience and recovery capacity. We document demographic shifts, with disproportionate declines in the number of small corals and long-term persistence of larger corals. The incidence of bleaching (Pocillopora, Turbinaria) and partial mortality (Acropora, Pocillopora) increased with coral size, and bleached corals had greater risk of partial mortality. While endemic Pocillopora experienced marked declines, decadal stability of Turbinaria despite bleaching, coupled with abundance increase and bleaching resistance in Acropora indicate remarkable resilience of these taxa in the subtropics. Declines in the number of small corals and variable associations with environmental drivers indicate bottlenecks to recovery mediated by inhibitory effects of thermal extremes for Pocillopora (heat stress) and Acropora (heat and cold stress), and stimulatory effects of chlorophyll-a for Turbinaria. Although our study reveals signs of resilience, it foreshadows the vulnerability of subtropical corals to changing disturbance regimes that include marine heatwaves. Disparity in population dynamics suggest that subtropical reefs are ecologically distinct from tropical coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| | - Jessica M Hodge
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Maldives Underwater Initiative, Six Senses Laamu, Olhuveli Island, Laamu Atoll, Republic of Maldives
| | - Liam Lachs
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - James Cant
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Centre for Biological Diversity, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TH, Scotland, UK
| | - John M Pandolfi
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
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Jones NP, Gilliam DS. Temperature and local anthropogenic pressures limit stony coral assemblage viability in southeast Florida. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 200:116098. [PMID: 38310721 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116098] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is viewed as the primary threat to coral reefs, with local pressures exacerbating coral cover decline. The consensus is that improving water quality may increase resilience, but disentangling water quality and temperature impacts is difficult. We used distance-based linear models and random forests to analyze spatiotemporal variation in benthic community structure and interannual changes in the coral assemblage, in relation to specific environmental metrics in Southeast Florida. Temperature accounted for most of the variation, recruitment doubled and interannual increases in coral abundance tripled when mean annual temperature reached 27 °C, until maximum temperatures exceeded 31 °C. Benefits associated with warmer temperatures were negated by poor water quality, as nutrient enrichment was related to increased macroalgal cover, reduced coral recruitment and higher coral partial mortality. We suggest reducing local pressures will contribute to reduced macroalgae and enhance coral recovery, but that temperature is the predominant influence on coral assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P Jones
- National Coral Reef Institute, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 N Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA.
| | - David S Gilliam
- National Coral Reef Institute, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 N Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA
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Chen B, Yu K, Fu L, Wei Y, Liang J, Liao Z, Qin Z, Yu X, Deng C, Han M, Ma H. The diversity, community dynamics, and interactions of the microbiome in the world's deepest blue hole: insights into extreme environmental response patterns and tolerance of marine microorganisms. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0053123. [PMID: 37861344 PMCID: PMC10883803 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00531-23] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE This study comprehensively examined the community dynamics, functional profiles, and interactions of the microbiome in the world's deepest blue hole. The findings revealed a positive correlation between the α-diversities of Symbiodiniaceae and archaea, indicating the potential reliance of Symbiodiniaceae on archaea in an extreme environment resulting from a partial niche overlap. The negative association between the α-diversity and β-diversity of the bacterial community suggested that the change rule of the bacterial community was consistent with the Anna Karenina effects. The core microbiome comprised nine microbial taxa, highlighting their remarkable tolerance and adaptability to sharp environmental gradient variations. Bacteria and archaea played significant roles in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, while fungi contributed to carbon metabolism. This study advanced our understanding of the community dynamics, response patterns, and resilience of microorganisms populating the world's deepest blue hole, thereby facilitating further ecological and evolutional exploration of microbiomes in diverse extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) , Zhuhai, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) , Zhuhai, China
| | - Liang Fu
- Sansha Track Ocean Coral Reef Conservation Research Institute Co. Ltd. , Qionghai, China
| | - Yuxin Wei
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Resource Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University , Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Chuanqi Deng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Minwei Han
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University , Nanning, China
| | - Honglin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Resource Use in Beibu Gulf, Ministry of Education, Nanning Normal University , Nanning, China
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Yu X, Yu K, Liao Z, Chen B, Qin Z, Liang J, Gao X. Adaptation strategies of relatively high-latitude marginal reef corals in response to severe temperature fluctuations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166439. [PMID: 37604380 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
The large seasonal temperature fluctuations caused by global warming and frequent marine heatwaves pose new challenges to survival of relatively high-latitude marginal reef corals. However, the adaptation strategies of high-latitude marginal corals are not fully understood. We employed integrated approach to investigate the response mechanism of hosts, Symbiodiniaceae, and symbiotic bacteria of marginal reef corals Acropora pruinosa and Pavona decussate in response to large seasonal temperature fluctuations. The coral holobiont maintained a high level of immunity to adapt to seasonal pressure by increasing Symbiodiniaceae energy supply. The symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae of two coral was dominated by C1 subgroup, and was stable across seasons. The α-diversity of symbiotic bacteria P. decussata and A. pruinosa in summer was higher than that in winter. The symbiotic bacterial community of two coral reorganized during different seasons. Scleractinian corals improve adaptability to seasonal stress by increasing energy supply to maintain high levels of immunity, increasing symbiotic bacterial α-diversity, and changing dominant bacteria. This study demonstrates the adaptation strategies of marginal reef corals to seasonal temperature fluctuations and provides novel insights into the study of the adaptation of corals and relatively high-latitude coral refuges in the context of global warming and intensified marine heatwaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China.
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xu Gao
- Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, China
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Cant J, Reimer JD, Sommer B, Cook KM, Kim SW, Sims CA, Mezaki T, O'Flaherty C, Brooks M, Malcolm HA, Pandolfi JM, Salguero‐Gómez R, Beger M. Coral assemblages at higher latitudes favor short-term potential over long-term performance. Ecology 2023; 104:e4138. [PMID: 37458125 PMCID: PMC10909567 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The persistent exposure of coral assemblages to more variable abiotic regimes is assumed to augment their resilience to future climatic variability. Yet, while the determinants of coral population resilience across species remain unknown, we are unable to predict the winners and losers across reef ecosystems exposed to increasingly variable conditions. Using annual surveys of 3171 coral individuals across Australia and Japan (2016-2019), we explore spatial variation across the short- and long-term dynamics of competitive, stress-tolerant, and weedy assemblages to evaluate how abiotic variability mediates the structural composition of coral assemblages. We illustrate how, by promoting short-term potential over long-term performance, coral assemblages can reduce their vulnerability to stochastic environments. However, compared to stress-tolerant, and weedy assemblages, competitive coral taxa display a reduced capacity for elevating their short-term potential. Accordingly, future climatic shifts threaten the structural complexity of coral assemblages in variable environments, emulating the degradation expected across global tropical reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Cant
- Centre for Biological DiversityUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological SciencesUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - James D. Reimer
- Molecular Invertebrate Systematics and Ecology LaboratoryGraduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the RyukyusNishiharaJapan
- Tropical Biosphere Research CentreUniversity of the RyukyusNishiharaJapan
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life and Environmental ScienceThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Technology SydneyUltimoNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Katie M. Cook
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological SciencesUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchHamiltonNew Zealand
| | - Sun W. Kim
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Carrie A. Sims
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstitutePanama CityRepublic of Panama
| | - Takuma Mezaki
- Kuroshio Biological Research Foundation, Nishidomari, Otsuki‐choKochiJapan
| | | | - Maxime Brooks
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological SciencesUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - Hamish A. Malcolm
- Fisheries Research, Department of Primary IndustriesCoffs HarbourNew South WalesAustralia
| | - John M. Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological SciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Roberto Salguero‐Gómez
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic ResearchRostockGermany
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological SciencesUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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8
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Ameri S, Pappurajam L, Labeeb KA, Lakshmanan R, Ayyathurai KPV. The role of the Sunda shelf biogeographic barrier in the cryptic differentiation of Conus litteratus (Gastropoda: Conidae) across the Indo-Pacific region. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15534. [PMID: 37465149 PMCID: PMC10351507 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15534] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Geographical and oceanographic processes have influenced the speciation of marine organisms. Cone snails are marine mollusks that show high levels of endemism and a wide distributional range across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Discontinuities in distributions caused by biogeographic barriers can affect genetic connectivity. Here we analysed the connectivity within Conus litteratus using samples from the Lakshadweep archipelago (Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean) and from the Pacific Ocean. Maximum likelihood analyses based on the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and on the non-coding 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) genes revealed cryptic diversity within C. literatus occupying distinct oceanographic regions. The intraspecific genetic distances between the two distinct clades of C. literatus from the Arabian Sea and the Pacific Ocean ranged from 7.4% to 7.6% for COI and from 2.4% to 2.8% for 16S rRNA genes, which is larger than the threshold limit for interspecific differentiation. The haplotype network analysis also corroborated the existence of two different lineages within C. litteratus. The detected genetic discontinuities reflect the effect of the Sunda shelf biogeographic barrier on the allopatric divergence of C. litteratus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijin Ameri
- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
- School of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalore, India
| | | | - K. A. Labeeb
- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Ernakulam, Kerala, India
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9
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Kim SW, Sommer B, Beger M, Pandolfi JM. Regional and global climate risks for reef corals: Incorporating species-specific vulnerability and exposure to climate hazards. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:4140-4151. [PMID: 37148129 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16739] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is driving rapid and widespread erosion of the environmental conditions that formerly supported species persistence. Existing projections of climate change typically focus on forecasts of acute environmental anomalies and global extinction risks. The current projections also frequently consider all species within a broad taxonomic group together without differentiating species-specific patterns. Consequently, we still know little about the explicit dimensions of climate risk (i.e., species-specific vulnerability, exposure and hazard) that are vital for predicting future biodiversity responses (e.g., adaptation, migration) and developing management and conservation strategies. Here, we use reef corals as model organisms (n = 741 species) to project the extent of regional and global climate risks of marine organisms into the future. We characterise species-specific vulnerability based on the global geographic range and historical environmental conditions (1900-1994) of each coral species within their ranges, and quantify the projected exposure to climate hazard beyond the historical conditions as climate risk. We show that many coral species will experience a complete loss of pre-modern climate analogs at the regional scale and across their entire distributional ranges, and such exposure to hazardous conditions are predicted to pose substantial regional and global climate risks to reef corals. Although high-latitude regions may provide climate refugia for some tropical corals until the mid-21st century, they will not become a universal haven for all corals. Notably, high-latitude specialists and species with small geographic ranges remain particularly vulnerable as they tend to possess limited capacities to avoid climate risks (e.g., via adaptive and migratory responses). Predicted climate risks are amplified substantially under the SSP5-8.5 compared with the SSP1-2.6 scenario, highlighting the need for stringent emission controls. Our projections of both regional and global climate risks offer unique opportunities to facilitate climate action at spatial scales relevant to conservation and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun W Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - John M Pandolfi
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Zhao Y, Chen M, Chung TH, Chan LL, Qiu JW. The 2022 summer marine heatwaves and coral bleaching in China's Greater Bay Area. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023:106044. [PMID: 37321888 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
From July to August 2022, scleractinian coral communities in China's Greater Bay Area (GBA) in the northern South China Sea (nSCS) experienced an unprecedented bleaching event, despite the fact that coral communities in this area are often considered coral thermal refugia due to their high latitude distribution. Field surveys of six sites covering three main coral distribution areas of the GBA revealed that coral bleaching occurred at all sites. Bleaching was more severe in shallow water (1-3 m) than in deep water (4-6 m), as indicated by both percent bleached cover (51.80 ± 10.04% vs. 7.09 ± 7.37%) and bleached colonies (45.86 ± 11.22% vs. 6.58 ± 6.53%). Coral genera Acropora, Favites, Montipora, Platygyra, Pocillopora, and Porites showed high susceptibility to bleaching, and Acropora and Pocillopora suffered high post-bleaching mortality. In the three areas surveyed, analysis of oceanographic data detected marine heatwaves (MHWs) during the summer, with mean intensities between 1.62 and 1.97 °C and durations between 5 and 22 days. These MHWs were primarily driven by increased shortwave radiation due to strong western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), combined with reduced mixing between the surface and deep upwelling waters due to reduced wind speed. Comparing with histological oceanographic data showed that the 2022 MHWs were unprecedented, and there was a significant increase in the frequency, intensity, and total days of MHWs during 1982-2022. Furthermore, the heterogeneous distribution of summer MHW characteristics indicates that the coastal upwelling may modulate the spatial distribution of summer MHWs in nSCS through its cooling effect. Overall, our study indicates that MHWs may have affected the structure of the subtropical coral communities in the nSCS, and impaired their potential as thermal refugia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, PR China
| | - Mingru Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Urban Sea Ecological Conservation and Restoration (USER), Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China.
| | - Tzu Hao Chung
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Leo Lai Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity, Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, PR China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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11
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Schoepf V, Baumann JH, Barshis DJ, Browne NK, Camp EF, Comeau S, Cornwall CE, Guzmán HM, Riegl B, Rodolfo-Metalpa R, Sommer B. Corals at the edge of environmental limits: A new conceptual framework to re-define marginal and extreme coral communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163688. [PMID: 37105476 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide decline of coral reefs has renewed interest in coral communities at the edge of environmental limits because they have the potential to serve as resilience hotspots and climate change refugia, and can provide insights into how coral reefs might function in future ocean conditions. These coral communities are often referred to as marginal or extreme but few definitions exist and usage of these terms has therefore been inconsistent. This creates significant challenges for categorising these often poorly studied communities and synthesising data across locations. Furthermore, this impedes our understanding of how coral communities can persist at the edge of their environmental limits and the lessons they provide for future coral reef survival. Here, we propose that marginal and extreme coral communities are related but distinct and provide a novel conceptual framework to redefine them. Specifically, we define coral reef extremeness solely based on environmental conditions (i.e., large deviations from optimal conditions in terms of mean and/or variance) and marginality solely based on ecological criteria (i.e., altered community composition and/or ecosystem functioning). This joint but independent assessment of environmental and ecological criteria is critical to avoid common pitfalls where coral communities existing outside the presumed optimal conditions for coral reef development are automatically considered inferior to coral reefs in more traditional settings. We further evaluate the differential potential of marginal and extreme coral communities to serve as natural laboratories, resilience hotspots and climate change refugia, and discuss strategies for their conservation and management as well as priorities for future research. Our new classification framework provides an important tool to improve our understanding of how corals can persist at the edge of their environmental limits and how we can leverage this knowledge to optimise strategies for coral reef conservation, restoration and management in a rapidly changing ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Schoepf
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Justin H Baumann
- Department of Biology, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, USA
| | - Daniel J Barshis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Nicola K Browne
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Emma F Camp
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Steeve Comeau
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS-INSU, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, Villefranche-sur-mer, France
| | - Christopher E Cornwall
- School of Biological Sciences and Coastal People: Southern Skies, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Héctor M Guzmán
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, Republic of Panama
| | - Bernhard Riegl
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
| | - Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa, New Caledonia; Labex ICONA, International CO(2) Natural Analogues Network, Japan
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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12
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Miller MGR, Reimer JD, Sommer B, Cook KM, Pandolfi JM, Obuchi M, Beger M. Temperate functional niche availability not resident-invader competition shapes tropicalisation in reef fishes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2181. [PMID: 37069145 PMCID: PMC10110547 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37550-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Temperate reefs are at the forefront of warming-induced community alterations resulting from poleward range shifts. This tropicalisation is exemplified and amplified by tropical species' invasions of temperate herbivory functions. However, whether other temperate ecosystem functions are similarly invaded by tropical species, and by what drivers, remains unclear. We examine tropicalisation footprints in nine reef fish functional groups using trait-based analyses and biomass of 550 fish species across tropical to temperate gradients in Japan and Australia. We discover that functional niches in transitional communities are asynchronously invaded by tropical species, but with congruent invasion schedules for functional groups across the two hemispheres. These differences in functional group tropicalisation point to habitat availability as a key determinant of multi-species range shifts, as in the majority of functional groups tropical and temperate species share functional niche space in suitable habitat. Competition among species from different thermal guilds played little part in limiting tropicalisation, rather available functional space occupied by temperate species indicates that tropical species can invade. Characterising these drivers of reef tropicalisation is pivotal to understanding, predicting, and managing marine community transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G R Miller
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - James D Reimer
- Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Katie M Cook
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
- National Institute of Water and Atmosphere Research, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - John M Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Masami Obuchi
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
- Endo Shell Museum, 1175 Manatsuru, Ashigarashimo-gun, Manazuru-machi, Kanagawa, 259-0201, Japan
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
- Centre for Biodiversity Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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13
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Page CE, Leggat W, Egan S, Ainsworth TD. A coral disease outbreak highlights vulnerability of remote high-latitude lagoons to global and local stressors. iScience 2023; 26:106205. [PMID: 36915696 PMCID: PMC10006636 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks of coral disease are often associated with global and local stressors like changes in temperature and poor water quality. A severe coral disease outbreak was recorded in the primary reef-building taxa Montipora spp. in a high-latitude lagoon at Norfolk Island following heat stress and pollution events in 2020. Disease signs suggest the occurrence of a Montiporid White Syndrome with four distinct phases and maximum measured tissue loss of 329 mm-2 day-1. In December 2020 and April 2021, 60% of the Montipora community were impacted and disease severity increased by 54% over this period. Spatial patterns in prevalence indicate the disease is associated with exposure to poor water quality in addition to size class of coral colonies. High prevalence levels make this event comparable to some of the most severe coral disease outbreaks recorded to date demonstrating the vulnerability of this system to combined impacts of warming and pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Page
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), UNSW, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
| | - William Leggat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Suhelen Egan
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), UNSW, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
| | - Tracy D Ainsworth
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), UNSW, Kensington, NSW 2033, Australia
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14
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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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15
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Ip JCH, Zhang Y, Xie JY, Yeung YH, Qiu JW. Stable Symbiodiniaceae composition in three coral species during the 2017 natural bleaching event in subtropical Hong Kong. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 184:114224. [PMID: 36240631 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114224] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Adaptive changes in endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae communities have been reported during and after bleaching events in tropical coral species, but little is known about such shifts in subtropical species. Here we examined the Symbiodiniaceae communities in three coral species (Montipora peltiformis, Pavona decussata, and Platygyra carnosa) based on samples collected during and after the 2017 bleaching event in subtropical Hong Kong waters. In all of the collected samples, ITS2 meta-sequencing revealed that P. decussata and P. carnosa were predominantly associated with Cladocopium C1 and C1c, whereas M. peltiformis was mainly associated with two Cladocopium C21 types and C1. For each species, the predominant endosymbionts exhibited high fidelity, and the relatively low abundance ITS2-types showed minor changes between the bleached and recovered corals. Our study provided the first details of coral-algal association in Hong Kong waters, suggesting the selection of certain genotypes as a potential adaptive mechanism to the marginal environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Chi-Ho Ip
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Virtual University Park, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanjie Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - James Y Xie
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yip Hung Yeung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Virtual University Park, Shenzhen, China.
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16
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Huang W, Yang E, Yu K, Meng L, Wang Y, Liang J, Huang X, Wang G. Lower cold tolerance of tropical Porites lutea is possibly detrimental to its migration to relatively high latitude refuges in the South China Sea. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5339-5355. [PMID: 35976256 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
As high temperature stress due to climate change threatens tropical corals, cooler areas at relatively high latitudes may be potential refuges. Tolerance to low temperatures is critical in determining whether corals can successfully migrate to higher latitudes. However, the physiological and molecular adaptations that protect corals from low temperature stress are unclear. In this study, scleractinian Porites lutea samples from the tropical Xisha Islands (XS) and subtropical Daya Bay (DY) in the South China Sea were subjected to a reduction in ambient temperature from 26 to 12°C. Differences in physiological changes and gene expression were analysed. P. lutea from both XS and DY exhibited physiological bleaching under low temperature stress, and the Symbiodiniaceae density, Fv/Fm, and chlorophyll-α content were significantly reduced. Symbiosome antioxidative stress and metabolic enzyme activity first increased and then decreased. RNA-seq analysis showed that the host responded to low temperature stress by activating immune, apoptotic, and autophagic pathways and reducing metabolic levels. Nevertheless, Symbiodiniaceae lacked the physiological regulatory capacity to adapt to low temperatures. The lower cold tolerance of XS tropical P. lutea may attribute to lower oxidative stress resistance, lower photosynthetic capacity, worse energy supply, and higher susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections and diseases in XS corals. The difference in cold tolerance may result from genetic differences between the geographic populations and is possibly detrimental to the migration of tropical coral to relatively high latitude refuges. This study provides a theoretical basis for anthropogenically assisted coral migration as a response to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Enguang Yang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China
| | - Linqing Meng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Yonggang Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Guanghua Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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17
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Heitzman JM, Caputo N, Yang SY, Harvey BP, Agostini S. Recurrent disease outbreak in a warm temperate marginal coral community. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 182:113954. [PMID: 35914433 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113954] [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: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coral diseases contribute to the rapid degradation of coral reefs on a global scale. Although widespread in tropical and subtropical reefs, disease outbreaks have not been described in warm temperate areas. Here, we report the outbreak of a new coral disease in a warm temperate marginal coral community in Japan. Outbreaks of the disease have been observed during the summer and autumn months since 2014. It affects the coral species Porites heronensis and was tentatively named "White Mat Syndrome" (WMS) as it consists of a white microbial mat dominated by Thiothrix sp., a sulfide oxidizing bacteria. Outbreaks followed high seasonal temperatures and were associated with the macroalga Gelidium elegans, which acts as a pathogen reservoir. With ocean warming and the anticipated increase in novel coral-algae interactions as some coral species shift poleward, WMS and emerging diseases could hinder the role of temperate areas as a future coral refuge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Heitzman
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan.
| | - Nicolè Caputo
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan; Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via S. Alberto 163, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Sung-Yin Yang
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan; Department of Aquatic Sciences, National Chiayi University A303, Department of Aquatic Sciences, No. 300 Syuefu Rd., Chiayi City 600355, Taiwan
| | - Ben P Harvey
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Sylvain Agostini
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 5-10-1 Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan.
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18
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Zhao Y, Law YS, Zhai X, Zhou K, Chen M, Qiu JW. Urban coral communities and water quality parameters along the coasts of Guangdong Province, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 180:113821. [PMID: 35688066 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Coral communities in China's Great Bay Area (GBA) have experienced severe degradation, but only limited information is available about their community structure. We surveyed 20 sites across three regions (Daya Bay, Dapeng Bay, Wanshan Islands) in GBA to provide an updated baseline of these urban coral communities. Live coral cover varied substantially, with the lowest values (<2 %) found inside the highly urbanized Daya Bay, and highest values (40-47 %) from offshore islands that are less affected by human activities. The two sites with the lowest live coral cover had a high percentage of dead coral. Five groups of coral communities could be identified, with most of them characterized by dominance of massive and encrusting coral species. Both coral cover and generic richness were negatively correlated with dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the water column, indicating that nutrient pollution could potentially constrain the development of these urban coral communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China
| | - Yu Sheung Law
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; HKBU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Continuing Education (IRACE), Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Xiaohui Zhai
- Shenzhen Marine Monitoring and Forecasting Center, Shenzhen 518000, PR China
| | - Kai Zhou
- Shenzhen Marine Monitoring and Forecasting Center, Shenzhen 518000, PR China
| | - Mingru Chen
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Urban Sea Ecological Conservation and Restoration, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China.
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; HKBU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Continuing Education (IRACE), Shenzhen, PR China.
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19
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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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20
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Mitochondrial marker–based analyses provide new insights into role of coral reef ecosystems in molluscan speciation. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-021-00533-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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21
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Interaction and Assembly of Bacterial Communities in High-Latitude Coral Habitat Associated Seawater. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030558. [PMID: 35336132 PMCID: PMC8955259 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030558] [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: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Threatened by climate change and ocean warming, coral reef ecosystems have been shifting in geographic ranges toward a higher latitude area. The water-associated microbial communities and their potential role in primary production contribution are well studied in tropical coral reefs, but poorly defined in high-latitude coral habitats to date. In this study, amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA and cbbL gene, co-occurrence network, and βNTI were used. The community structure of bacterial and carbon-fixation bacterial communities showed a significant difference between the center of coral, transitional, and non-coral area. Nitrite, DOC, pH, and coral coverage ratio significantly impacted the β-diversity of bacterial and carbon-fixation communities. The interaction of heterotrophs and autotrophic carbon-fixers was more complex in the bottom than in surface water. Carbon-fixers correlated with diverse heterotrophs in surface water but fewer lineages of heterotrophic taxa in the bottom. Bacterial community assembly showed an increase by deterministic process with decrease of coral coverage in bottom water, which may correlate with the gradient of nitrite and pH in the habitat. A deterministic process dominated the assembly of carbon-fixation bacterial community in surface water, while stochastic process dominated t the bottom. In conclusion, the structure and assembly of bacterial and carbon-fixer community were affected by multi-environmental variables in high-latitude coral habitat-associated seawater.
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22
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Reverter M, Helber SB, Rohde S, de Goeij JM, Schupp PJ. Coral reef benthic community changes in the Anthropocene: Biogeographic heterogeneity, overlooked configurations, and methodology. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1956-1971. [PMID: 34951504 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Non-random community changes are becoming more frequent in many ecosystems. In coral reefs, changes towards communities dominated by other than hard corals are increasing in frequency, with severe impacts on ecosystem functioning and provision of ecosystem services. Although new research suggests that a variety of alternative communities (i.e. not dominated by hard corals) exist, knowledge on the global diversity and functioning of alternative coral reef benthic communities, especially those not dominated by algae, remains scattered. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 523 articles, we analyse the different coral reef benthic community changes reported to date and discuss the advantages and limitations of the methods used to study these changes. Furthermore, we used field cover data (1116 reefs from the ReefCheck database) to explore the biogeographic and latitudinal patterns in dominant benthic organisms. We found a mismatch between literature focus on coral-algal changes (over half of the studies analysed) and observed global natural patterns. We identified strong biogeographic patterns, with the largest and most biodiverse biogeographic regions (Western and Central Indo-Pacific) presenting previously overlooked soft-coral-dominated communities as the most abundant alternative community. Finally, we discuss the potential biases associated with methods that overlook ecologically important cryptobenthic communities and the potential of new technological advances in improving monitoring efforts. As coral reef communities inevitably and swiftly change under changing ocean conditions, there is an urgent need to better understand the distribution, dynamics as well as the ecological and societal impacts of these new communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Reverter
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Stephanie B Helber
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Sven Rohde
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Jasper M de Goeij
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter J Schupp
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB), Oldenburg, Germany
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23
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Factors Limiting the Range Extension of Corals into High-Latitude Reef Regions. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13120632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Reef-building corals show a marked decrease in total species richness from the tropics to high latitude regions. Several hypotheses have been proposed to account for this pattern in the context of abiotic and biotic factors, including temperature thresholds, light limitation, aragonite saturation, nutrient or sediment loads, larval dispersal constraints, competition with macro-algae or other invertebrates, and availability of suitable settlement cues or micro-algal symbionts. Surprisingly, there is a paucity of data supporting several of these hypotheses. Given the immense pressures faced by corals in the Anthropocene, it is critical to understand the factors limiting their distribution in order to predict potential range expansions and the role that high latitude reefs can play as refuges from climate change. This review examines these factors and outlines critical research areas to address knowledge gaps in our understanding of light/temperature interactions, coral-Symbiodiniaceae associations, settlement cues, and competition in high latitude reefs.
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24
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Huang CY, Hwang JS, Yamashiro H, Tang SL. Spatial and cross-seasonal patterns of coral diseases in reefs of Taiwan: high prevalence and regional variation. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2021; 146:145-156. [PMID: 34672264 DOI: 10.3354/dao03624] [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] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Although research on coral diseases is increasing worldwide, it remains limited in Taiwan. Taiwan is located at the Tropic of Cancer and contains both tropical and subtropical reefs. We conducted spatial and cross-seasonal surveys in Taiwan in 2018 and identified 7 types of disease and nondisease lesions and 6 potential factors influencing coral health. The overall mean prevalence of disease and nondisease lesions varied considerably across the reef regions, and host susceptibility differed among the coral taxa. The overall mean prevalence of disease and nondisease lesions was highest in Kenting (mean ± SEM: 8.58 ± 1.81%) and lowest on the Southern Islands (2.12 ± 0.73%). Although the prevalence of diseases did not differ significantly between the seasons, cyanobacteria-related diseases-including black band disease (BBD), BBD-like syndrome, and other cyanobacterial syndromes-were slightly more prevalent in autumn than in spring. Furthermore, 3 of the potential factors influencing coral health (i.e. turf algae, bioeroding sponges, and coral bleaching) were strong predictors of disease and nondisease lesion prevalence. These results advance our understanding of coral disease ecology in Taiwan and highlight the need for further research on the correlations between diseases, hosts, and environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Yun Huang
- Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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25
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Yu X, Yu K, Liao Z, Chen B, Deng C, Yu J, Yao Q, Qin Z, Liang J. Seasonal fluctuations in symbiotic bacteria and their role in environmental adaptation of the scleractinian coral Acropora pruinosa in high-latitude coral reef area of the South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 792:148438. [PMID: 34153755 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Coral-associated bacterial communities are paramount for coral ecosystems and holobiont health. However, the role of symbiotic bacteria in the adaptation of high-latitude corals to seasonal fluctuations remains underexplored. Therefore, we used 16S rRNA-based high-throughput sequencing to analyze the symbiotic bacterial diversity, composition, and core bacterial community in high-latitude coral and explored the seasonal fluctuation characteristics of symbiotic bacterial communities. We found that bacterial richness and α-diversity changed significantly across different seasons. Additionally, the community structure recombined seasonally, with different dominant bacterial phyla and genera in different seasons. However, the symbiotic bacterial community structures of Acropora pruinosa in winter and spring were similar. Proteobacteria were the dominant bacteria in spring, autumn, and winter. In summer, the dominant bacterial taxa were Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria. Ralstonia was the dominant bacterial genus in spring and winter, whereas in autumn, BD1-7_clade was dominant. Linear discriminant analysis effect size identified 20 abundant genera between the different groups. Core microbiome analysis revealed that 12 core bacterial operational taxonomic units were associated with A. pruinosa in all seasons, seven of which varied with the seasons, changing between dominant and rare. Distance-based redundancy and variation partitioning analyses revealed that sea surface temperature was the major contributor of variation in the microbial community structure. We hypothesized that the high diversity and abundance of symbiotic bacteria and the increase in Prosthecochloris abundance in coral in summer can help A. pruinosa maintain its physiological functions, ameliorating the negative physiological effects of the decrease in Symbiodiniaceae density under high-temperature stress. Thus, the rapid reorganization of the symbiotic bacterial community structure and core microflora in different seasons may allow the corals to adapt to large seasonal environmental fluctuations. In conclusion, seasonal variation of bacteria plays an important role in coral adaptation to large environmental fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), China.
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chuanqi Deng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiaoyang Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Qiucui Yao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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26
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Agostini S, Harvey BP, Milazzo M, Wada S, Kon K, Floc'h N, Komatsu K, Kuroyama M, Hall-Spencer JM. Simplification, not "tropicalization", of temperate marine ecosystems under ocean warming and acidification. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:4771-4784. [PMID: 34268836 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ocean warming is altering the biogeographical distribution of marine organisms. In the tropics, rising sea surface temperatures are restructuring coral reef communities with sensitive species being lost. At the biogeographical divide between temperate and tropical communities, warming is causing macroalgal forest loss and the spread of tropical corals, fishes and other species, termed "tropicalization". A lack of field research into the combined effects of warming and ocean acidification means there is a gap in our ability to understand and plan for changes in coastal ecosystems. Here, we focus on the tropicalization trajectory of temperate marine ecosystems becoming coral-dominated systems. We conducted field surveys and in situ transplants at natural analogues for present and future conditions under (i) ocean warming and (ii) both ocean warming and acidification at a transition zone between kelp and coral-dominated ecosystems. We show that increased herbivory by warm-water fishes exacerbates kelp forest loss and that ocean acidification negates any benefits of warming for range extending tropical corals growth and physiology at temperate latitudes. Our data show that, as the combined effects of ocean acidification and warming ratchet up, marine coastal ecosystems lose kelp forests but do not gain scleractinian corals. Ocean acidification plus warming leads to overall habitat loss and a shift to simple turf-dominated ecosystems, rather than the complex coral-dominated tropicalized systems often seen with warming alone. Simplification of marine habitats by increased CO2 levels cascades through the ecosystem and could have severe consequences for the provision of goods and services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Agostini
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Ben P Harvey
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Marco Milazzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa, Rome, Italy
| | - Shigeki Wada
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Koetsu Kon
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Nicolas Floc'h
- Ecole Européenne Supérieure d'Art de Bretagne, Rennes, France
| | - Kosei Komatsu
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Mayumi Kuroyama
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Jason M Hall-Spencer
- Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
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27
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Wu Q, Huang W, Chen B, Yang E, Meng L, Chen Y, Li J, Huang X, Liang J, Yap TK, Yu K. Genetic structure of Turbinaria peltata in the northern South China Sea suggest insufficient genetic adaptability of relatively high-latitude scleractinian corals to environment stress. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 775:145775. [PMID: 33611183 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145775] [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: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid degradation of coral reefs due to global warming and anthropogenic impacts, relatively high-latitude areas, such as the northern South China Sea (SCS), are likely to become refuges for tropical coral species. Here we investigated the genetic features and adaptability of one dominant scleractinian coral species, Turbinaria peltata, in the northern SCS. A total of 81 samples from 5 sites were studied to explore potential mechanisms of adaptability to environmental stress as a result of climate change. Ten microsatellite markers developed in this study, one nuclear gene (internal transcribed spacer, ITS), and one mitochondrial gene (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene, mtDNA COI) were used. Our results indicated that the genetic diversity of T. peltata in the northern SCS is low (Ar = 1.403-2.011, Ho = 0.105-0.248, He = 0.187-0.421) with the lowest in Dongfang population (DF) (Ar = 1.403, Ho = 0.22, He = 0.187). These results indicate that T. peltata has insufficient genetic adaptability and may unable to handle increasingly complex global changes. A significantly moderate genetic differentiation was observed among T. peltata populations (ΦST = 0.167), in addition to a high genetic differentiation between DF and other populations (FST = 0.272-0.536 > 0.25). The DF population near a fishing port was exposed to severe anthropogenic environmental stress, which may drive the extraordinarily high genetic differentiation between DF and other populations. Furthermore, the Mantel test results showed that the genetic differentiation of the other four populations was strongly correlated with the average sea surface temperature (SST) (R2 = 0.82, Mantel test P < 0.05) and geographical distance (R2 = 0.57, Mantel test P < 0.05). Our results suggest that the genetic structure of T. peltata in the relatively high-latitude of the SCS was significantly affected by average SST, geographical isolation, and anthropogenic activities. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the protection of relatively high-latitude coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
| | - Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China
| | - Enguang Yang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Linqing Meng
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yinmin Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- College of Oceanography, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Tzuen-Kiat Yap
- Guangxi Haishu Marine Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Nanning 530004, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Coral Reef Research Center of China, School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai 519080, China.
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28
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Coral distribution and bleaching vulnerability areas in Southwestern Atlantic under ocean warming. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12833. [PMID: 34172760 PMCID: PMC8233347 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92202-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Global climate change is a major threat to reefs by increasing the frequency and severity of coral bleaching events over time, reducing coral cover and diversity. Ocean warming may cause shifts in coral communities by increasing temperatures above coral's upper thermal limits in tropical regions, and by making extratropical regions (marginal reefs) more suitable and potential refugia. We used Bayesian models to project coral occurrence, cover and bleaching probabilities in Southwestern Atlantic and predicted how these probabilities will change under a high-emission scenario (RCP8.5). By overlapping these projections, we categorized areas that combine high probabilities of coral occurrence, cover and bleaching as vulnerability-hotspots. Current coral occurrence and cover probabilities were higher in the tropics (1°S-20°S) but both will decrease and shift to new suitable extratropical reefs (20°S-27°S; tropicalization) with ocean warming. Over 90% of the area present low and mild vulnerability, while the vulnerability-hotspots represent ~ 3% under current and future scenarios, but include the most biodiverse reef complex in South Atlantic (13°S-18°S; Abrolhos Bank). As bleaching probabilities increase with warming, the least vulnerable areas that could act as potential refugia are predicted to reduce by 50%. Predicting potential refugia and highly vulnerable areas can inform conservation actions to face climate change.
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29
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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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30
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Yeung YH, Xie JY, Kwok CK, Kei K, Ang P, Chan LL, Dellisanti W, Cheang CC, Chow WK, Qiu JW. Hong Kong's subtropical scleractinian coral communities: Baseline, environmental drivers and management implications. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 167:112289. [PMID: 33773418 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112289] [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: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We surveyed 41 sites to provide an updated baseline of Hong Kong coral communities. Five community types were identified, among them the most common one inhabited oceanic waters and dominated by both massive and upward-plating corals. The 41 sites had 2.1-79% coral cover; among them 21 in the eastern waters had >40% coral cover. Corals in several sites showed signs of external bioerosion or bleaching-induced damage. Sites in the southern waters had low coral cover. Both coral cover and generic richness correlated negatively with several water quality parameters including total inorganic nitrogen concentration and turbidity, indicating the development of Hong Kong's coral communities is constrained by water quality parameters. Management actions are proposed to reduce bioerosion, and to monitor sites affected by bleaching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yip Hung Yeung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China
| | - James Y Xie
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Keith Kei
- College of International Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Put Ang
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Leo Lai Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Walter Dellisanti
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi Chiu Cheang
- Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing Kuen Chow
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China; HKBU Institute of Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, China.
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31
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Butt N, Chauvenet ALM, Adams VM, Beger M, Gallagher RV, Shanahan DF, Ward M, Watson JEM, Possingham HP. Importance of species translocations under rapid climate change. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:775-783. [PMID: 33047846 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Species that cannot adapt or keep pace with a changing climate are likely to need human intervention to shift to more suitable climates. While hundreds of articles mention using translocation as a climate-change adaptation tool, in practice, assisted migration as a conservation action remains rare, especially for animals. This is likely due to concern over introducing species to places where they may become invasive. However, there are other barriers to consider, such as time-frame mismatch, sociopolitical, knowledge and uncertainty barriers to conservationists adopting assisted migration as a go-to strategy. We recommend the following to advance assisted migration as a conservation tool: attempt assisted migrations at small scales, translocate species with little invasion risk, adopt robust monitoring protocols that trigger an active response, and promote political and public support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Butt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Alienor L M Chauvenet
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia
| | - Vanessa M Adams
- School of Technology, Environments & Design, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, U.K
| | - Rachael V Gallagher
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Danielle F Shanahan
- Zealandia Ecosanctuary, 53 Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
- Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn, Wellington, 6012, New Zealand
| | - Michelle Ward
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York, U.S.A
| | - Hugh P Possingham
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
- The Nature Conservancy, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101, Australia
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32
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Chen B, Yu K, Liao Z, Yu X, Qin Z, Liang J, Wang G, Wu Q, Jiang L. Microbiome community and complexity indicate environmental gradient acclimatisation and potential microbial interaction of endemic coral holobionts in the South China Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 765:142690. [PMID: 33071127 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142690] [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: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Regional acclimatisation and microbial interactions significantly influence the resilience of reef-building corals facing anthropogenic climate change, allowing them to adapt to environmental stresses. However, the connections between community structure and microbial interactions of the endemic coral microbiome and holobiont acclimatisation remain unclear. Herein, we used generation sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) and 16S rRNA genes to investigate the microbiome composition (Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria) and associated potential interactions of endemic dominant coral holobionts (Pocillopora verrucosa and Turbinaria peltata) in the South China Sea (SCS). We found that shifts in Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial communities of P. verrucosa were associated with latitudinal gradient and climate zone changes, respectively. The C1 sub-clade consistently dominated the Symbiodiniaceae community in T. peltata; yet, the bacterial community structure was spatially heterogeneous. The relative abundance of the core microbiome among P. verrucosa holobionts was reduced in the biogeographical transition zone, while bacterial taxa associated with anthropogenic activity (Escherichia coli and Sphingomonas) were identified in the core microbiomes. Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria potentially interact in microbial co-occurrence networks. Further, increased bacterial, and Symbiodiniaceae α-diversity was associated with increased and decreased network complexity, respectively. Hence, Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria demonstrated different flexibility in latitudinal or climatic environmental regimes, which correlated with holobiont acclimatisation. Core microbiome analysis has indicated that the function of core bacterial microbiota might have changed in distinct environmental regimes, implying potential human activity in the coral habitats. Increased bacterial α diversity may lead to a decline in the stability of coral-microorganism symbioses, whereas rare Symbiodiniaceae may help to retain symbioses. Cladocopium, γ-proteobacteria, while α-proteobacteria may have been the primary drivers in the Symbiodiniaceae-bacterial interactions (SBIs). Our study highlights the association between microbiome shift in distinct environmental regimes and holobiont acclimatisation, while providing insights into the impact of SBIs on holobiont health and acclimatisation during climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Guanghua Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Leilei Jiang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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Keshavmurthy S, Beals M, Hsieh HJ, Choi KS, Chen CA. Physiological plasticity of corals to temperature stress in marginal coral communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143628. [PMID: 33248756 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Adaptation and/or acclimatization through various mechanisms have been suggested to help some tropical coral species to overcome temperature-induced bleaching that is intensifying with climate change; however, while much research has been done on the physiological responses of tropical and subtropical corals to stress, little is known about these responses in corals in marginal environments-e.g., high-latitude and non-reefal communities. In this study, we examined the thermal-tolerant physiology of the flowerpot coral, Alveopora japonica, endemic to the high-latitude Jeju Island (33.39°N), South Korea and Oulastrea crispata and Coelastrea aspera from the subtropical non-reefal coral community on the Penghu Islands (23.34°N), Taiwan. Analysis of physiological parameters; photochemical efficiency, Chlorophyll pigment, Symbiodiniaceae cell number and host soluble proteins - showed that A. japonica can survive through a wide range of temperature stresses (10-32 °C) over a period of 8 days without showing signs of bleaching. In addition, corals O. crispata and C. aspera withstood temperature stresses of up to 33 °C and repeated temperature fluctuations without bleaching. Our results indicate that, under large seasonal variations and asymmetrical daily fluctuations in temperature, corals currently living in marginal environments could have thermal plasticity, allowing them to survive in the future climate change scenarios. This study reiterates the importance of studying the eco-physiology of corals that are generally ignored because of their neutral or positive responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Morgan Beals
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Hernyi Justin Hsieh
- Penghu Marine Biology Research Center, Fishery Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Magong, Penghu 880, Taiwan
| | - Kwang-Sik Choi
- School of Marine Biomedical Science (BK 21 PLUS), Jeju National University, 102 Jejudaehakno, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Taiwan International Graduate Program-Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Nangang, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 106, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, Tunghai University, Taichung 404, Taiwan.
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Cant J, Salguero-Gómez R, Kim SW, Sims CA, Sommer B, Brooks M, Malcolm HA, Pandolfi JM, Beger M. The projected degradation of subtropical coral assemblages by recurrent thermal stress. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:233-247. [PMID: 32920820 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Subtropical coral assemblages are threatened by similar extreme thermal stress events to their tropical counterparts. Yet, the mid- and long-term thermal stress responses of corals in subtropical environments remain largely unquantified, limiting our capacity to predict their future viability. The annual survival, growth and recruitment of 311 individual corals within the Solitary Islands Marine Park (Australia) was recorded over a 3-year period (2016-2018), including the 2015/2016 thermal stress event. These data were used to parameterise integral projection models quantifying the effect of thermal stress within a subtropical coral assemblage. Stochastic simulations were also applied to evaluate the implications of recurrent thermal stress scenarios predicted by four different Representative Concentration Pathways. We report differential shifts in population growth rates (λ) among coral populations during both stress and non-stress periods, confirming contrasting bleaching responses among taxa. However, even during non-stress periods, the observed dynamics for all taxa were unable to maintain current community composition, highlighting the need for external recruitment sources to support the community structure. Across all coral taxa, projected stochastic growth rates (λs ) were found to be lowest under higher emissions scenarios. Correspondingly, predicted increases in recurrent thermal stress regimes may accelerate the loss of coral coverage, species diversity and structural complexity within subtropical regions. We suggest that these trends are primarily due to the susceptibility of subtropical specialists and endemic species, such as Pocillopora aliciae, to thermal stress. Similarly, the viability of many tropical coral populations at higher latitudes is highly dependent on the persistence of up-current tropical systems. As such, the inherent dynamics of subtropical coral populations appear unable to support their future persistence under unprecedented thermal disturbance scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Cant
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Roberto Salguero-Gómez
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany
| | - Sun W Kim
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Carrie A Sims
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- School of Life and Environmental Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Maxime Brooks
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Hamish A Malcolm
- Fisheries Research, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Tortolero-Langarica JJA, Rodríguez-Troncoso AP, Cupul-Magaña AL, Rinkevich B. Micro-Fragmentation as an Effective and Applied Tool to Restore Remote Reefs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17186574. [PMID: 32916999 PMCID: PMC7558289 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Coral reef ecosystems are continuously degraded by anthropogenic and climate change drivers, causing a widespread decline in reef biodiversity and associated goods and services. In response, active restoration methodologies and practices have been developed globally to compensate for losses due to reef degradation. Yet, most activities employ the gardening concept that uses coral nurseries, and are centered in easily-accessible reefs, with existing infrastructure, and impractical for coral reefs in remote locations. Here we evaluate the effectiveness of direct outplanting of coral micro-fragments (Pavona clavus and Pocillopora spp.) as a novel approach to restore remote reefs in the Islas Marías archipelago in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Coral growth (height-width-tissue cover), survival percentage, extension rates (cm year−1), skeletal density (g cm−3) and calcification rates (g cm−2 year−1) were assessed over 13 months of restoration. In spite of detrimental effects of Hurricane Willa, transplants showed a greater-than-twofold increase in all growth metrics, with ~58–61% survival rate and fast self-attachment (within ~3.9 months) for studied species, with Pocilloporids exhibiting higher extension, skeletal density, and calcification rates than Pavona. While comprehensive long-term studies are required, direct transplantation methodologies of coral micro-fragments are emerging as time-effective and affordable restoration tools to mitigate anthropogenic and climate change impacts in remote and marginal reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. J. Adolfo Tortolero-Langarica
- Tecnológico Nacional de México/IT Bahía de Banderas, Crucero a Punta de Mita S/N, Bahía de Banderas, C.P., Nayarit 63734, Mexico
- Correspondence: (J.J.A.T.-L.); (B.R.)
| | - Alma P. Rodríguez-Troncoso
- Laboratorio de Ecología Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras, Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara. Av. Universidad No. 203, Puerto Vallarta, C.P., Jalisco 48280, Mexico; (A.P.R.-T.); (A.L.C.-M.)
| | - Amílcar L. Cupul-Magaña
- Laboratorio de Ecología Marina, Centro de Investigaciones Costeras, Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara. Av. Universidad No. 203, Puerto Vallarta, C.P., Jalisco 48280, Mexico; (A.P.R.-T.); (A.L.C.-M.)
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Tel Shikmona, P.O. Box 8030, Haifa 31080, Israel
- Correspondence: (J.J.A.T.-L.); (B.R.)
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36
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Karisa JF, Obura DO, Chen CA. Spatial heterogeneity of coral reef benthic communities in Kenya. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237397. [PMID: 32845883 PMCID: PMC7449394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial patterns of coral reef benthic communities vary across a range of broad-scale biogeographical levels to fine-scale local habitat conditions. This study described spatial patterns of coral reef benthic communities spanning across the 536-km coast of Kenya. Thirty-eight reef sites representing different geographical zones within an array of habitats and management levels were assessed by benthic cover, coral genera and coral colony size classes. Three geographical zones were identified along the latitudinal gradient based on their benthic community composition. Hard coral dominated the three zones with highest cover in the south and Porites being the most abundant genus. Almost all 15 benthic variables differed significantly between geographical zones. The interaction of habitat factors and management levels created a localised pattern within each zone. Four habitats were identified based on their similarity in benthic community composition; 1. Deep-Exposed Patch reef in Reserve areas (DEPR), 2. Deep-Exposed Fringing reefs in Unprotected areas (DEFU), 3. Shallow Fringing and Lagoon reefs in Protected and Reserve areas (SFLPR) and 4. Shallow Patch and Channel reefs (SPC). DEPR was found in the north zone only and its benthic community was predominantly crustose coralline algae. DEFU was found in central and south zones mainly dominated by soft corals, Acropora, Montipora, juvenile corals and small colonies of adult corals. SFLPR was dominated by macroalgae and turf algae and was found in north and central zones. SPC was found across all geographical zones with a benthic community dominated by hard corals of mostly large colonies of Porites and Echinopora. The north zone exhibits habitat types that support resistance properties, the south supports recovery processes and central zone acts as an ecological corridor between zones. Identifying habitats with different roles in reef resilience is useful information for marine spatial planning and supports the process of designing effective marine protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Furaha Karisa
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Mombasa, Kenya
| | | | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, Tung Hai University, Taichung, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
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37
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Wang Y, Yu K, Chen X, Wang W, Huang X, Wang Y, Liao Z. An approach for assessing ecosystem-based adaptation in coral reefs at relatively high latitudes to climate change and human pressure. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:579. [PMID: 32783089 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-08534-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Relatively high-latitude waters are supposed as a refuge for corals under ocean warming. A systematic assessment of the Weizhou Island reef in the northern South China Sea, a relatively high-latitude region, shows that the ecosystem restoration index decreased from 0.96 to 0.62 during the period between 1990 and 2015. Although the biotic community, supporting services, and regulating services remained at good or very good states, the provisioning services, cultural services, and especially habitat structure deteriorated to very poor or moderate states. Gray relational analysis showed that these ecological declines exhibited a strong relationship with human pressures from tourism activities and the petrochemical industry. The recoveries of the biotic community and supporting services that benefited from wintertime warming appeared to be partly offset by intensive human pressures. The long-term effects on ecosystem structure and functions suggest that anthropogenic disturbances have impaired the possibility of this area serving as a potential thermal refuge for reef-building corals in the South China Sea. This study thus provides an integrated approach for assessing the adaptive responses of coral reef ecosystems to climate change and local human activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhi Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, 519000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Wenhuan Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhiheng Liao
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
- School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, Guangxi, China
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Chen B, Yu K, Qin Z, Liang J, Wang G, Huang X, Wu Q, Jiang L. Dispersal, genetic variation, and symbiont interaction network of heat-tolerant endosymbiont Durusdinium trenchii: Insights into the adaptive potential of coral to climate change. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 723:138026. [PMID: 32213418 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Global warming has degraded coral reef ecosystems worldwide. Some corals develop thermal tolerance by associating with heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae. Here, we studied the mechanisms surrounding the dispersal, genetic variation and symbionts interaction of heat-tolerant Durusdinium trenchii across 13° latitudes in the South China Sea (SCS), to explore the possible mechanisms underlying these changes. Our results showed that Durusdinium trenchii are widely distributed in the seawater from the SCS. Our analyses of microsatellite loci revealed that D. trenchii has a high genetic diversity in the SCS; STRUCTURE analysis indicated that D. trenchii can be divided into four populations within the SCS; There exist positive correlations between genetic variation and geographic isolation, average sea surface temperature (SST) and variations in SST. Network modelling inferences showed that D. trenchii is a key species in the Symbiodiniaceae communities in the tropical SCS and contributes the greatest number of co-exclusion relationships. These results indicated that D. trenchii can affect the rare Symbiodiniaceae community. The long lifespan and the monsoon-driven ocean currents have shaped the wide distribution of D. trenchii. But low SST limits the ability of D. trenchii to establish stable symbioses with coral in the subtropical habitats. Geographical isolation and SST have shaped significant genetic variation of D.trenchii around the SCS. Our data reveals the biogeography and genetic population characteristics of D. trenchii in the Indo-Pacific region, and suggests that heat-tolerance and high genetic diversity of D. trenchii aid the corals with their adaptation to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Chen
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.
| | - Zhenjun Qin
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Jiayuan Liang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Guanghua Wang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Xueyong Huang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Qian Wu
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Leilei Jiang
- Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning, China; School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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Denis V, Fan T, Hsiao WV, Hwang S, Lin YV, Nozawa Y. Idea Paper: Tracking the distribution of accretive reef communities across the Kuroshio region. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vianney Denis
- Institute of Oceanography National Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Tung‐Yung Fan
- Graduate Institute of Marine Biology National Dong Hwa University Pingtung Taiwan
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium Pingtung Taiwan
| | | | - Sung‐Jin Hwang
- Department of Life Science Woosuk University Jincheon Republic of Korea
| | - Yuting Vicky Lin
- Institute of Oceanography National Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
| | - Yoko Nozawa
- Biodiversity Research Center Academia Sinica Taipei Taiwan
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40
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Dellisanti W, Tsang RHL, Ang P, Wu J, Wells ML, Chan LL. Metabolic performance and thermal and salinity tolerance of the coral Platygyra carnosa in Hong Kong waters. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 153:111005. [PMID: 32275553 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111005] [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: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Stress-tolerant coral species, such as Platygyra spp., are considered to be well adapted to survive in marginal reefs, but their physiological response to short term exposure to abnormally high temperature and lowered salinity remains poorly understood. Using non-invasive techniques to quantitatively assess the health of Platygyra carnosa (e.g. respiration, photosynthesis, biocalcification and whiteness), we identified the plasticity of its energetics and physiological limits. Although these indicators suggest that it can survive to increasing temperature (25-32 °C), its overall energetics were seriously diminished at temperatures >30 °C. In contrast, it was well adapted to hyposaline waters (31-21 psu) but with reduced biocalcification, indicating short term adaptation for expected future changes in salinity driven by increased amounts and intensities of precipitation. Our findings provide useful insights to the effect of these climate drivers on P. carnosa metabolism and thus better forecast changes in their health status under future climate change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Dellisanti
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity, Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Ryan H L Tsang
- Marine Science Laboratory, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Put Ang
- Marine Science Laboratory, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiajun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity, Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mark L Wells
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, USA; State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics, Second Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 36 Baochubei Road, Hangzhou 310012, China
| | - Leo L Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory for the Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity, Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, China.
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41
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Xie JY, Yeung YH, Kwok CK, Kei K, Ang P, Chan LL, Cheang CC, Chow WK, Qiu JW. Localized bleaching and quick recovery in Hong Kong's coral communities. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 153:110950. [PMID: 32056854 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.110950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
During the summer of 2017 we visited 33 sites with substantial coral cover across Hong Kong waters. At six sites where coral bleaching was observed, video-transect surveys were conducted, which revealed 18.7% to 56.1% bleached colonies and 5.9% to 57.6% bleached coral covered area per site. Mainly affected were three plate-like and three massive coral species. Water quality parameters were analyzed, which indicated that hyposalinity might have triggered the bleaching event. Tagging and follow-up field observation revealed a pattern of recovery depending on coral growth form, with high recovery rates (>93%) at five sites dominated by massive and submassive corals, but moderate (70%) at a site dominated by plate-like corals. Our study shows that the corals of Hong Kong exhibit differential susceptibility to bleaching and ability to recover, therefore it is imperative to establish a long-term monitoring programme to detect the changes in community structure over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Y Xie
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yip Hung Yeung
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Keith Kei
- College of International Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Put Ang
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Leo Lai Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chi Chiu Cheang
- Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wing-Kuen Chow
- Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jian-Wen Qiu
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China.
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42
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Kang JH, Jang JE, Kim JH, Kim S, Keshavmurthy S, Agostini S, Reimer JD, Chen CA, Choi KS, Park SR, Lee HJ. The Origin of the Subtropical Coral Alveopora japonica (Scleractinia: Acroporidae) in High-Latitude Environments. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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43
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Smith SDA, Peregrin LS. The shelled gastropods of the Solitary Islands Marine Park, northern New South Wales, Australia. MOLLUSCAN RESEARCH 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/13235818.2019.1702614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen D. A. Smith
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia
| | - Laura S. Peregrin
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, Australia
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44
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Kim SW, Sampayo EM, Sommer B, Sims CA, Gómez-Cabrera MDC, Dalton SJ, Beger M, Malcolm HA, Ferrari R, Fraser N, Figueira WF, Smith SDA, Heron SF, Baird AH, Byrne M, Eakin CM, Edgar R, Hughes TP, Kyriacou N, Liu G, Matis PA, Skirving WJ, Pandolfi JM. Refugia under threat: Mass bleaching of coral assemblages in high-latitude eastern Australia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:3918-3931. [PMID: 31472029 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Environmental anomalies that trigger adverse physiological responses and mortality are occurring with increasing frequency due to climate change. At species' range peripheries, environmental anomalies are particularly concerning because species often exist at their environmental tolerance limits and may not be able to migrate to escape unfavourable conditions. Here, we investigated the bleaching response and mortality of 14 coral genera across high-latitude eastern Australia during a global heat stress event in 2016. We evaluated whether the severity of assemblage-scale and genus-level bleaching responses was associated with cumulative heat stress and/or local environmental history, including long-term mean temperatures during the hottest month of each year (SSTLTMAX ), and annual fluctuations in water temperature (SSTVAR ) and solar irradiance (PARZVAR ). The most severely-bleached genera included species that were either endemic to the region (Pocillopora aliciae) or rare in the tropics (e.g. Porites heronensis). Pocillopora spp., in particular, showed high rates of immediate mortality. Bleaching severity of Pocillopora was high where SSTLTMAX was low or PARZVAR was high, whereas bleaching severity of Porites was directly associated with cumulative heat stress. While many tropical Acropora species are extremely vulnerable to bleaching, the Acropora species common at high latitudes, such as A. glauca and A. solitaryensis, showed little incidence of bleaching and immediate mortality. Two other regionally-abundant genera, Goniastrea and Turbinaria, were also largely unaffected by the thermal anomaly. The severity of assemblage-scale bleaching responses was poorly explained by the environmental parameters we examined. Instead, the severity of assemblage-scale bleaching was associated with local differences in species abundance and taxon-specific bleaching responses. The marked taxonomic disparity in bleaching severity, coupled with high mortality of high-latitude endemics, point to climate-driven simplification of assemblage structures and progressive homogenisation of reef functions at these high-latitude locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun W Kim
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Eugenia M Sampayo
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Brigitte Sommer
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carrie A Sims
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Maria Del C Gómez-Cabrera
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Steve J Dalton
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Hamish A Malcolm
- Fisheries Research, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - Renata Ferrari
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Nicola Fraser
- Solitary Islands Underwater Research Group, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - Will F Figueira
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephen D A Smith
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - Scott F Heron
- Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics Department, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Coral Reef Watch, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Andrew H Baird
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Maria Byrne
- Anatomy and Histology, Bosch Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - C Mark Eakin
- Coral Reef Watch, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Robert Edgar
- Solitary Islands Underwater Research Group, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - Terry P Hughes
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Nicole Kyriacou
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Gang Liu
- Coral Reef Watch, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD, USA
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Paloma A Matis
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
| | - William J Skirving
- Coral Reef Watch, U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, College Park, MD, USA
| | - John M Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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45
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Vergés A, McCosker E, Mayer‐Pinto M, Coleman MA, Wernberg T, Ainsworth T, Steinberg PD. Tropicalisation of temperate reefs: Implications for ecosystem functions and management actions. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Erin McCosker
- 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
| | - Mariana Mayer‐Pinto
- 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
| | - Melinda A. Coleman
- Department of Primary Industries New South Wales Fisheries Coffs Harbour, New South Wales Australia
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour, New South Wales Australia
| | - Thomas Wernberg
- School of Biological Sciences, UWA Oceans Institute University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia Australia
- Department of Science and Environment (DSE) Roskilde University Roskilde Denmark
| | - Tracy Ainsworth
- 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
| | - Peter D. Steinberg
- 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
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering Nanyang Technical University Singapore City Singapore
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46
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Rodríguez L, García JJ, Carreño F, Martínez B. Integration of physiological knowledge into hybrid species distribution modelling to improve forecast of distributional shifts of tropical corals. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rodríguez
- Biodiversity & Conservation Unit Rey Juan Carlos University Mostoles Spain
| | - Juan José García
- Biodiversity & Conservation Unit Rey Juan Carlos University Mostoles Spain
| | - Francisco Carreño
- Biodiversity & Conservation Unit Rey Juan Carlos University Mostoles Spain
| | - Brezo Martínez
- Biodiversity & Conservation Unit Rey Juan Carlos University Mostoles Spain
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47
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Yuan X, Guo Y, Cai WJ, Huang H, Zhou W, Liu S. Coral responses to ocean warming and acidification: Implications for future distribution of coral reefs in the South China Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 138:241-248. [PMID: 30660269 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.11.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The annual sea surface temperature increased at a rate of 0.038 to 0.074 °C/year in recent decade, and pH decreased at a rate of 0.012-0.014/year in two coastal waters of the South China Sea. Therefore, a culture experiment was conducted to study the effects of acidification and warming on coral calcification rates. The calcification of three coral species were significantly reduced during the exposure to elevated CO2, while other three coral species were not significantly affected. The reef coral Pocillopora damicornis was resistant to high CO2, but was not able to survive during the exposure to 33 °C in our culture experiments. Our findings suggested that some corals might not survive in tropical areas if coral could not adapt to warming rapidly, and subtropical coastal waters with temperature of <30 °C will serve as refugia for the corals resistant to high CO2 at the end of this century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangcheng Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yajuan Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Jun Cai
- School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Hui Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
| | - Weihua Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Tropical Marine Biological Research Station in Hainan, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
| | - Sheng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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48
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Muir PR, Wallace CC, Pichon M, Bongaerts P. High species richness and lineage diversity of reef corals in the mesophotic zone. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181987. [PMID: 30963905 PMCID: PMC6304044 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by thermal bleaching and tropical storm events associated with rising sea surface temperatures. Deeper habitats offer some protection from these impacts and may safeguard reef-coral biodiversity, but their faunas are largely undescribed for the Indo-Pacific. Here, we show high species richness of scleractinian corals in mesophotic habitats (30-125 m) for the northern Great Barrier Reef region that greatly exceeds previous records for mesophotic habitats globally. Overall, 45% of shallow-reef species (less than or equal to 30 m), 78% of genera, and all families extended below 30 m depth, with 13% of species, 41% of genera, and 78% of families extending below 45 m. Maximum depth of occurrence showed a weak relationship to phylogeny, but a strong correlation with maximum latitudinal extent. Species recorded in the mesophotic had a significantly greater than expected probability of also occurring in shaded microhabitats and at higher latitudes, consistent with light as a common limiting factor. The findings suggest an important role for deeper habitats, particularly depths 30-45 m, in preserving evolutionary lineages of Indo-Pacific corals. Deeper reef areas are clearly more diverse than previously acknowledged and therefore deserve full consideration in our efforts to protect the world's coral reef biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R. Muir
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Carden C. Wallace
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Michel Pichon
- Queensland Museum, Biodiversity and Geosciences, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
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49
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Schleyer MH, Porter SN. Drivers of Soft and Stony Coral Community Distribution on the High-Latitude Coral Reefs of South Africa. ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2018; 80:1-55. [PMID: 30368305 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of abiotic parameters in determining the distribution of coral communities was assessed on the relatively pristine Maputaland reefs of South Africa from comprehensive reef survey data. The reefs, on which 42 communities could be defined, occur within three geographically separate complexes. Patterns in benthic distribution could be partially explained by latitude and depth, in particular, with slope, turbulence and reef aspect playing far less role in that order. A few species were associated exclusively or in high abundance with some of the communities; in most, it was the ratio of otherwise cosmopolitan species within all of the reef complexes that distinguished them. Complex biotic variables were also considered but not quantified and it is likely that low genetic connectivity and high levels of self-seeding result in a measure of isolation of the communities within a latitudinal gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sean N Porter
- Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
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50
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Beyond Capricornia: Tropical Sea Slugs (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) Extend Their Distributions into the Tasman Sea. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/d10030099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence of poleward migration of a broad range of taxa under the influence of a warming ocean. However, patchy research effort, the lack of pre-existing baseline data, and taxonomic uncertainty for some taxa means that unambiguous interpretation of observations is often difficult. Here, we propose that heterobranch sea slugs provide a useful target group for monitoring shifts in distribution. As many sea slugs are highly colourful, popular with underwater photographers and rock-pool ramblers, and found in accessible habitats, they provide an ideal target for citizen scientist programs, such as the Sea Slug Census. This maximises our ability to rapidly gain usable diversity and distributional data. Here, we review records of recent range extensions by tropical species into the subtropical and temperate waters of eastern Australia and document, for the first time in Australian waters, observations of three tropical species of sea slug as well as range extensions for a further six to various locations in the Tasman Sea.
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