1
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Eckert RJ, Sturm AB, Carreiro AM, Klein AM, Voss JD. Cryptic diversity of shallow and mesophotic Stephanocoenia intersepta corals across Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Heredity (Edinb) 2024:10.1038/s41437-024-00698-x. [PMID: 38937604 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-024-00698-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Population genetic analyses can provide useful data on species' regional connectivity and diversity which can inform conservation and restoration efforts. In this study, we quantified the genetic connectivity and diversity of Stephanocoenia intersepta corals from shallow (<30 m) to mesophotic (30-45 m) depths across Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. We generated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to identify genetic structuring of shallow and mesophotic S. intersepta corals. We uncovered four distinct, cryptic genetic lineages with varying levels of depth-specificity. Shallow-specific lineages exhibited lower heterozygosity and higher inbreeding relative to depth-generalist lineages found across both shallow and mesophotic reefs. Estimation of recent genetic migration rates demonstrated that mesophotic sites are more prolific sources than shallow sites, particularly in the Lower Keys and Upper Keys. Additionally, we compared endosymbiotic Symbiodiniaceae among sampled S. intersepta using the ITS2 region and SYMPORTAL analysis framework, identifying symbionts from the genera Symbiodinium, Breviolum, and Cladocopium. Symbiodiniaceae varied significantly across depth and location and exhibited significant, but weak correlation with host lineage and genotype. Together, these data demonstrate that despite population genetic structuring across depth, some mesophotic populations may provide refuge for shallow populations moving forward and remain important contributors to the overall genetic diversity of this species throughout the region. This study highlights the importance of including mesophotic as well as shallow corals in population genetic assessments and informs future science-based management, conservation, and restoration efforts within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Eckert
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
| | - Alexis B Sturm
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Ashley M Carreiro
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Allison M Klein
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Joshua D Voss
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
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2
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Slattery M, Lesser MP, Rocha LA, Spalding HL, Smith TB. Function and stability of mesophotic coral reefs. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:585-598. [PMID: 38413283 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The function and stability of mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) have been extensively studied in recent years. These deep reefs are characterized by local physical processes, particularly the steep gradient in irradiance with increasing depth, and their impact on trophic resources. Mesophotic reefs exhibit distinct zonation patterns that segregate shallow reef biodiversity from ecologically unique deeper communities of endemic species. While mesophotic reefs are hypothesized as relatively stable refuges from anthropogenic stressors and a potential seed bank for degraded shallow reefs, these are site-specific features, if they occur at all. Mesophotic reefs are now known to be susceptible to many of the same stressors that are degrading shallow reefs, suggesting that they require their own specific conservation and management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Slattery
- Department of BioMolecular Science, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Michael P Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA; School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Luiz A Rocha
- Department of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | | | - Tyler B Smith
- University of the Virgin Islands, Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, St Thomas, VI 00802-9990, USA
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3
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McWhorter JK, Halloran PR, Roff G, Mumby PJ. Climate change impacts on mesophotic regions of the Great Barrier Reef. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2303336121. [PMID: 38588432 PMCID: PMC11032494 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303336121] [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: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change projections for coral reefs are founded exclusively on sea surface temperatures (SST). While SST projections are relevant for the shallowest reefs, neglecting ocean stratification overlooks the striking differences in temperature experienced by deeper reefs for all or part of the year. Density stratification creates a buoyancy barrier partitioning the upper and lower parts of the water column. Here, we mechanistically downscale climate models and quantify patterns of thermal stratification above mesophotic corals (depth 30 to 50 m) of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Stratification insulates many offshore regions of the GBR from heatwaves at the surface. However, this protection is lost once global average temperatures exceed ~3 °C above preindustrial, after which mesophotic temperatures surpass a recognized threshold of 30 °C for coral mortality. Bottom temperatures on the GBR (30 to 50 m) from 2050 to 2060 are estimated to increase by ~0.5 to 1 °C under lower climate emissions (SSP1-1.9) and ~1.2 to 1.7 °C under higher climate emissions (SSP5-8.5). In short, mesophotic coral reefs are also threatened by climate change and research might prioritize the sensitivity of such corals to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. McWhorter
- Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, ExeterEX4 4QJ, United Kingdom
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of the Environment The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Divisions, Miami, FL33149
| | - Paul R. Halloran
- Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, ExeterEX4 4QJ, United Kingdom
| | - George Roff
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of the Environment The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans & Atmosphere, St Lucia, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Peter J. Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of the Environment The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
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4
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Sannassy Pilly S, Roche RC, Richardson LE, Turner JR. Depth variation in benthic community response to repeated marine heatwaves on remote Central Indian Ocean reefs. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231246. [PMID: 38545610 PMCID: PMC10966399 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are increasingly impacted by climate-induced warming events. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the variation in the response of shallow coral reef communities to thermal stress across depths. Here, we assess depth-dependent changes in coral reef benthic communities following successive marine heatwaves from 2015 to 2017 across a 5-25 m depth gradient in the remote Chagos Archipelago, Central Indian Ocean. Our analyses show an overall decline in hard and soft coral cover and an increase in crustose coralline algae, sponge and reef pavement following successive marine heatwaves on the remote reef system. Our findings indicate that the changes in benthic communities in response to elevated seawater temperatures varied across depths. We found greater changes in benthic group cover at shallow depths (5-15 m) compared with deeper zones (15-25 m). The loss of hard coral cover was better predicted by initial thermal stress, while the loss of soft coral was associated with repeated thermal stress following successive warming events. Our study shows that benthic communities extending to 25 m depth were impacted by successive marine heatwaves, supporting concerns about the resilience of shallow coral reef communities to increasingly severe climate-driven warming events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ronan C. Roche
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, BangorLL59 5AB, UK
| | | | - John R. Turner
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, BangorLL59 5AB, UK
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Saenz-Agudelo P, Ramirez P, Beldade R, Campoy AN, Garmendia V, Search FV, Fernández M, Wieters EA, Navarrete SA, Landaeta MF, Pérez-Matus A. Environmental DNA reveals temporal variation in mesophotic reefs of the Humboldt upwelling ecosystems of central Chile: Toward a baseline for biodiversity monitoring of unexplored marine habitats. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10999. [PMID: 38390005 PMCID: PMC10881902 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10999] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Temperate mesophotic reef ecosystems (TMREs) are among the least known marine habitats. Information on their diversity and ecology is geographically and temporally scarce, especially in highly productive large upwelling ecosystems. Lack of information remains an obstacle to understanding the importance of TMREs as habitats, biodiversity reservoirs and their connections with better-studied shallow reefs. Here, we use environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples to characterize the community composition of TMREs on the central Chilean coast, generating the first baseline for monitoring the biodiversity of these habitats. We analyzed samples from two depths (30 and 60 m) over four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) and at two locations approximately 16 km apart. We used a panel of three metabarcodes, two that target all eukaryotes (18S rRNA and mitochondrial COI) and one specifically targeting fishes (16S rRNA). All panels combined encompassed eDNA assigned to 42 phyla, 90 classes, 237 orders, and 402 families. The highest family richness was found for the phyla Arthropoda, Bacillariophyta, and Chordata. Overall, family richness was similar between depths but decreased during summer, a pattern consistent at both locations. Our results indicate that the structure (composition) of the mesophotic communities varied predominantly with seasons. We analyzed further the better-resolved fish assemblage and compared eDNA with other visual methods at the same locations and depths. We recovered eDNA from 19 genera of fish, six of these have also been observed on towed underwater videos, while 13 were unique to eDNA. We discuss the potential drivers of seasonal differences in community composition and richness. Our results suggest that eDNA can provide valuable insights for monitoring TMRE communities but highlight the necessity of completing reference DNA databases available for this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Saenz-Agudelo
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
| | - Paula Ramirez
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile Valdivia Chile
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
| | - Ricardo Beldade
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas Pontificia Universidad Católica Las Cruces Chile
| | - Ana N Campoy
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR-CIMAR) University of the Algarve Faro Portugal
| | - Vladimir Garmendia
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas Pontificia Universidad Católica Las Cruces Chile
| | - Francesca V Search
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
| | - Miriam Fernández
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas Pontificia Universidad Católica Las Cruces Chile
| | - Evie A Wieters
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas Pontificia Universidad Católica Las Cruces Chile
| | - Sergio A Navarrete
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas Pontificia Universidad Católica Las Cruces Chile
- Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) and Coastal Socio-Ecological Millennium Institute (SECOS) Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Center for Oceanographic Research COASTAL-COASTAL Universidad de Concepción Concepción Chile
| | - Mauricio F Landaeta
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Laboratorio de Ictiología e Interacciones Biofísicas (LABITI) Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso Valparaíso Chile
| | - Alejandro Pérez-Matus
- Millennium Nucleus for Ecology and Conservation of Temperate Marine Ecosystems, NUTME Las Cruces Chile
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas Pontificia Universidad Católica Las Cruces Chile
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Huang Z, Feng M, Dalton SJ, Carroll AG. Marine heatwaves in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea: their mechanisms and impacts on shallow and mesophotic coral ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168063. [PMID: 37907104 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) World Heritage Area and adjacent Coral Sea Marine Park are under serious threat from global climate change. This study used Daily Optimally Interpolated Sea Surface Temperature (DOISST) data to identify major marine heatwaves (MHWs) that have occurred in this region over the last three decades (1992-2022). We then used Himawari-8 (H-8) SST data to map significant MHW events that occurred between 2015 and 2022. We investigated the mechanisms underlying the MHWs, assessed thier impact on shallow and mesophotic coral reef ecosystems and identified potential coral refugia. MHWs in this region have increased in frequency, intensity and spatial extent. El Niño, especially when it is in phase with positive Indian Ocean Dipole, was the key remote driver leading to intense MHWs. However, the more recent strong MHWs (e.g., 2017 and 2022) occurred in the abscence of these climatic events, signifying the impacts of long-term climate change and local drivers. We also found that reduced wind speed and shoaling mixed layer depth, often together with reduced cloudiness, were the main local drivers pre-conditioning these MHWs. Anomalous air-sea heat flux into the ocean, mainly controlled by shortwave solar radiation (cloudiness) and latent heat flux (wind), was the most constant contributor to the 2015-16 and 2019-20 MHW events. However, local oceanographic dynamics, especially horizontal advection and turbulent mixing, played important roles in MHW heat budgets. This study confirmed that shallow-water coral bleaching severity was positively related to the cumulative MHW intensity in the 2015-16 and 2019-20 MHW events. We identified shallow reefs along the path of the North Queensland Current as potential coral refugia from bleaching because of the cooler waters upwelled from the ocean current. We also found that, except during weather events such as tropical cyclones, mesophotic reefs in the Coral Sea Marine Park may be less susceptible to severe bleaching as the MHWs were more confined within the shallow mixed layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Huang
- Oceans, Reefs, Coasts and the Antarctic Branch, Geoscience Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
| | - Ming Feng
- CSIRO Environment, Indian Ocean Marine Research Center, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Steven J Dalton
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Department of Regional NSW, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew G Carroll
- Oceans, Reefs, Coasts and the Antarctic Branch, Geoscience Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Richlen ML, Horn K, Uva V, Fachon E, Heidmann SL, Smith TB, Parsons ML, Anderson DM. Gambierdiscus species diversity and community structure in St. Thomas, USVI and the Florida Keys, USA. HARMFUL ALGAE 2024; 131:102562. [PMID: 38212087 PMCID: PMC11137678 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2023.102562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Ciguatera Poisoning (CP) is a widespread and complex poisoning syndrome caused by the consumption of fish or invertebrates contaminated with a suite of potent neurotoxins collectively known as ciguatoxins (CTXs), which are produced by certain benthic dinoflagellates species in the genera Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa. Due to the complex nature of this HAB problem, along with a poor understanding of toxin production and entry in the coral reef food web, the development of monitoring, management, and forecasting approaches for CP has lagged behind those available for other HAB syndromes. Over the past two decades, renewed research on the taxonomy, physiology, and toxicology of CP-causing dinoflagellates has advanced our understanding of the species diversity that exists within these genera, including identification of highly toxic species (so called "superbugs") that likely contribute disproportionately to ciguatoxins entering coral reef food webs. The recent development of approaches for molecular analysis of field samples now provide the means to investigate in situ community composition, enabling characterization of spatio-temporal species dynamics, linkages between toxic species abundance and toxin flux, and the risk of ciguatoxin prevalence in fish. In this study we used species-specific fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) probes to investigate Gambierdiscus species composition and dynamics in St. Thomas (USVI) and the Florida Keys (USA) over multiple years (2018-2020). Within each location, samples were collected seasonally from several sites comprising varying depths, habitats, and algal substrates to characterize community structure over small spatial scales and across different host macrophytes. This approach enabled the quantitative determination of communities over spatiotemporal gradients, as well as the selective enumeration of species known to exhibit high toxicity, such as Gambierdiscus silvae. The investigation found differing community structure between St. Thomas and Florida Keys sites, driven in part by differences in the distribution of toxin-producing species G. silvae and G. belizeanus, which were present throughout sampling sites in St. Thomas but scarce or absent in the Florida Keys. This finding is significant given the high toxicity of G. silvae, and may help explain differences in fish toxicity and CP incidence between St. Thomas and Florida. Intrasite comparisons along a depth gradient found higher concentrations of Gambierdiscus spp. at deeper locations. Among the macrophytes sampled, Dictyota may be a likely vector for toxin transfer based on their widespread distribution, apparent colonization by G. silvae, and palatability to at least some herbivore grazers. Given its ubiquity throughout both study regions and sites, this taxa may also serve as a refuge, accumulating high concentrations of Gambierdiscus and other benthic dinoflagellates, which in turn can serve as source populations for highly palatable and ephemeral habitats nearby, such as turf algae. These studies further demonstrate the successful application of FISH probes in examining biogeographic structuring of Gambierdiscus communities, targeting individual toxin-producing species, and characterizing species-level dynamics that are needed to describe and model ecological drivers of species abundance and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy L Richlen
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
| | - Kali Horn
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Victoria Uva
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Evangeline Fachon
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Sarah L Heidmann
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802, USA
| | - Tyler B Smith
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 00802, USA
| | - Michael L Parsons
- The Water School, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL 33965, USA
| | - Donald M Anderson
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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Sturm AB, Eckert RJ, Carreiro AM, Klein AM, Studivan MS, Dodge Farelli D, Simões N, González‐Díaz P, González Méndez J, Voss JD. Does depth divide? Variable genetic connectivity patterns among shallow and mesophotic Montastraea cavernosa coral populations across the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10622. [PMID: 38020681 PMCID: PMC10631546 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10622] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite general declines in coral reef ecosystems in the tropical western Atlantic, some reefs, including mesophotic reefs (30-150 m), are hypothesized to function as coral refugia due to their relative isolation from anthropogenic stressors. Understanding the connectivity dynamics among these putative refugia and more degraded reefs is critical to develop effective management strategies that promote coral metapopulation persistence and recovery. This study presents a geographically broad assessment of shallow (<30 m) and mesophotic (>30 m) connectivity dynamics of the depth-generalist coral species Montastraea cavernosa. Over 750 coral genets were collected across the Northwest and Southern Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Cuba, and Belize, and ~5000 SNP loci were generated to quantify high-resolution genetic structure and connectivity among these populations. Generally, shallow and mesophotic populations demonstrated higher connectivity to distant populations within the same depth zone than to adjacent populations across depth zones. However, exceptions to this pattern include the Northwest Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Keys which exhibited relatively high vertical genetic connectivity. Furthermore, estimates of recent gene flow emphasize that mesophotic M. cavernosa populations are not significant sources for their local shallow counterparts, except for the Northwest Gulf of Mexico populations. Location-based differences in vertical connectivity are likely a result of diverse oceanographic and environmental conditions that may drive variation in gene flow and depth-dependent selection. These results highlight the need to evaluate connectivity dynamics and refugia potential of mesophotic coral species on a population-by-population basis and to identify stepping-stone populations that warrant incorporation in future international management approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis B. Sturm
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteFlorida Atlantic UniversityFort PierceFloridaUSA
| | - Ryan J. Eckert
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteFlorida Atlantic UniversityFort PierceFloridaUSA
| | - Ashley M. Carreiro
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteFlorida Atlantic UniversityFort PierceFloridaUSA
| | - Allison M. Klein
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteFlorida Atlantic UniversityFort PierceFloridaUSA
| | - Michael S. Studivan
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteFlorida Atlantic UniversityFort PierceFloridaUSA
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS)University of MiamiMiamiFloridaUSA
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories (AOML)MiamiFloridaUSA
| | | | - Nuno Simões
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación–Sisal, Facultad de CienciasUniversidad Nacional Autonoma de MéxicoSisalYucatánMexico
- International Chair for Coastal and Marine Studies, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico StudiesTexas A&M University‐Corpus ChristiCorpus ChristiTexasUSA
- Laboratorio Nacional de Resiliencia Costera (LANRESC), Laboratorios NacionalesCONACYTSisalMexico
| | | | | | - Joshua D. Voss
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic InstituteFlorida Atlantic UniversityFort PierceFloridaUSA
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Diaz C, Foster NL, Attrill MJ, Bolton A, Ganderton P, Howell KL, Robinson E, Hosegood P. Mesophotic coral bleaching associated with changes in thermocline depth. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6528. [PMID: 37845210 PMCID: PMC10579316 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42279-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
As global temperatures continue to rise, shallow coral reef bleaching has become more intense and widespread. Mesophotic coral ecosystems reside in deeper (30-150 m), cooler water and were thought to offer a refuge to shallow-water reefs. Studies now show that mesophotic coral ecosystems instead have limited connectivity with shallow corals but host diverse endemic communities. Given their extensive distribution and high biodiversity, understanding their susceptibility to warming oceans is imperative. In this multidisciplinary study of an atoll in the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean, we show evidence of coral bleaching at 90 m, despite the absence of shallow-water bleaching. We also show that the bleaching was associated with sustained thermocline deepening driven by the Indian Ocean Dipole, which might be further enhanced by internal waves whose influence varied at a sub-atoll scale. Our results demonstrate the potential vulnerability of mesophotic coral ecosystems to thermal stress and highlight the need for oceanographic knowledge to predict bleaching susceptibility and heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Diaz
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Nicola L Foster
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Martin J Attrill
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Adam Bolton
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Peter Ganderton
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Kerry L Howell
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Edward Robinson
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Phil Hosegood
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK.
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Bellworthy J, Pardo R, Scucchia F, Zaslansky P, Goodbody-Gringley G, Mass T. Physiological and morphological plasticity in Stylophora pistillata larvae from Eilat, Israel, to shallow and mesophotic light conditions. iScience 2023; 26:106969. [PMID: 37534177 PMCID: PMC10391605 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic reefs have been proposed as climate change refugia but are not synonymous ecosystems with shallow reefs and remain exposed to anthropogenic impacts. Planulae from the reef-building coral Stylophora pistillata, Gulf of Aqaba, from 5- and 45-m depth were tested ex situ for capacity to settle, grow, and acclimate to reciprocal light conditions. Skeletons were scanned by phase contrast-enhanced micro-CT to study morphology. Deep planulae had reduced volume, smaller diameter on settlement, and greater algal symbiont density. Light conditions did not have significant impact on settlement or mortality rates. Photosynthetic acclimation of algal symbionts was evident within 21-35 days after settlement but growth rate and polyp development were slower for individuals translocated away from their parental origin compared to controls. Though our data reveal rapid symbiont acclimation, reduced growth rates and limited capacity for skeletal modification likely limit the potential for mesophotic larvae to settle on shallow reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Bellworthy
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
| | - Rachel Pardo
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Federica Scucchia
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Interuniversity Institute of Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
| | - Paul Zaslansky
- Department for Operative and Preventive Dentistry, Charité Dental School – Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Tali Mass
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Sdot Yam, Israel
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11
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Godefroid M, Gouveia A, Otero-Ferrer F, Espino F, Tuya F, Dubois P. Higher daily temperature range at depth is linked with higher thermotolerance in antipatharians from the canary islands. J Therm Biol 2023; 115:103593. [PMID: 37331319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Sensitivity to ocean warming is generally expected to be lower in populations from more heterogeneous thermal environments, owing to greater phenotypic plasticity and/or genotype selection. While resilience of benthic populations from thermally fluctuating environments has been investigated at a variety of spatial scales, this has received limited attention across depths and has remained unresolved for Antipatharian corals, key habitat-forming species across a wide bathymetric range in all of the world oceans. In this study, we aimed at addressing the thermal sensitivity of Antipatharian corals across depths characterized by different levels of temperature fluctuations. We used an acute ramping experimental approach to compare the thermal sensitivity of colonies of (1) the branched Antipatharian Antipathella wollastoni (Gray, 1857) from two distinct depths (25 and 40 m) in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain); and of (2) unbranched mesophotic (80 m) Stichopathes species, from Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain; S. gracilis (Gray, 1857)), and Stichopathes sp. clade C from Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Results showed that the daily temperature range in Gran Canaria was larger at mesophotic depths (3.9 °C vs. 2.8 °C at 40 and 25 m, respectively) and this coincided with lower thermal sensitivity in mesophotic colonies of A. wollastoni. Second, S. gracilis from Lanzarote showed a lower thermal sensitivity than the previously studied Stichopathes sp. clade C from Mo'orea (French Polynesia) inhabiting a less variable habitat. These results are in line with the climate variability hypothesis, which states that populations under more variable thermal conditions have a lower sensitivity to warming than those from more stable environments, as they have adapted/acclimated to these higher levels of temperature fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Godefroid
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, CP 160/15, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - Adriana Gouveia
- BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, Parque Científico Tecnológico Marino de Taliarte, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35214, Gran Canaria, Spain; Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Francisco Otero-Ferrer
- BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, Parque Científico Tecnológico Marino de Taliarte, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35214, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Fernando Espino
- BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, Parque Científico Tecnológico Marino de Taliarte, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35214, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Fernando Tuya
- BIOCON, IU-ECOAQUA, Parque Científico Tecnológico Marino de Taliarte, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35214, Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Philippe Dubois
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F.D. Roosevelt, CP 160/15, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
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12
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Godefroid M, Dubois P, Hédouin L. Thermal performance with depth: Comparison of a mesophotic scleractinian and an antipatharian species subjected to internal waves in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 184:105851. [PMID: 36603344 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105851] [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: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Local thermal environment has a strong influence on the physiology of marine ectotherms. This is particularly relevant for tropical organisms living close to their thermal optimum, well exemplified by the increasing frequency of bleaching occurrence in shallow-water corals. Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) were suggested as potential oases, especially when they are submitted to internal waves inducing short-term cooling events. Indeed, probability of bleaching occurrence in scleractinians was reported to decrease with depth in Mo'orea as temperature variability increases. However, ecophysiological data are currently lacking to understand the cause of lower susceptibility/increased plasticity of deeper corals. A growing interest has been devoted the last decade to MCEs, but our understanding of the physiological performance of benthic organisms living in this environment remains relatively unexplored. To tackle that question, we first compared the metabolic responses (dark respiration, net photosynthesis and photosynthetic efficiency) of the depth-generalist scleractinian Pachyseris speciosa from two heterogeneous thermal environment (25 and 85 m depths) to acute heat stress to determine if the local thermal environment could predict coral response to warming. Then, we tested the thermal performance of two sympatric species (the scleractinian P. speciosa and the antipatharian Stichopathes sp.) to determine if there are inter-species differences in performances in species experiencing identical levels of temperature variability, at mesophotic depths (85 m). Results revealed broader thermal performances in the mesophotic P. speciosa compared to mid-depth ones, and constrained performances in the mesophotic antipatharian compared to the scleractinian species. We hypothesize that the high fluctuations in temperature due to internal waves in deeper areas contribute to the broader thermal performances of mesophotic P. speciosa. However, the constrained performances of the mesophotic antipatharian compared to P. speciosa suggests that other processes than the symbiosis with zooxanthellae also influence thermal performances of these mesophotic organisms. Our results supported that Stichopathes sp. lives close to its thermal optimum, suggesting a (relatively) cold thermal specialist strategy. In this context, composition of MCEs in the future is unlikely to shift to antipatharian-dominated landscape and will remain coral-dominated landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Godefroid
- Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, CP160/15, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium.
| | - Philippe Dubois
- Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, CP160/15, 1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- PSL Research University: EPHE-CNRS-UPVD, USR 3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013, 98729, Papetoai, Mo'orea, French Polynesia; Laboratoire D'Excellence CORAIL, Mo'orea, French Polynesia
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13
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Eyal G, Laverick JH, Ben-Zvi O, Brown KT, Kramer N, Tamir R, Lindemann Y, Levy O, Pandolfi JM. Selective deep water coral bleaching occurs through depth isolation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 844:157180. [PMID: 35809731 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157180] [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: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is degrading coral reefs around the world. Mass coral bleaching events have become more frequent in recent decades, leading to dramatic declines in coral cover. Mesophotic coral ecosystems (30-150 m depth) comprise an estimated 50-80 % of global coral reef area. The potential for these to act as refuges from climate change is unresolved. Here, we report three mesophotic-specific coral bleaching events in the northern Red Sea over the course of eight years. Over the last decade, faster temperature increases at mesophotic depths resulted in ~50 % decline in coral populations, while the adjacent shallow coral reefs remained intact. Further, community structure shifted from hard coral dominated to turf algae dominated throughout these recurrent bleaching events. Our results do not falsify the notion of the northern Red Sea as a thermal refuge for shallow coral reefs, but question the capacity of mesophotic ecosystems to act as a universal tropical refuge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Eyal
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
| | - Jack H Laverick
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Or Ben-Zvi
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Kristen T Brown
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Netanel Kramer
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raz Tamir
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - Yoav Lindemann
- The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel; The Fredy & Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Oren Levy
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel; The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, Eilat, Israel
| | - John M Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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14
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Contrasting hydrodynamic regimes of submerged pinnacle and emergent coral reefs. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273092. [PMID: 35972945 PMCID: PMC9380949 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Hydrodynamics on coral reefs vary with depth, reef morphology and seascape position. Differences in hydrodynamic regimes strongly influence the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems. Submerged coral reefs on steep-sided, conical bathymetric features like seamounts experience enhanced water circulation as a result of interactions between currents and the abrupt physical structure. There may also be similar interactions between smaller pinnacles and regional water currents in offshore locations (crests > 10 m), while shallow reefs (crests <10 m) may be more subject to surface currents driven by wind, waves and tide. Here we tested whether coral pinnacles experienced stronger and more variable currents compared to emergent reefs at the same depth in both nearshore and offshore positions. Current speeds and temperature were monitored for 12 months at 11 reefs, representing the three different reef categories: submerged offshore pinnacles, emergent offshore reefs and emergent nearshore reefs. We found different patterns in current speeds and temperature among reef types throughout the year and between seasons. Submerged pinnacles exhibited stronger, more variable current speeds compared to both near and offshore emergent reefs. We found seasonal changes in current speeds for pinnacle and nearshore reefs but no variation in current strength on offshore reefs. Whilst instantaneous current directions did reflect the seascape position of individual sites, there was no difference in the directional variability of current speeds between reef types. Annual daily average temperatures at all reef types were not strongly seasonal, changing by less than 2 °C throughout the year. Daily temperature ranges at specific sites however, exhibited considerable variability (annual range of up to 6.5 °C), particularly amongst offshore emergent reefs which experienced the highest temperatures despite greater exposure to regional-scale circulation patterns. Additionally, we found a consistent mismatch between satellite sea surface temperatures and in-situ temperature data, which was on average 2 °C cooler throughout the annual study period. Our results suggest that distinct hydrodynamic processes occur on smaller submerged structures that are physically analogous to seamounts. Our findings highlight important nuances in environmental processes that occur on morphologically distinct coral reef habitats and these are likely to be important drivers for the community dynamics of organisms that inhabit these reefs.
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15
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Chak STC, Harris SE, Hultgren KM, Duffy JE, Rubenstein DR. Demographic inference provides insights into the extirpation and ecological dominance of eusocial snapping shrimps. J Hered 2022; 113:552-562. [PMID: 35921239 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esac035] [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: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although eusocial animals often achieve ecological dominance in the ecosystems where they occur, many populations are unstable, resulting in local extinction. Both patterns may be linked to the characteristic demography of eusocial species-high reproductive skew and reproductive division of labor support stable effective population sizes that make eusocial groups more competitive in some species, but also lower effective population sizes that increase susceptibility to population collapse in others. Here, we examine the relationship between demography and social organization in Synalpheus snapping shrimps, a group in which eusociality has evolved recently and repeatedly. We show using coalescent demographic modelling that eusocial species have had lower but more stable effective population sizes across 100,000 generations. Our results are consistent with the idea that stable population sizes may enable competitive dominance in eusocial shrimps, but they also suggest that recent population declines are likely caused by eusocial shrimps' heightened sensitivity to environmental changes, perhaps as a result of their low effective population sizes and localized dispersal. Thus, although the unique life histories and demography of eusocial shrimps have likely contributed to their persistence and ecological dominance over evolutionary timescales, these social traits may also make them vulnerable to contemporary environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon T C Chak
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY College at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, USA
| | - Stephen E Harris
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Biology Department, SUNY Purchase College, Purchase, NY, USA
| | | | - J Emmett Duffy
- Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, MD, USA
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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16
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Prasetia R, Sinniger F, Nakamura T, Harii S. Limited acclimation of early life stages of the coral Seriatopora hystrix from mesophotic depth to shallow reefs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12836. [PMID: 35896607 PMCID: PMC9329301 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16024-6] [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: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs, reefs between 30 and 150 m depth) have been hypothesized to contribute to shallow reef recovery through the recruitment of larvae. However, few studies have directly examined this. Here we used mesophotic colonies of Seriatopora hystrix, a depth generalist coral, to investigate the effect of light intensity on larval behavior and settlement through ex situ experiments. We also investigated juvenile survival, growth, and physiological acclimation in situ. Bleached larvae and a significant reduction in settlement rates were found when the mesophotic larvae were exposed to light conditions corresponding to shallow depths (5 and 10 m) ex situ. The in situ experiments showed that mesophotic juveniles survived well at 20 and 40 m, with juveniles in shaded areas surviving longer than three months at 3–5 m during a year of mass bleaching in 2016. Juvenile transplants at 20 m showed a sign of physiological acclimation, which was reflected by a significant decline in maximum quantum yield. These results suggest that light is a significant factor for successful recolonization of depth-generalist corals to shallow reefs. Further, recolonization of shallow reefs may only occur in shaded habitats or potentially through multigenerational recruitments with intermediate depths acting as stepping stones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rian Prasetia
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan
| | - Frederic Sinniger
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakamura
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan.,Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan
| | - Saki Harii
- Sesoko Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Sesoko 3422, Motobu, Okinawa, 905-0227, Japan.
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17
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van Woesik R, Shlesinger T, Grottoli AG, Toonen RJ, Vega Thurber R, Warner ME, Marie Hulver A, Chapron L, McLachlan RH, Albright R, Crandall E, DeCarlo TM, Donovan MK, Eirin‐Lopez J, Harrison HB, Heron SF, Huang D, Humanes A, Krueger T, Madin JS, Manzello D, McManus LC, Matz M, Muller EM, Rodriguez‐Lanetty M, Vega‐Rodriguez M, Voolstra CR, Zaneveld J. Coral-bleaching responses to climate change across biological scales. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4229-4250. [PMID: 35475552 PMCID: PMC9545801 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The global impacts of climate change are evident in every marine ecosystem. On coral reefs, mass coral bleaching and mortality have emerged as ubiquitous responses to ocean warming, yet one of the greatest challenges of this epiphenomenon is linking information across scientific disciplines and spatial and temporal scales. Here we review some of the seminal and recent coral-bleaching discoveries from an ecological, physiological, and molecular perspective. We also evaluate which data and processes can improve predictive models and provide a conceptual framework that integrates measurements across biological scales. Taking an integrative approach across biological and spatial scales, using for example hierarchical models to estimate major coral-reef processes, will not only rapidly advance coral-reef science but will also provide necessary information to guide decision-making and conservation efforts. To conserve reefs, we encourage implementing mesoscale sanctuaries (thousands of km2 ) that transcend national boundaries. Such networks of protected reefs will provide reef connectivity, through larval dispersal that transverse thermal environments, and genotypic repositories that may become essential units of selection for environmentally diverse locations. Together, multinational networks may be the best chance corals have to persist through climate change, while humanity struggles to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert van Woesik
- Institute for Global EcologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyMelbourneFloridaUSA
| | - Tom Shlesinger
- Institute for Global EcologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyMelbourneFloridaUSA
| | | | - Rob J. Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, KāneʻoheUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | | | - Mark E. Warner
- School of Marine Science and PolicyUniversity of DelawareLewesDelawareUSA
| | - Ann Marie Hulver
- School of Earth SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Leila Chapron
- School of Earth SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Rowan H. McLachlan
- School of Earth SciencesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Department of MicrobiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Eric Crandall
- Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | - Mary K. Donovan
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science and School of Geographical Sciences and Urban PlanningArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - Jose Eirin‐Lopez
- Institute of EnvironmentFlorida International UniversityMiamiFloridaUSA
| | - Hugo B. Harrison
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Scott F. Heron
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Physics and Marine Geophysical LaboratoryJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological SciencesNational University of SingaporeSingapore
| | - Adriana Humanes
- School of Natural and Environmental SciencesNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas Krueger
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Joshua S. Madin
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, KāneʻoheUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Derek Manzello
- Center for Satellite Applications and ResearchSatellite Oceanography & Climate DivisionNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationCollege ParkMarylandUSA
| | - Lisa C. McManus
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, KāneʻoheUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | - Mikhail Matz
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Jesse Zaneveld
- Division of Biological SciencesUniversity of WashingtonBothellWashingtonUSA
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18
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Liberman R, Shlesinger T, Loya Y, Benayahu Y. Soft coral reproductive phenology along a depth gradient: Can "going deeper" provide a viable refuge? Ecology 2022; 103:e3760. [PMID: 35582927 PMCID: PMC9540190 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Many species across a wide range of taxa and habitats display phenological shifts and differences in response to both environmental gradients and climate change. Moreover, the wide‐scale decline of numerous ecosystems is leading to increasing efforts to identify zones that might serve as natural refuges from various disturbances, including ocean warming. One such refuge was suggested to be that of the deep coral reefs, but whether depth can provide coral populations with a viable and reproductive refuge remains unclear. Given the global coral‐reef degradation and the key role that corals play as ecosystem engineers, their reproductive ecology has been widely studied. A particular knowledge gap nonetheless exists regarding coral reproductive phenology along a depth gradient. Filling in this gap may uncover the environmental cues that regulate coral reproduction, leading to better predictions of population connectivity, and their possible responses to climate change and other environmental changes. Here, using long‐term in situ observations of the soft coral Rhytisma fulvum's reproductive activity along its entire depth range (0–45 m), we examined the relationship among several environmental factors and the coral's reproductive phenology and activity over five successive annual breeding seasons. Compared with the shallow depths, a lower number of reproducing colonies was found in habitats deeper than 30 m, highlighting possible constraints on coral reproduction at the deeper end of their range. Our results further revealed that an increase in seawater temperature over 1–2‐day intervals during the breeding season correlated with the onset of reproductive activity along the depth gradient, leading to different reproductive periodicities in different depths. These differences suggest that differential temperature regimes and reproductive timing across depth may create intraspecific temporal reproductive segregation, possibly reducing connectivity among populations along a depth gradient. Moreover, we found high variability among years in both the timing of breeding activities and in the level of reproductive synchrony among corals from different depths. Overall, our study questions whether depth can provide a long‐term and viable refuge for corals in the face of global environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronen Liberman
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences, Eilat, Israel
| | - Tom Shlesinger
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Current address: Institute for Global Ecology, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, USA
| | - Yossi Loya
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Yehuda Benayahu
- School of Zoology, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
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19
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Bongaerts P. Mesophotic coral ecosystems. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R345-R346. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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20
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Hernandez‐Agreda A, Marina Sahit F, Englebert N, Hoegh‐Guldberg O, Bongaerts P. Hidden in the deep: Distinct benthic trajectories call for monitoring of mesophotic reefs. Conserv Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesca Marina Sahit
- Global Change Institute and School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Saint Lucia Australia
| | - Norbert Englebert
- Global Change Institute and School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Saint Lucia Australia
| | - Ove Hoegh‐Guldberg
- Global Change Institute and School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland Saint Lucia Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- California Academy of Sciences San Francisco California USA
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21
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Montgomery AD, Fenner D, Donahue MJ, Toonen RJ. Community similarity and species overlap between habitats provide insight into the deep reef refuge hypothesis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23787. [PMID: 34893672 PMCID: PMC8664904 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03128-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep reef refuge hypothesis (DRRH) postulates that mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) may provide a refuge for shallow coral reefs (SCRs). Understanding this process is an important conservation tool given increasing threats to coral reefs. To establish a better framework to analyze the DRRH, we analyzed stony coral communities in American Sāmoa across MCEs and SCRs to describe the community similarity and species overlap to test the foundational assumption of the DRRH. We suggest a different approach to determine species as depth specialists or generalists that changes the conceptual role of MCEs and emphasizes their importance in conservation planning regardless of their role as a refuge or not. This further encourages a reconsideration of a broader framework for the DRRH. We found 12 species of corals exclusively on MCEs and 183 exclusively on SCRs with another 63 species overlapping between depth zones. Of these, 19 appear to have the greatest potential to serve as reseeding species. Two additional species are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, Acropora speciosa and Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa categorized as an occasional deep specialist and a deep exclusive species, respectively. Based on the community distinctiveness and minimal species overlap of SCR and MCE communities, we propose a broader framework by evaluating species overlap across coral reef habitats. This provides an opportunity to consider the opposite of the DRRH where SCRs support MCEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D Montgomery
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA. .,Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu, HI, 96850, USA.
| | - Douglas Fenner
- Pacific Islands Regional Office, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Linker, Inc., Pago Pago, AS, 96799, USA
| | - Megan J Donahue
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA
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22
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Pérez-Rosales G, Rouzé H, Torda G, Bongaerts P, Pichon M, Parravicini V, Hédouin L. Mesophotic coral communities escape thermal coral bleaching in French Polynesia. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210139. [PMID: 34804562 PMCID: PMC8580450 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and consequent coral bleaching are causing the disappearance of reef-building corals worldwide. While bleaching episodes significantly impact shallow waters, little is known about their impact on mesophotic coral communities. We studied the prevalence of coral bleaching two to three months after a heat stress event, along an extreme depth range from 6 to 90 m in French Polynesia. Bayesian modelling showed a decreasing probability of bleaching of all coral genera over depth, with little to no bleaching observed at lower mesophotic depths (greater than or equal to 60 m). We found that depth-generalist corals benefit more from increasing depth than depth-specialists (corals with a narrow depth range). Our data suggest that the reduced prevalence of bleaching with depth, especially from shallow to upper mesophotic depths (40 m), had a stronger relation with the light-irradiance attenuation than temperature. While acknowledging the geographical and temporal variability of the role of mesophotic reefs as spatial refuges during thermal stress, we ought to understand why coral bleaching reduces with depth. Future studies should consider repeated monitoring and detailed ecophysiological and environmental data. Our study demonstrated how increasing depth may offer a level of protection and that lower mesophotic communities could escape the impacts of a thermal bleaching event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Pérez-Rosales
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013 Papetoai, 98729 Moorea, French Polynesia
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Héloïse Rouzé
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013 Papetoai, 98729 Moorea, French Polynesia
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Gergely Torda
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Pim Bongaerts
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Michel Pichon
- Biodiversity Section, Queensland Museum, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | | | - Valeriano Parravicini
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France
| | - Laetitia Hédouin
- PSL Research University, EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, BP 1013 Papetoai, 98729 Moorea, French Polynesia
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan, France
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23
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de Palmas S, Soto D, Ho MJ, Denis V, Chen CA. Strong horizontal and vertical connectivity in the coral Pocillopora verrucosa from Ludao, Taiwan, a small oceanic island. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258181. [PMID: 34634065 PMCID: PMC8504772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic habitats could be sheltered from natural and anthropogenic disturbances and act as reproductive refuges, providing propagules to replenish shallower populations. Molecular markers can be used as proxies evaluating the connectivity and inferring population structure and larval dispersal. This study characterizes population structure as well as horizontal and vertical genetic connectivity of the broadcasting coral Pocillopora verrucosa from Ludao, a small oceanic island off the eastern coast of Taiwan. We genotyped 75 P. verrucosa specimens from three sites (Gongguan, Dabaisha, and Guiwan) at three depth ranges (Shallow: 7-15 m, Mid-depth: 23-30 m, and Deep: 38-45 m), spanning shallow to upper mesophotic coral reefs, with eight microsatellite markers. F-statistics showed a moderate differentiation (FST = 0.106, p<0.05) between two adjacent locations (Dabaisha 23-30 and Dabaisha 38-45 m), but no differentiation elsewhere, suggesting high levels of connectivity among sites and depths. STRUCTURE analysis showed no genetic clustering among sites or depths, indicating that all Pocillopora individuals could be drawn from a single panmictic population. Simulations of recent migration assigned 30 individuals (40%) to a different location from where they were collected. Among them, 1/3 were assigned to deeper locations, 1/3 to shallower populations and 1/3 were assigned to the right depth but a different site. These results suggest high levels of vertical and horizontal connectivity, which could enhance the recovery of P. verrucosa following disturbances around Ludao, a feature that agrees with demographic studies portraying this species as an opportunistic scleractinian.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane de Palmas
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Derek Soto
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jay Ho
- Green Island Marine Research Station, Marine Science Thematic Centre, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Green Island, Taitung, Taiwan
| | - Vianney Denis
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Sciences, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
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24
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Asynchrony of Gambierdiscus spp. Abundance and Toxicity in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Implications for Monitoring and Management of Ciguatera. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13060413. [PMID: 34200870 PMCID: PMC8230442 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13060413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ciguatera poisoning (CP) poses a significant threat to ecosystem services and fishery resources in coastal communities. The CP-causative ciguatoxins (CTXs) are produced by benthic dinoflagellates including Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa spp., and enter reef food webs via grazing on macroalgal substrates. In this study, we report on a 3-year monthly time series in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands where Gambierdiscus spp. abundance and Caribbean-CTX toxicity in benthic samples were compared to key environmental factors, including temperature, salinity, nutrients, benthic cover, and physical data. We found that peak Gambierdiscus abundance occurred in summer while CTX-specific toxicity peaked in cooler months (February-May) when the mean water temperatures were approximately 26-28 °C. These trends were most evident at deeper offshore sites where macroalgal cover was highest year-round. Other environmental parameters were not correlated with the CTX variability observed over time. The asynchrony between Gambierdiscus spp. abundance and toxicity reflects potential differences in toxin cell quotas among Gambierdiscus species with concomitant variability in their abundances throughout the year. These results have significant implications for monitoring and management of benthic harmful algal blooms and highlights potential seasonal and highly-localized pulses in reef toxin loads that may be transferred to higher trophic levels.
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25
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Muñiz-Castillo AI, Arias-González JE. Drivers of coral bleaching in a Marine Protected Area of the Southern Gulf of Mexico during the 2015 event. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 166:112256. [PMID: 33735706 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112256] [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: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Here we report the bleached coral cover and its drivers observed at Alacranes Reef in 2015. Our results show that 2015 was an unprecedented heat stress event. However, we observed low coral bleaching, with the most substantial impact on sites with a 10-20% of coral cover with bleaching. Depth was the most relevant variable related to coral bleaching and the bleaching severity index, with deeper reefs being most affected. Further, our results show that reefs with higher structural complexity based on species composition were among the most affected. We identified that accumulated heat stress and thermal variation in the last 28 days were relevant drivers of coral bleaching. This work highlights the importance of multidimensional frameworks in assessing the spatial variation of coral bleaching, demonstrating the importance of structural habitat variables such as depth in high heat stress events and at a reef scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aarón Israel Muñiz-Castillo
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Mérida 97310, Yucatán, Mexico.
| | - Jesús Ernesto Arias-González
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N., Mérida 97310, Yucatán, Mexico.
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26
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Stewart HA, Kline DI, Chapman LJ, Altieri AH. Caribbean mangrove forests act as coral refugia by reducing light stress and increasing coral richness. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Heather A. Stewart
- Department of Biology McGill University 1205 Avenue Dr Penfield Montréal QuébecH3A 1B1Canada
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Apartado Postal Panamá0843‐03092Panamá
| | - David I. Kline
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Apartado Postal Panamá0843‐03092Panamá
| | - Lauren J. Chapman
- Department of Biology McGill University 1205 Avenue Dr Penfield Montréal QuébecH3A 1B1Canada
| | - Andrew H. Altieri
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Apartado Postal Panamá0843‐03092Panamá
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences University of Florida Gainesville Florida32611USA
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27
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Depth-dependent parental effects create invisible barriers to coral dispersal. Commun Biol 2021; 4:202. [PMID: 33589736 PMCID: PMC7884412 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01727-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Historically, marine populations were considered to be interconnected across large geographic regions due to the lack of apparent physical barriers to dispersal, coupled with a potentially widely dispersive pelagic larval stage. Recent studies, however, are providing increasing evidence of small-scale genetic segregation of populations across habitats and depths, separated in some cases by only a few dozen meters. Here, we performed a series of ex-situ and in-situ experiments using coral larvae of three brooding species from contrasting shallow- and deep-water reef habitats, and show that their settlement success, habitat choices, and subsequent survival are substantially influenced by parental effects in a habitat-dependent manner. Generally, larvae originating from deep-water corals, which experience less variable conditions, expressed more specific responses than shallow-water larvae, with a higher settlement success in simulated parental-habitat conditions. Survival of juvenile corals experimentally translocated to the sea was significantly lower when not at parental depths. We conclude that local adaptations and parental effects alongside larval selectivity and phenotype-environment mismatches combine to create invisible semipermeable barriers to coral dispersal and connectivity, leading to habitat-dependent population segregation. Tom Shlesinger and Yossi Loya use ex-situ and in-situ experiments with coral larvae of three brooding species from contrasting shallow- and deep-water habitats and show that larvae originating from deep-water corals have narrower tolerances and higher habitat-specificity in simulated parental-habitat conditions. They also show that survival of juvenile corals experimentally translocated to the sea was significantly lower when not at parental depths. Together these results demonstrate that local adaptations and parental effects interact with larval selectivity and phenotype-environment mismatches to create semipermeable barriers to coral dispersal and connectivity.
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28
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Soares MDO, Araújo JTD, Ferreira SMC, Santos BA, Boavida JRH, Costantini F, Rossi S. Why do mesophotic coral ecosystems have to be protected? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 726:138456. [PMID: 32481209 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; ~30-150 m depth) are among the most biologically diverse and least protected ecosystems in the world's oceans. However, discussions regarding the conservation of these unique ecosystems are scarce. To address this issue, we identified the features of MCEs that demonstrate they should be considered as a global conservation priority. Some MCEs are characterized by their well-preserved and unique seascapes; their narrow environmental tolerance and high vulnerability to anthropogenic effects; and their slow recovery and reduced reproductive performance. The unique biodiversity of MCEs includes depth-adapted specialist species and new species, most of which are threatened or important fishery resources. MCEs also provide refuge against human stressors, valuable ecosystem services, and ecological connectivity. MCEs generally meet the criteria to be classified as Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity. However, we highlight that many MCEs worldwide are threatened and not yet adequately protected by fishery regulations, marine protected areas, or considered in marine spatial planning. Establishing MCEs as a global conservation priority requires the designation of national, international, transnational, public, and private policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo de Oliveira Soares
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar-LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. da Abolição, 3207, Fortaleza, Brazil; Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Carrer de les Columnes, Edifici Z, Cerdanyolla del Vallés, Barcelona, Spain; Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali (DISTEBA), Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy.
| | - Jorge Thé de Araújo
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar-LABOMAR, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Av. da Abolição, 3207, Fortaleza, Brazil
| | | | - Bráulio Almeida Santos
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Joana Ruela Heimbürger Boavida
- Aix Marseille Université, Univ Toulon, CNRS, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, 13288, Marseille, France; Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
| | - Federica Costantini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche ed Ambientali (BiGeA) and Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per le Scienze Ambientali (CIRSA), University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Rome, Italy
| | - Sergio Rossi
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Carrer de les Columnes, Edifici Z, Cerdanyolla del Vallés, Barcelona, Spain; Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche e Ambientali (DISTEBA), Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy; Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa), Rome, Italy
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29
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Drury C, Pérez Portela R, Serrano XM, Oleksiak M, Baker AC. Fine-scale structure among mesophotic populations of the great star coral Montastraea cavernosa revealed by SNP genotyping. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6009-6019. [PMID: 32607208 PMCID: PMC7319168 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesophotic reefs (30-150 m) have been proposed as potential refugia that facilitate the recovery of degraded shallow reefs following acute disturbances such as coral bleaching and disease. However, because of the technical difficulty of collecting samples, the connectivity of adjacent mesophotic reefs is relatively unknown compared with shallower counterparts. We used genotyping by sequencing to assess fine-scale genetic structure of Montastraea cavernosa at two sites at Pulley Ridge, a mesophotic coral reef ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico, and downstream sites along the Florida Reef Tract. We found differentiation between reefs at Pulley Ridge (~68 m) and corals at downstream upper mesophotic depths in the Dry Tortugas (28-36 m) and shallow reefs in the northern Florida Keys (Key Biscayne, ~5 m). The spatial endpoints of our study were distinct, with the Dry Tortugas as a genetic intermediate. Most striking were differences in population structure among northern and southern sites at Pulley Ridge that were separated by just 12km. Unique patterns of clonality and outlier loci allele frequency support these sites as different populations and suggest that the long-distance horizontal connectivity typical of shallow-water corals may not be typical for mesophotic systems in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. We hypothesize that this may be due to the spawning of buoyant gametes, which commits propagules to the surface, resulting in greater dispersal and lower connectivity than typically found between nearby shallow sites. Differences in population structure over small spatial scales suggest that demographic constraints and/or environmental disturbances may be more variable in space and time on mesophotic reefs compared with their shallow-water counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crawford Drury
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
- Present address:
Hawai'i Institute of Marine BiologyUniversity of Hawai'i at MānoaKāne'oheHawai'i
| | - Rocío Pérez Portela
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
- Present address:
University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Xaymara M. Serrano
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological LaboratoryNational Oceanographic and Atmospheric AdministrationMiamiFlordia
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric StudiesUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
| | - Marjorie Oleksiak
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
| | - Andrew C. Baker
- Department of Marine Biology and EcologyRosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida
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30
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Eckert RJ, Reaume AM, Sturm AB, Studivan MS, Voss JD. Depth Influences Symbiodiniaceae Associations Among Montastraea cavernosa Corals on the Belize Barrier Reef. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:518. [PMID: 32328040 PMCID: PMC7160519 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In Belize, shallow populations (10 and 16 m) of the coral species Montastraea cavernosa from the back reef and reef crest are genetically differentiated from deeper populations on the fore reef and reef wall (25 and 35 m). Like many species of scleractinian corals, M. cavernosa has an obligate symbiosis with dinoflagellate microalgae from the family Symbiodiniaceae. Here, we describe the Symbiodiniaceae taxa found within previously sampled and genotyped M. cavernosa populations along a depth gradient on the Belize Barrier Reef by implementing high-throughput sequencing of the ITS2 region of Symbiodiniaceae ribosomal DNA and the SymPortal analysis framework. While Symbiodiniaceae ITS2 type profiles across all sampling depths were almost entirely (99.99%) from the genus Cladocopium (formerly Symbiodinium Clade C), shallow (10 and 16 m) populations had a greater diversity of ITS2 type profiles in comparison to deeper (25 and 35 m) populations. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) confirmed significant differences in ITS2 type profiles between shallow and deep sample populations. Overall Symbiodiniaceae communities changed significantly with depth, following patterns similar to the coral host's population genetic structure. Though physiological differences among species in the cosmopolitan genus Cladocopium are not well-described, our results suggest that although some members of Cladocopium are depth-generalists, shallow M. cavernosa populations in Belize may harbor shallow-specialized Symbiodiniaceae not found in deeper populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J. Eckert
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | | | | | | | - Joshua D. Voss
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
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31
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Kavousi J. There is an inverse relationship between the capacity of climate change refugia and species adaptation potential. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1937-1939. [PMID: 31733002 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Revised: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
There is an inverse relationship between species adaptation potential (green/curved line) and refugial capacity (blue/light triangle). The ability of refugia species to adapt/acclimatize to future stressors (red/dark triangle), assuming this is within their physiological capabilities, depends on the refugial capacity of the refugia in which they live. The more effective a refugium, the lower the chance of its species adapting/acclimatizing. This article is a commentary on Kapsensberg & Cyronak, 25, 3201-3214.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javid Kavousi
- Univ Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, LEMAR, Plouzane, France
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32
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Venegas RM, Oliver T, Liu G, Heron SF, Clark SJ, Pomeroy N, Young C, Eakin CM, Brainard RE. The Rarity of Depth Refugia from Coral Bleaching Heat Stress in the Western and Central Pacific Islands. Sci Rep 2019; 9:19710. [PMID: 31873188 PMCID: PMC6928217 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56232-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Some researchers have suggested that corals living in deeper reefs may escape heat stress experienced by shallow corals. We evaluated the potential of deep coral reef refugia from bleaching stress by leveraging a long record of satellite-derived sea surface temperature data with a temporal, spatial, and depth precision of in situ temperature records. We calculated an in situ stress metric using a depth bias-adjusted threshold for 457 coral reef sites among 49 islands in the western and central Pacific Ocean over the period 2001-2017. Analysis of 1,453 heating events found no meaningful depth refuge from heat stress down to 38 m, and no significant association between depth and subsurface heat stress. Further, the surface metric underestimated subsurface stress by an average of 39.3%, across all depths. Combining satellite and in situ temperature data can provide bleaching-relevant heat stress results to avoid misrepresentation of heat stress exposure at shallow reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto M Venegas
- Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA.
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA.
| | - Thomas Oliver
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA.
| | - Gang Liu
- NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Coral Reef Watch, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
- Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center/Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites-Maryland, University of Maryland, 5825 University Research Court, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - Scott F Heron
- NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Coral Reef Watch, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
- Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics Department, College of Science, Technology and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - S Jeanette Clark
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa Barbara, California, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Noah Pomeroy
- Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - Charles Young
- Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - C Mark Eakin
- NOAA/NESDIS/STAR Coral Reef Watch, College Park, MD, 20740, USA
| | - Russell E Brainard
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
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33
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Montgomery AD, Fenner D, Toonen RJ. Annotated checklist for stony corals of American Sāmoa with reference to mesophotic depth records. Zookeys 2019; 849:1-170. [PMID: 31171897 PMCID: PMC6538593 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.849.34763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
An annotated checklist of the stony corals (Scleractinia, Milleporidae, Stylasteridae, and Helioporidae) of American Sāmoa is presented. A total of 377 valid species has been reported from American Sāmoa with 342 species considered either present (251) or possibly present (91). Of these 342 species, 66 have a recorded geographical range extension and 90 have been reported from mesophotic depths (30–150 m). Additionally, four new species records (Acanthastreasubechinata Veron, 2000, Favitesparaflexuosus Veron, 2000, Echinophylliaechinoporoides Veron & Pichon, 1980, Turbinariairregularis Bernard, 1896) are presented. Coral species of concern include species listed under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. Approximately 17.5% of the species present or possibly present are categorized as threatened by IUCN compared to 27% of the species globally. American Sāmoa has seven ESA-listed or ESA candidate species, including Acroporaglobiceps (Dana, 1846), Acroporajacquelineae Wallace, 1994, Acroporaretusa (Dana, 1846), Acroporaspeciosa (Quelch, 1886), Fimbriaphylliaparadivisa (Veron, 1990), Isoporacrateriformis (Gardiner, 1898), and Pocilloporameandrina Dana, 1846. There are two additional species possibly present, i.e., Pavonadiffluens (Lamarck, 1816) and Poritesnapopora Veron, 2000.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D Montgomery
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe United States of America.,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office, 300 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, HI 96850, USA U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Honolulu United States of America
| | - Douglas Fenner
- Ocean Associates, Inc., NOAA Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office, Pago Pago, AS, USA NOAA Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Regional Office Pago Pago American Samoa
| | - Robert J Toonen
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744, USA University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Kāne'ohe United States of America
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Populations of the coral species Montastraea cavernosa on the Belize Barrier Reef lack vertical connectivity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7200. [PMID: 31076586 PMCID: PMC6510931 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43479-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Larval connectivity among and within coral reefs is important for sustaining coral metapopulations, enhancing ecosystem resilience through species and genetic diversity, and maintaining reef ecosystems’ structure and functions. This study characterized genetic structure and assessed horizontal and vertical connectivity among populations of the ubiquitous gonochoric broadcast spawning coral Montastraea cavernosa in Belize. Using nine polymorphic microsatellite loci, we genotyped M. cavernosa colonies from four depth zones at four study sites within Belizean marine management zones. Study sites were selected within South Water Caye Marine Reserve (3 sites) and Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve (1 site). Strong contemporary genetic differentiation was observed between relatively shallow M. cavernosa populations (10 m, 16 m) and relatively deep (25 m, 35 m) populations, coinciding with a transition from reef crest to reef slope. These results were consistent across both marine reserves. Vertical and horizontal migration models suggest that all populations were historically panmictic, with little unidirectional migration. The relative local isolation of shallow and mesophotic M. cavernosa populations in Belize, coupled with the importance of Belize’s upper mesophotic populations as potential larval sources for other areas in the Tropical Western Atlantic, reinforces the need for management strategies that conserve coral populations across all depth zones.
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Pinheiro HT, Eyal G, Shepherd B, Rocha LA. Ecological insights from environmental disturbances in mesophotic coral ecosystems. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hudson T. Pinheiro
- Department of Ichthyology California Academy of Sciences San Francisco California 94118 USA
| | - Gal Eyal
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland 4072 Australia
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences Bar Ilan University Ramat Gan 52900 Israel
| | - Bart Shepherd
- Department of Ichthyology California Academy of Sciences San Francisco California 94118 USA
- Steinhart Aquarium, California Academy of Sciences San Francisco California 94118 USA
| | - Luiz A. Rocha
- Department of Ichthyology California Academy of Sciences San Francisco California 94118 USA
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Upper mesophotic depths in the coral reefs of Eilat, Red Sea, offer suitable refuge grounds for coral settlement. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2263. [PMID: 30783139 PMCID: PMC6381148 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38795-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to increasing frequency of disturbances to shallow reefs, it has been suggested that Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs, 30–150 m depth) may serve as a refuge for corals and a source of larvae that can facilitate the recovery of shallow degraded reefs. As such, they have received increased attention in the past decade, yet remained understudied regarding recruitment dynamics. Here we describe coral recruitment dynamics on settlement tiles and their adjacent natural habitats (10 m vs. 50 m depths) in Eilat, over a period of 5.5 years. The tiles were deployed along three sites onto 18 racks (3 at each depth and at each site). Recruitment patterns varied both temporally and spatially, ending up to two-fold higher juvenile density and higher recruitment rates at mesophotic sites. Settlement surface preference changed with depth, favoring exposed surfaces in mesophotic waters and cryptic surfaces in shallow waters. Juvenile assemblages differed between depths and were distinct from adjacent natural habitats. Over half of the recruited genera overlapped between depths. We suggest that Eilat MCEs serve as a larval sink, providing settlement grounds for shallow-reef propagules. In view of their significance, we call for the protection of these unique and distinct deep-reef habitats.
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Disturbance in Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems and Linkages to Conservation and Management. CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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39
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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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Sexual Reproduction of Scleractinian Corals in Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems vs. Shallow Reefs. CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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41
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Beyond the “Deep Reef Refuge” Hypothesis: A Conceptual Framework to Characterize Persistence at Depth. CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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42
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Soares MDO, Tavares TCL, Carneiro PBDM. Mesophotic ecosystems: Distribution, impacts and conservation in the South Atlantic. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo de Oliveira Soares
- Instituto de Ciências do Mar (Labomar)Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) Fortaleza Brazil
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA)Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) Barcelona Spain
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43
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Lesser MP, Slattery M, Mobley CD. Biodiversity and Functional Ecology of Mesophotic Coral Reefs. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110617-062423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mesophotic coral reefs, currently defined as deep reefs between 30 and 150 m, are linked physically and biologically to their shallow water counterparts, have the potential to be refuges for shallow coral reef taxa such as coral and sponges, and might be a source of larvae that could contribute to the resiliency of shallow water reefs. Mesophotic coral reefs are found worldwide, but most are undescribed and understudied. Here, we review our current knowledge of mesophotic coral reefs and their functional ecology as it relates to their geomorphology, changes in the abiotic environment along depth gradients, trophic ecology, their reproduction, and their connectivity to shallow depths. Understanding the ecology of mesophotic coral reefs, and the connectivity between them and their shallow water counterparts, is now a primary focus for many reef studies as the worldwide degradation of shallow coral reefs, and the ecosystem services they provide, continues unabated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Lesser
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, and School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA
| | - Marc Slattery
- Department of BioMolecular Science, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi 38677, USA
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Pereira PHC, Macedo CH, Nunes JDACC, Marangoni LFDB, Bianchini A. Effects of depth on reef fish communities: Insights of a "deep refuge hypothesis" from Southwestern Atlantic reefs. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0203072. [PMID: 30256788 PMCID: PMC6157832 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Deeper reefs are often considered to be less susceptible to local and global disturbances, such as overfishing, pollution and climate change, compared to shallow reefs and therefore could act as refugia for shallow water species. Hence, the interest on deeper reefs has happened at a time when shallow reefs are undergoing unprecedented changes. Here we investigated the hypothesis that fish community differed from shallow to deeper reefs due to factors apart from habitat structure and quality and therefore discuss for the first-time insights of a “deep refuge hypothesis” from Brazilian reefs. We collected data on fish community, benthic community and physiological conditions of two coral species on shallow (< 6 m) and deep reefs (> 25 m). No significant difference on substratum composition was observed comparing sites and depths. Additionally, physiological data on corals also showed similar oxidative status and growth conditions when comparing the two-coral species in shallow and deep reefs. Conversely, our study demonstrated strong differences on reef fish communities in terms of abundance, species richness, trophic groups, size classes and groups of interest when comparing shallow and deeper reefs. Fish abundance was 2-fold higher and species richness was up to 70% higher on deeper reefs. Also, a significant difference was observed comparing trophic groups of reef fish. Macrocarnivore, Mobile invertebrate feeders, Planktivores, Sessile Invertebrates Feeders and Roving Herbivores were more abundant on deeper reefs. On the other hand, Territorialist Herbivores almost exclusively dominated shallow reefs. Strong differences were also observed comparing the abundance of reef fish groups of interest and their respective size classes between shallow and deeper reefs. Ornamental, Great Herbivores and Groupers showed clear differences, with higher abundances being observed in deeper reefs. Considering size classes, larger individuals (> 15 cm) of Great Herbivores, Groupers and Snapper were uniquely recorded at deeper reefs. Additionally, individuals with > 30 cm were recorded almost exclusively on deeper reefs for all the analyzed groups of interest. Our findings suggest that fishing pressure on the target species may be attenuated on deeper reefs, and these regions may therefore be considered as areas of refuge from shallow water impacts. Therefore, the likely potential for deeper reefs protect species from natural or anthropogenic disturbances increases the attention of marine conservation planning and resource management on including deeper reefs in protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Henrique Cipresso Pereira
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Departamento de Oceanografia, Recife (PE), Brazil
- Projeto Conservação Recifal (Reef Conservation Project), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Cláudio Henrique Macedo
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Departamento de Oceanografia, Recife (PE), Brazil
- Projeto Conservação Recifal (Reef Conservation Project), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | - Laura Fernandes de Barros Marangoni
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Adalto Bianchini
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Deep reefs of the Great Barrier Reef offer limited thermal refuge during mass coral bleaching. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3447. [PMID: 30181537 PMCID: PMC6123414 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05741-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Our rapidly warming climate is threatening coral reefs as thermal anomalies trigger mass coral bleaching events. Deep (or "mesophotic") coral reefs are hypothesised to act as major ecological refuges from mass bleaching, but empirical assessments are limited. We evaluated the potential of mesophotic reefs within the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and adjacent Coral Sea to act as thermal refuges by characterising long-term temperature conditions and assessing impacts during the 2016 mass bleaching event. We found that summer upwelling initially provided thermal relief at upper mesophotic depths (40 m), but then subsided resulting in anomalously warm temperatures even at depth. Bleaching impacts on the deep reefs were severe (40% bleached and 6% dead colonies at 40 m) but significantly lower than at shallower depths (60-69% bleached and 8-12% dead at 5-25 m). While we confirm that deep reefs can offer refuge from thermal stress, we highlight important caveats in terms of the transient nature of the protection and their limited ability to provide broad ecological refuge.
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46
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Morais J, Santos BA. Limited potential of deep reefs to serve as refuges for tropical Southwestern Atlantic corals. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Juliano Morais
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas; Cidade Universitária; Universidade Federal da Paraíba; CEP: 58051-900 João Pessoa PB Brazil
| | - Bráulio A. Santos
- Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza; Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia; Cidade Universitária; Universidade Federal da Paraíba; CEP: 58051-900 João Pessoa PB Brazil
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47
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Loeffler CR, Robertson A, Flores Quintana HA, Silander MC, Smith TB, Olsen D. Ciguatoxin prevalence in 4 commercial fish species along an oceanic exposure gradient in the US Virgin Islands. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2018; 37:1852-1863. [PMID: 29710376 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Ciguatera fish poisoning is a seafood-toxin illness resulting from consumption of fish contaminated with ciguatoxins. Managing ciguatera fish poisoning is complex. It is made easier, however, by local fishers from endemic areas reporting regional predictability for local fish species' ciguatera fish poisoning risk, which the present study then tested. We investigated the prevalence of ciguatoxins in 4 commonly marketed and consumed species (Balistes vetula, Haemulon plumierii, Ocyurus chrysurus, and Epinephelus guttatus) across an oceanic gradient (north, south, east, and west) from the US Virgin Islands. Fish muscle extracts were analyzed for Caribbean ciguatoxins using an in vitro mouse neuroblastoma (N2a) cytotoxicity assay and confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Fish collected from the north location had 0 fish with detectable ciguatoxins; this site also had the greatest wave energy. Caribbean ciguatoxins in fish ranged from 0.01 to 0.11, 0.004 to 0.10, and 0.005 to 0.18 ng Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 eq/g, from the west, east, and south respectively. Ciguatoxin-like activity was detectable by the N2a assay in 40, 41, 50, and 70% of H. plumierii, O. chrysurus, B. vetula, and E. guttatus, respectively. Of the fish collected, 4% had Caribbean ciguatoxin levels exceeding the US Food and Drug Administration guidance of 0.1 ng Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 eq/g fish. These findings concurred with spatial ciguatera fish poisoning prevalence information provided by local fishers in the US Virgin Islands and demonstrate how partnerships between researchers and fishers can aid the improvement of science-based ciguatera fish poisoning management. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;39:1852-1863. Published 2018 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Loeffler
- Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory, Division of Seafood Science and Technology, US Food and Drug Administration, Dauphin Island, Alabama
| | - Alison Robertson
- Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory, Division of Seafood Science and Technology, US Food and Drug Administration, Dauphin Island, Alabama
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA
| | - Harold A Flores Quintana
- Gulf Coast Seafood Laboratory, Division of Seafood Science and Technology, US Food and Drug Administration, Dauphin Island, Alabama
| | - Miguel C Silander
- University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Center for Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Department of Engineering Science and Materials, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
| | - Tyler B Smith
- Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas Virgin, Islands of the United States
| | - David Olsen
- St. Thomas Fishermen's Association, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands of the United States
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Depth and coral cover drive the distribution of a coral macroborer across two reef systems. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199462. [PMID: 29924857 PMCID: PMC6010239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioerosion, the removal of calcium carbonate from coral frameworks by living organisms, influences a variety of reef features, from their topographic complexity to the net balance of carbonate budgets. Little is known, however, about how macroborers, which bore into reef substrates leaving traces greater than 0.1 mm diameter, are distributed across coral reefs, particularly reef systems with high (>50%) stony coral cover or at mesophotic depths (≥30 m). Here, we present an accurate and efficient method for quantifying macroborer densities from stony coral hosts via image analysis, using the bioeroding barnacle, Lithotrya dorsalis, and its host coral, Orbicella franksi, as a case study. We found that in 2014, L. dorsalis densities varied consistently with depth and host percent cover in two Atlantic reef systems: the Flower Garden Banks (FGB, northwest Gulf of Mexico) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). Although average barnacle density was nearly 4.5 times greater overall in the FGB than in the USVI, barnacle density decreased with depth in both reef regions. Barnacle density also scaled negatively with increasing coral cover in the study areas, suggesting that barnacle populations are not strictly space-limited in their distribution and settlement opportunities. Our findings suggest that depth and host coral cover, and potentially, local factors may strongly influence the abundance of macroborers, and thus the rate of CaCO3 loss, in a given reef system. Our image analysis method for quantifying macroborers can be standardized across historical and modern reef records to better understand how borers impact host growth and reef health.
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Muir PR, Marshall PA, Abdulla A, Aguirre JD. Species identity and depth predict bleaching severity in reef-building corals: shall the deep inherit the reef? Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1551. [PMID: 29021175 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass bleaching associated with unusually high sea temperatures represents one of the greatest threats to corals and coral reef ecosystems. Deeper reef areas are hypothesized as potential refugia, but the susceptibility of Scleractinian species over depth has not been quantified. During the most severe bleaching event on record, we found up to 83% of coral cover severely affected on Maldivian reefs at a depth of 3-5 m, but significantly reduced effects at 24-30 m. Analysis of 153 species' responses showed depth, shading and species identity had strong, significant effects on susceptibility. Overall, 73.3% of the shallow-reef assemblage had individuals at a depth of 24-30 m with reduced effects, potentially mitigating local extinction and providing a source of recruits for population recovery. Although susceptibility was phylogenetically constrained, species-level effects caused most lineages to contain some partially resistant species. Many genera showed wide variation between species, including Acropora, previously considered highly susceptible. Extinction risk estimates showed species and lineages of concern and those likely to dominate following repeated events. Our results show that deeper reef areas provide refuge for a large proportion of Scleractinian species during severe bleaching events and that the deepest occurring individuals of each population have the greatest potential to survive and drive reef recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Muir
- Biodiversity, Queensland Museum, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia .,Global Change Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Paul A Marshall
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.,Reef Ecologic, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ameer Abdulla
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - J David Aguirre
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, Auckland 4474, New Zealand
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50
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Laverick JH, Rogers AD. Experimental evidence for reduced mortality of Agaricia lamarcki on a mesophotic reef. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 134:37-43. [PMID: 29290384 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) may act as a refuge for impacted shallow reefs as some of the stressors affecting tropical reefs attenuate with depth. A less impacted population at depth could provide recruits to recolonise shallow reefs. Recently, disturbance has been reported on several mesophotic reefs including storm damage, biological invasions, and coral bleaching; calling into question the extent of deep reef refuges. We report on a reciprocal transplant experiment between shallow and mesophotic reefs in the Caribbean, which occurred during a period of coral bleaching. 102 fragments of Agaricia lamarcki were collected down a continuous depth gradient at two sites to a maximum depth of 60m. Fragments were transplanted to either a shallow or mesophotic station at a third site, with controls. This allowed the disaggregation of the effect of the disturbance experienced during the observation period, and any potential acclimation resulting from the historical location of a fragment. Mortality and bleaching were quantitatively assessed. We found the relocation depth of a coral fragment had the strongest effect on both survival and the degree of bleaching recorded. The site a fragment was collected from, and the original collection depth, failed to explain mortality or bleaching with statistical significance. This experiment provides support for the assumption that mesophotic corals may be protected in comparison to shallow reefs, in spite of the potential effects of differing susceptibilities to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack H Laverick
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK; Operation Wallacea, Spilsbury, UK.
| | - Alex D Rogers
- University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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