1
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Yen LP, Yong CLX, Todd PA. The effect of coral colony morphology, coral surface condition, particle size, and seeding point on the trapping and deposition of microplastics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 921:171077. [PMID: 38382597 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171077] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Coral reefs are increasingly identified as microplastic sinks. Understanding the trapping and deposition effects on microplastics among coral colonies of different morphologies can help identify which corals and coral reefs are at higher risk of microplastic exposure. Here, we used a current-generating saltwater flume to explore microplastic trapping and deposition among branching coral, Pocillopora acuta, colonies with contrasting morphologies (open and compact), together with varying coral surface conditions (live, dead, and waxed), microplastic sizes (400 to 500 μm and 900 to 1000 μm), and seeding points (above-colony and mid-colony). Results revealed that more microplastics were trapped by, and deposited nearer to, compact colonies compared to those with a more open morphology-likely due to differences in flow dynamics. More of the larger microplastics were trapped, as were those introduced at the mid seeding point, but coral surface condition had no significant effect. These findings add to the growing evidence that corals are effective at trapping and facilitating deposition of microplastics. Branching corals with compact structures are potentially at high risk of microplastic pollution impact. We posit that coral composition, i.e. the relative abundance of compact branching colonies, will affect microplastic accumulation in natural reef environments. SYNOPSIS: This study demonstrates the effects of coral morphology on microplastic trapping and deposition, providing mechanistic insights into the factors that contribute to coral reefs acting as microplastic sinks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Peng Yen
- Experimental Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Clara Lei Xin Yong
- Experimental Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore
| | - Peter A Todd
- Experimental Marine Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore.
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2
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Scucchia F, Zaslansky P, Boote C, Doheny A, Mass T, Camp EF. The role and risks of selective adaptation in extreme coral habitats. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4475. [PMID: 37507378 PMCID: PMC10382478 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39651-7] [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: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The alarming rate of climate change demands new management strategies to protect coral reefs. Environments such as mangrove lagoons, characterized by extreme variations in multiple abiotic factors, are viewed as potential sources of stress-tolerant corals for strategies such as assisted evolution and coral propagation. However, biological trade-offs for adaptation to such extremes are poorly known. Here, we investigate the reef-building coral Porites lutea thriving in both mangrove and reef sites and show that stress-tolerance comes with compromises in genetic and energetic mechanisms and skeletal characteristics. We observe reduced genetic diversity and gene expression variability in mangrove corals, a disadvantage under future harsher selective pressure. We find reduced density, thickness and higher porosity in coral skeletons from mangroves, symptoms of metabolic energy redirection to stress response functions. These findings demonstrate the need for caution when utilizing stress-tolerant corals in human interventions, as current survival in extremes may compromise future competitive fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Scucchia
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H, Charney school of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Paul Zaslansky
- Department for Operative, Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chloë Boote
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Annabelle Doheny
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Tali Mass
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H, Charney school of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Emma F Camp
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.
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3
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Quigley KM. A fast, precise, in‐vivo method for micron‐level
3D
models of corals using dental scanners. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kate M. Quigley
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Townsville Qld Australia
- Minderoo Foundation Perth WA Australia
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4
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Kahramanoğulları O, Giordano B, Perrin J, Vielzeuf D, Bramanti L. Stochastic diffusion characterizes early colony formation in Mediterranean coral Corallium rubrum. J Theor Biol 2022; 553:111247. [PMID: 36041505 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111247] [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: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The colony formation in Mediterranean coral Corallium rubrum is initiated by a larva that metamorphoses into the first polyp of the emerging colony approximately two weeks after settlement. The primary polyp then sets up a slow process that eventually, at least after several years, gives rise to a tree-like rigid colony structure on which other polyps flourish. For a mature colony, this axial skeleton provides support for new polyps. However, the first emergence of the characteristic axial skeleton takes two to four years from the larva stage. The early colony morphology, instead, is shaped exclusively by the polyps' abundant deposition of sclerites, a magnesian calcite biomineral that has a different granularity from the distinctive red-coloured skeleton. With the appearance of the first polyp, a growing sclerite heap in a mesoglea layer provides a base for the emerging colony. In this paper, to elucidate the mechanical processes of early skeleton development in C. rubrum colonies, we present a computational model whereby the mesoglea layer provides a diffusion medium for the sclerites that the polyps deposit. We show that our stochastic model with three parameters captures the dynamic variability observed in measurements on living colonies. Our simulation results provide evidence for a diffusion process whereby the interplay between polyp budding and sclerite deposition are the main determinants of structure in early colony formation. Our model demonstrates that the frequency of budding events in an early colony can be described as a function of the available mesoglea surface whereas the number of polyps on the colony plays a secondary role in determining this frequency. We show that these model predictions are confirmed by direct observations on the colonies in our sample. Moreover, our results indicate that diffusion is a prevalent mechanism of colony development also at later stages of a colony's life span.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bruna Giordano
- CNRS-Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques, LECOB, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls sur Mer, Banyuls sur Mer, France; University of Cagliari, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Jonathan Perrin
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Ormes des Merisiers, Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Daniel Vielzeuf
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS UMR 7325, Centre Interdisciplinaire de NanoScience de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Lorenzo Bramanti
- CNRS-Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques, LECOB, Observatoire Océanologique de Banyuls sur Mer, Banyuls sur Mer, France
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5
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Li Y, Liao X, Bi K, Han T, Chen J, Lu J, He C, Lu Z. Micro-CT reconstruction reveals the colony pattern regulations of four dominant reef-building corals. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16266-16279. [PMID: 34824826 PMCID: PMC8601894 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Colonies are the basic geometric building blocks of coral reefs. However, the forming regulations of both colonies and reefs are still not understood adequately. Therefore, in this study, we reconstructed 25 samples using high-resolution micro-computed tomography to investigate coral growth patterns and parameters. Our skeleton and canal reconstructions revealed the characteristics of different coral species, and we further visualized the growth axes and growth rings to understand the coral growth directions. We drew a skeleton grayscale map and calculated the coral skeleton void ratios to ascertain the skeletal diversity, devising a method to quantify coral growth. On the basis of the three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions and growth parameters, we investigated the growth strategies of different coral species. This research increases the breadth of knowledge on how reef-building corals grow their colonies, providing information on reef-forming regulations. The data in this paper contain a large amount of coral growth information, which can be used in further research on reef-forming patterns under different conditions. The method used in this study can also be applied to animals with porous skeletons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Li
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xin Liao
- Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and UtilizationGuangxi Academy of SciencesGuangxi Mangrove Research CenterBeihaiChina
| | - Kun Bi
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Tingyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Junyuan Chen
- Nanjing Institute of Geology and PalaeontologyChinese Academy of SciencesNanjingChina
| | - Jing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Vertebrate Paleontology and PaleoanthropologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- CAS Center for Excellence in Life and PaleoenvironmentBeijingChina
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
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6
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Sanna G, Freiwald A. Deciphering the composite morphological diversity of
Lophelia pertusa
, a cosmopolitan deep‐water ecosystem engineer. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Sanna
- Marine Research Department Senckenberg am Meer Wilhelmshaven 26382 Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences University of Bremen Bremen 28359 Germany
- MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences University of Bremen Bremen 28359 Germany
| | - André Freiwald
- Marine Research Department Senckenberg am Meer Wilhelmshaven 26382 Germany
- Faculty of Geosciences University of Bremen Bremen 28359 Germany
- MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences University of Bremen Bremen 28359 Germany
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7
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Hennige SJ, Larsson AI, Orejas C, Gori A, De Clippele LH, Lee YC, Jimeno G, Georgoulas K, Kamenos NA, Roberts JM. Using the Goldilocks Principle to model coral ecosystem engineering. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211260. [PMID: 34375552 PMCID: PMC8354746 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The occurrence and proliferation of reef-forming corals is of vast importance in terms of the biodiversity they support and the ecosystem services they provide. The complex three-dimensional structures engineered by corals are comprised of both live and dead coral, and the function, growth and stability of these systems will depend on the ratio of both. To model how the ratio of live : dead coral may change, the ‘Goldilocks Principle’ can be used, where organisms will only flourish if conditions are ‘just right’. With data from particle imaging velocimetry and numerical smooth particle hydrodynamic modelling with two simple rules, we demonstrate how this principle can be applied to a model reef system, and how corals are effectively optimizing their own local flow requirements through habitat engineering. Building on advances here, these approaches can be used in conjunction with numerical modelling to investigate the growth and mortality of biodiversity supporting framework in present-day and future coral reef structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- S J Hennige
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - A I Larsson
- Department of Marine Sciences, Tjärnö Marine Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - C Orejas
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, IEO, CSIC, Gijón, Spain
| | - A Gori
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L H De Clippele
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Y C Lee
- School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth, Devon, UK
| | - G Jimeno
- School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - K Georgoulas
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - N A Kamenos
- School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - J M Roberts
- Changing Oceans Group, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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8
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Guerrini G, Shefy D, Shashar N, Shafir S, Rinkevich B. Morphometric and allometric rules of polyp's landscape in regular and chimeric coral colonies of the branching species Stylophora pistillata. Dev Dyn 2020; 250:652-668. [PMID: 33368848 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most studies on architectural rules in corals have focused on the branch and the colony level, unveiling a variety of allometric rules. Working on the branching coral Stylophora pistillata, here we further extend the astogenic directives of this species at the polyp level, to reveal allometric and morphometric rules dictating polyps' arrangement. RESULTS We identified a basic morphometric landscape as a six-polyp circlet developed around a founder polyp, with established distances between polyps (six equilateral triangles), reflecting a strong genetic-based background vs high plasticity on the population level. Testing these rules in regular and chimeric S. pistillata colonies, we revealed similar morphometric/allometric rules developed via a single astogenic pathway. In regular colonies, this pathway was driven by the presence/absence of intra-circlet budding polyps, while in chimeras, by the distances between the two founder polyps. In addition, we identified the intra-circlet budding as the origin of first branching, if BPC distances are kept <1.09 ± 0.25 mm. CONCLUSIONS The emerged allometric/morphometric rules indicate the existence of a positional information paradigm for polyps' landscape distribution, where each polyp creates its own positional field of morphogen gradients through six inductive sites, thus forming six positional fields for the development of the archetypal "six-polyp crown".
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Guerrini
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel.,Marine Biology and Biotechnology Program, Department of Life Sciences, Ben- Gurion University of the Negev Eilat Campus, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Dor Shefy
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel.,Marine Biology and Biotechnology Program, Department of Life Sciences, Ben- Gurion University of the Negev Eilat Campus, Beer-Sheva, Israel.,The Interuniversity Institute for Marine Science, Eilat, Israel
| | - Nadav Shashar
- Marine Biology and Biotechnology Program, Department of Life Sciences, Ben- Gurion University of the Negev Eilat Campus, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Shai Shafir
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel.,Oranim Academic College of Education, 36006 Kiryat Tivon, Israel
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Haifa, Israel
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9
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Hossain MM, Staples AE. Effects of coral colony morphology on turbulent flow dynamics. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0225676. [PMID: 33027270 PMCID: PMC7540866 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Local flow dynamics play a central role in physiological processes like respiration and nutrient uptake in coral reefs. Despite the importance of corals as hosts to a quarter of all marine life, and the pervasive threats facing corals, characterizing the hydrodynamics between the branches of scleractinian corals has remained a significant challenge. Here, we investigate the effects of colony branch density and surface structure on the local flow field using three-dimensional immersed boundary, large-eddy simulations for four different colony geometries under unidirectional oncoming flow conditions. The first two colonies were from the Pocillopora genus, one with a densely branched geometry, and one with a comparatively loosely branched geometry. The second pair of geometries were derived from a scan of a single Montipora capitata colony, one with the roughness elements called verrucae covering the surface intact, and one with the verrucae removed. For the Pocillopora corals, we found that the mean velocity profiles changed substantially in the center of the dense colony, becoming significantly reduced at middle heights where flow penetration was poor, while the mean velocity profiles in the loosely branched colony remained similar in character from the front to the back of the colony. For the Montipora corals, somewhat counterintuitively, the colony without verrucae produced almost double the maximum Reynolds stress magnitude above the colony compared to the colony without verrucae. This implies that the smooth colony will have enhanced mass transport and higher bed shear stress and friction velocity values relative to the colony with verrucae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Monir Hossain
- Engineering Mechanics Program, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne E. Staples
- Engineering Mechanics Program, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
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10
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Raphael A, Dubinsky Z, Iluz D, Benichou JIC, Netanyahu NS. Deep neural network recognition of shallow water corals in the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba). Sci Rep 2020; 10:12959. [PMID: 32737327 PMCID: PMC7395127 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69201-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe the application of the computerized deep learning methodology to the recognition of corals in a shallow reef in the Gulf of Eilat, Red Sea. This project is aimed at applying deep neural network analysis, based on thousands of underwater images, to the automatic recognition of some common species among the 100 species reported to be found in the Eilat coral reefs. This is a challenging task, since even in the same colony, corals exhibit significant within-species morphological variability, in terms of age, depth, current, light, geographic location, and inter-specific competition. Since deep learning procedures are based on photographic images, the task is further challenged by image quality, distance from the object, angle of view, and light conditions. We produced a large dataset of over 5,000 coral images that were classified into 11 species in the present automated deep learning classification scheme. We demonstrate the efficiency and reliability of the method, as compared to painstaking manual classification. Specifically, we demonstrated that this method is readily adaptable to include additional species, thereby providing an excellent tool for future studies in the region, that would allow for real time monitoring the detrimental effects of global climate change and anthropogenic impacts on the coral reefs of the Gulf of Eilat and elsewhere, and that would help assess the success of various bioremediation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Raphael
- Faculty of Life Sciences, The Mina and Everard Goodman, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Zvy Dubinsky
- Faculty of Life Sciences, The Mina and Everard Goodman, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - David Iluz
- Faculty of Life Sciences, The Mina and Everard Goodman, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Agriculture, Beit Berl College, 4490500, Beit Berl, Israel
| | - Jennifer I C Benichou
- Faculty of Life Sciences, The Mina and Everard Goodman, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Nathan S Netanyahu
- Department of Computer Science, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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11
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Li Y, Han T, Bi K, Liang K, Chen J, Lu J, He C, Lu Z. The 3D Reconstruction of Pocillopora Colony Sheds Light on the Growth Pattern of This Reef-Building Coral. iScience 2020; 23:101069. [PMID: 32504876 PMCID: PMC7276440 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are formed by living polyps, and understanding the dynamic processes behind the reefs is crucial for marine ecosystem restoration. However, these processes are still unclear because the growth and budding patterns of living polyps are poorly known. Here, we investigate the growth pattern of a widely distributed reef-building coral Pocillopora damicornis from Xisha Islands using high-resolution computed tomography. We examine the corallites in a single corallum of the species in detail, to interpret the budding, growth, and distribution pattern of the polyps, to reconstruct the growth pattern of this important reef-building species. Our results reveal a three-stage growth pattern of P. damicornis, based on different growth bundles that are secreted by polyps along the dichotomous growth axes of the corallites. Our work on the three-dimensional reconstruction of calice and inter-septal space structure of P. damicornis sheds lights on its reef-building processes by reconstructing the budding patterns. We use high-resolution computed tomography to investigate coral forming and polyp budding processes The calice reconstruction shows coral growth patterns and budding information Our work visualizes the growth pattern of Pocillopora damicornis High-resolution computed tomography is a method for future reef-building coral studies
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Tingyu Han
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Kun Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Kun Liang
- Nanjing Institute of Paleontology and Geology, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Junyuan Chen
- Nanjing Institute of Paleontology and Geology, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PO Box 643, Beijing 100044, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Chunpeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
| | - Zuhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China.
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12
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Plasticity in Three-Dimensional Geometry of Branching Corals Along a Cross-Shelf Gradient. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11030044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Scleractinian corals often exhibit high levels of morphological plasticity, which is potentially important in enabling individual species to occupy benthic spaces across a wide range of environmental gradients. This study tested for differences in the three-dimensional (3D) geometry of three branching corals, Acropora nasuta, Pocillopora spp. and Stylophora pistillata among inner-, mid- and outer-shelf reefs in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Important attributes of coral morphology (e.g., surface area to volume ratio) were expected to vary linearly across the shelf in accordance with marked gradients in environmental conditions, but instead, we detected non-linear trends in the colony structure of A. nasuta and Pocillopora spp. The surface area to volume ratio of both A. nasuta and Pocillopora spp. was highest at mid-shelf locations, (reflecting higher colony complexity) and was significantly lower at both inner-shelf and outer-shelf reefs. The branching structure of these corals was also far more tightly packed at inner-shelf and outer-shelf reefs, compared to mid-shelf reefs. Apparent declines in complexity and inter-branch spacing at inner and outer-shelf reefs (compared to conspecifics from mid-shelf reefs) may reflect changes driven by gradients of sedimentation and hydrodynamics. The generality and explanations of observed patterns warrant further investigation, which is very feasible using the 3D-photogrammetry techniques used in this study.
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13
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Soto D, De Palmas S, Ho MJ, Denis V, Chen CA. Spatial variation in the morphological traits of Pocillopora verrucosa along a depth gradient in Taiwan. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202586. [PMID: 30118513 PMCID: PMC6097691 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202586] [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: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Pocillopora verrucosa is a widely distributed depth-generalist coral that presents plasticity in its skeletal macro- and microstructure in response to environmental gradients. Light and water movement, which covary with depth, are the main environmental drivers of morphological plasticity in this genus; however, assessing environmentally-induced plasticity may be confounded by the extent of interspecific variation in Pocillopora. We examine the morphology of 8 typed P. verrucosa specimens collected along a depth gradient ranging from 7 to 45 meters and comprising 3 sites throughout Ludao, Taiwan. We measured 36 morphological characters, 14 which are novel, in 3 regions on the corallum-the apex, branch and base-in order to quantify their relationship to site and depth. We found significant correlation between depth and 19 morphological characters, notably branch verruca area, branch verruca height, base verruca spacing, base spinule length, and branch corallite area. 60% of microstructural characters and 25% of macrostructural characters showed a correlative relation to depth, suggesting that depth acclimatization is manifested primarily at the microstructural level. Canonical discriminant analysis of all morphometric characters by depth supports clustering into 3 groups: an overlapping 7m and 15m group, a 23-30m group, and a 38-45m group. Canonical discriminant analysis by site supports clustering into low- and high-current sites, differentiated primarily by branch septa width, base septa width, pre-terminal branch width, terminal branch maximum length, and terminal branch minimum length. We conclude that distinctive patterns of morphological variation in mesophotic specimens of P. verrucosa could reflect the effects of abiotic parameters such as light and water flow. Elucidating the mechanisms behind the morphological changes that occur in response to environmental gradients can help clarify the role that physiological plasticity plays in the acclimatization of corals to the unique environmental settings of mesophotic coral ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Soto
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Stephane De Palmas
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming Jay Ho
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Green Island Marine Research Station, Academia Sinica, Ludao, Taiwan
| | - Vianney Denis
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chaolun Allen Chen
- Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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14
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de Moura Neves B, Edinger E, Wareham Hayes V. Morphology and composition of the internal axis in two morphologically contrasting deep-water sea pens (Cnidaria: Octocorallia). J NAT HIST 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1445787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Evan Edinger
- Department of Biology and Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada
| | - Vonda Wareham Hayes
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Center, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Canada
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15
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De Clippele LH, Huvenne VAI, Orejas C, Lundälv T, Fox A, Hennige SJ, Roberts JM. The effect of local hydrodynamics on the spatial extent and morphology of cold-water coral habitats at Tisler Reef, Norway. CORAL REEFS (ONLINE) 2017; 37:253-266. [PMID: 31258386 PMCID: PMC6566294 DOI: 10.1007/s00338-017-1653-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This study demonstrates how cold-water coral morphology and habitat distribution are shaped by local hydrodynamics, using high-definition video from Tisler Reef, an inshore reef in Norway. A total of 334 video frames collected on the north-west (NW) and south-east (SE) side of the reef were investigated for Lophelia pertusa coral cover and morphology and for the cover of the associated sponges Mycale lingua and Geodia sp. Our results showed that the SE side was a better habitat for L. pertusa (including live and dead colonies). Low cover of Geodia sp. was found on both sides of Tisler Reef. In contrast, Mycale lingua had higher percentage cover, especially on the NW side of the reef. Bush-shaped colonies of L. pertusa with elongated branches were the most abundant coral morphology on Tisler Reef. The highest abundance and density of this morphology were found on the SE side of the reef, while a higher proportion of cauliflower-shaped corals with short branches were found on the NW side. The proportion of very small L. pertusa colonies was also significantly higher on the SE side of the reef. The patterns in coral spatial distribution and morphology were related to local hydrodynamics-there were more frequent periods of downwelling currents on the SE side-and to the availability of suitable settling substrates. These factors make the SE region of Tisler Reef more suitable for coral growth. Understanding the impact of local hydrodynamics on the spatial extent and morphology of coral, and their relation to associated organisms such as sponges, is key to understanding the past and future development of the reef.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. H. De Clippele
- School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS UK
| | - V. A. I. Huvenne
- Marine Geoscience, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH UK
| | - C. Orejas
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares, 07015 Palma, Mallorca Spain
| | - T. Lundälv
- The Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - A. Fox
- School of Geosciences, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE UK
| | - S. J. Hennige
- School of Geosciences, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE UK
| | - J. M. Roberts
- School of Geosciences, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE UK
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16
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Ferrari R, Figueira WF, Pratchett MS, Boube T, Adam A, Kobelkowsky-Vidrio T, Doo SS, Atwood TB, Byrne M. 3D photogrammetry quantifies growth and external erosion of individual coral colonies and skeletons. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16737. [PMID: 29196651 PMCID: PMC5711843 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16408-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth and contraction of ecosystem engineers, such as trees, influence ecosystem structure and function. On coral reefs, methods to measure small changes in the structure of microhabitats, driven by growth of coral colonies and contraction of skeletons, are extremely limited. We used 3D reconstructions to quantify changes in the external structure of coral colonies of tabular Acropora spp., the dominant habitat-forming corals in shallow exposed reefs across the Pacific. The volume and surface area of live colonies increased by 21% and 22%, respectively, in 12 months, corresponding to a mean annual linear extension of 5.62 cm yr-1 (±1.81 SE). The volume and surface area of dead skeletons decreased by 52% and 47%, respectively, corresponding to a mean decline in linear extension of -29.56 cm yr-1 (±7.08 SE), which accounted for both erosion and fragmentation of dead colonies. This is the first study to use 3D photogrammetry to assess fine-scale structural changes of entire individual colonies in situ, quantifying coral growth and contraction. The high-resolution of the technique allows for detection of changes on reef structure faster than other non-intrusive approaches. These results improve our capacity to measure the drivers underpinning ecosystem biodiversity, status and trajectory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Ferrari
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, PMB No. 3, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia.
| | - Will F Figueira
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Morgan S Pratchett
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
| | - Tatiana Boube
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Arne Adam
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Tania Kobelkowsky-Vidrio
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Steve S Doo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Trisha Brooke Atwood
- Department of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
- Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Maria Byrne
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Edgeworth David Building, Science Road, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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17
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Ong RH, King AJC, Kaandorp JA, Mullins BJ, Caley MJ. The effect of allometric scaling in coral thermal microenvironments. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184214. [PMID: 29023468 PMCID: PMC5638381 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A long-standing interest in marine science is in the degree to which environmental conditions of flow and irradiance, combined with optical, thermal and morphological characteristics of individual coral colonies, affects their sensitivity of thermal microenvironments and susceptibility to stress-induced bleaching within and/or among colonies. The physiological processes in Scleractinian corals tend to scale allometrically as a result of physical and geometric constraints on body size and shape. There is a direct relationship between scaling to thermal stress, thus, the relationship between allometric scaling and rates of heating and cooling in coral microenvironments is a subject of great interest. The primary aim of this study was to develop an approximation that predicts coral thermal microenvironments as a function of colony morphology (shape and size), light or irradiance, and flow velocity or regime. To do so, we provided intuitive interpretation of their energy budgets for both massive and branching colonies, and then quantified the heat-size exponent (b*) and allometric constant (m) using logarithmic linear regression. The data demonstrated a positive relationship between thermal rates and changes in irradiance, A/V ratio, and flow, with an interaction where turbulent regime had less influence on overall stress which may serve to ameliorate the effects of temperature rise compared to the laminar regime. These findings indicated that smaller corals have disproportionately higher stress, however they can reach thermal equilibrium quicker. Moreover, excellent agreements between the predicted and simulated microscale temperature values with no significant bias were observed for both the massive and branching colonies, indicating that the numerical approximation should be within the accuracy with which they could be measured. This study may assist in estimating the coral microscale temperature under known conditions of water flow and irradiance, in particular when examining the intra- and inter-colony variability found during periods of bleaching conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Ong
- Fluid Dynamics Research Group, Curtin Institute for Computation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Andrew J C King
- Fluid Dynamics Research Group, Curtin Institute for Computation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Jaap A Kaandorp
- Computational Science Section, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin J Mullins
- Fluid Dynamics Research Group, Curtin Institute for Computation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.,Occupation and Environment, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - M Julian Caley
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Victoria, Australia
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18
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Reichert J, Backes AR, Schubert P, Wilke T. The power of 3D fractal dimensions for comparative shape and structural complexity analyses of irregularly shaped organisms. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Reichert
- Department of Animal Ecology & SystematicsJustus Liebig University Giessen Giessen Germany
| | - André R. Backes
- Faculty of ComputingFederal University of Uberlândia Uberlândia, MG Brazil
| | - Patrick Schubert
- Department of Animal Ecology & SystematicsJustus Liebig University Giessen Giessen Germany
| | - Thomas Wilke
- Department of Animal Ecology & SystematicsJustus Liebig University Giessen Giessen Germany
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19
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Dubé CE, Boissin E, Maynard JA, Planes S. Fire coral clones demonstrate phenotypic plasticity among reef habitats. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:3860-3869. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E. Dubé
- PSL Research University; EPHE-UPVD-CNRS; USR 3278 CRIOBE; Université de Perpignan; Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence “CORAIL”; Perpignan France
| | - Emilie Boissin
- PSL Research University; EPHE-UPVD-CNRS; USR 3278 CRIOBE; Université de Perpignan; Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence “CORAIL”; Perpignan France
| | - Jeffrey A. Maynard
- Laboratoire d'Excellence “CORAIL”; Perpignan France
- SymbioSeas and Marine Applied Research Center; Wilmington NC USA
| | - Serge Planes
- PSL Research University; EPHE-UPVD-CNRS; USR 3278 CRIOBE; Université de Perpignan; Perpignan France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence “CORAIL”; Perpignan France
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20
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Dubé CE, Mercière A, Vermeij MJA, Planes S. Population structure of the hydrocoral Millepora platyphylla in habitats experiencing different flow regimes in Moorea, French Polynesia. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173513. [PMID: 28273119 PMCID: PMC5342305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While the fire coral Millepora platyphylla is an important component of Indo-Pacific reefs, where it thrives in a wide range of environments, the ecological and biological processes driving its distribution and population structure are not well understood. Here, we quantified this species’ population structure in five habitats with contrasting hydrodynamic regimes in Moorea, French Polynesia; two in the fore reef: mid and upper slopes, and three in the lagoon: back, fringing and patch reefs. A total of 3651 colonies of fire corals were mapped and measured over 45,000 m2 of surveyed reef. Due to the species’ sensitivity to fragmentation in response to strong water movement, hydrodynamic conditions (e.g. waves, pass and lagoonal circulation) corresponded to marked differences in colony size distributions, morphology and recruitment dynamics among habitats. The size structure varied among reef habitats with higher proportions of larger colonies in calm nearshore reefs (fringing and patch reefs), while populations were dominated by smaller colonies in the exposed fore reefs. The highest densities of fire corals were recorded in fore reef habitats (0.12–0.20 n.m-2) where the proportion of recruits and juveniles was higher at mid slope populations (49.3%) than on the upper slope near where waves break (29.0%). In the latter habitat, most colonies grew as vertical sheets on encrusting bases making them more vulnerable to colony fragmentation, whereas fire corals were encrusting or massive in all other habitats. The lowest densities of M. platyphylla occurred in lagoonal habitats (0.02–0.04 n.m-2) characterized by a combination of low water movement and other physical and biological stressors. This study reports the first evidence of population structure of fire corals in two common reef environments and illustrates the importance of water flow in driving population dynamic processes of these reef-building species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E. Dubé
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire d’excellence “CORAIL”, EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea
- * E-mail:
| | - Alexandre Mercière
- Laboratoire d’excellence “CORAIL”, EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea
| | - Mark J. A. Vermeij
- CARMABI Foundation, Piscaderabaai z/n, Willemstad, Curaçao
- Aquatic Microbiology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 700, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Serge Planes
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Perpignan, France
- Laboratoire d’excellence “CORAIL”, EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea
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21
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Konglerd P, Reeb C, Jansson F, Kaandorp JA. Quantitative morphological analysis of 2D images of complex-shaped branching biological growth forms: the example of branching thalli of liverworts. BMC Res Notes 2017; 10:103. [PMID: 28219451 PMCID: PMC5322791 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-017-2424-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many organisms such as plants can be characterized as complex-shaped branching forms. The morphological quantification of the forms is a support for a number of areas such as the effects of environmental factors and species discrimination. To date, there is no software package suitable for our dataset representing the forms. We therefore formulate methods for extracting morphological measurements from images of the forms. Results As a case study we analyze two-dimensional images of samples from four groups belonging to three species of thalloid liverworts, genus Riccardia. The images are pre-processed and converted into binary images, then skeletonized to obtain a skeleton image, in which features such as junctions and terminals are detected. Morphological measurements known to characterize and discriminate the species in the samples such as junction thickness, branch thickness, terminal thickness, branch length, branch angle, and terminal spacing are then quantified. The measurements are used to distinguish among the four groups of Riccardia and also between the two groups of Riccardia amazonica collected in different locations, Africa and South America. Canonical discriminant analysis results show that those measurements are able to discriminate among the four groups. Additionally, it is able to discriminate R. amazonica collected in Africa from those collected in South America. Conclusions This paper presents general automated methods implemented in our software for quantifying two-dimensional images of complex branching forms. The methods are used to compute a series of morphological measurements. We found significant results to distinguish Riccardia species by using the measurements. The methods are also applicable for analyzing other branching organisms. Our software is freely available under the GNU GPL. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-017-2424-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pirom Konglerd
- Computational Science Lab, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Catherine Reeb
- Institut de Systématique Évolution et Biodiversité UMR7205, UPMC-MNHN-CNRS-EPHE, 57 Rue Cuvier, BP39, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Fredrik Jansson
- Computational Science Lab, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap A Kaandorp
- Computational Science Lab, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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22
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23
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Gutierrez-Heredia L, Benzoni F, Murphy E, Reynaud EG. End to End Digitisation and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Coral Models, from Communities to Corallites. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149641. [PMID: 26901845 PMCID: PMC4763093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs hosts nearly 25% of all marine species and provide food sources for half a billion people worldwide while only a very small percentage have been surveyed. Advances in technology and processing along with affordable underwater cameras and Internet availability gives us the possibility to provide tools and softwares to survey entire coral reefs. Holistic ecological analyses of corals require not only the community view (10s to 100s of meters), but also the single colony analysis as well as corallite identification. As corals are three-dimensional, classical approaches to determine percent cover and structural complexity across spatial scales are inefficient, time-consuming and limited to experts. Here we propose an end-to-end approach to estimate these parameters using low-cost equipment (GoPro, Canon) and freeware (123D Catch, Meshmixer and Netfabb), allowing every community to participate in surveys and monitoring of their coral ecosystem. We demonstrate our approach on 9 species of underwater colonies in ranging size and morphology. 3D models of underwater colonies, fresh samples and bleached skeletons with high quality texture mapping and detailed topographic morphology were produced, and Surface Area and Volume measurements (parameters widely used for ecological and coral health studies) were calculated and analysed. Moreover, we integrated collected sample models with micro-photogrammetry models of individual corallites to aid identification and colony and polyp scale analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Gutierrez-Heredia
- School of Biology & Environmental Science, UCD Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Francesca Benzoni
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Emma Murphy
- School of Biology & Environmental Science, UCD Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Emmanuel G. Reynaud
- School of Biology & Environmental Science, UCD Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- * E-mail:
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24
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Paz-García DA, Hellberg ME, García-de-León FJ, Balart EF. Switch between Morphospecies of Pocillopora Corals. Am Nat 2015; 186:434-40. [DOI: 10.1086/682363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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25
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Morphological variation and different branch modularity across contrasting flow conditions in dominant Pocillopora reef-building corals. Oecologia 2015; 178:207-18. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3199-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2014] [Accepted: 12/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Abstract
Although the oceans play a fundamental role in shaping the distribution and function of coral reefs worldwide, a modern understanding of the complex interactions between ocean and reef processes is still only emerging. These dynamics are especially challenging owing to both the broad range of spatial scales (less than a meter to hundreds of kilometers) and the complex physical and biological feedbacks involved. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of these processes, ranging from the small-scale mechanics of flow around coral communities and their influence on nutrient exchange to larger, reef-scale patterns of wave- and tide-driven circulation and their effects on reef water quality and perceived rates of metabolism. We also examine regional-scale drivers of reefs such as coastal upwelling, internal waves, and extreme disturbances such as cyclones. Our goal is to show how a wide range of ocean-driven processes ultimately shape the growth and metabolism of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan J Lowe
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Earth and Environment, and UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia; ,
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27
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Abstract
The exchange of nutrients and dissolved gasses between corals and their environment is a critical determinant of the growth of coral colonies and the productivity of coral reefs. To date, this exchange has been assumed to be limited by molecular diffusion through an unstirred boundary layer extending 1-2 mm from the coral surface, with corals relying solely on external flow to overcome this limitation. Here, we present direct microscopic evidence that, instead, corals can actively enhance mass transport through strong vortical flows driven by motile epidermal cilia covering their entire surface. Ciliary beating produces quasi-steady arrays of counterrotating vortices that vigorously stir a layer of water extending up to 2 mm from the coral surface. We show that, under low ambient flow velocities, these vortices, rather than molecular diffusion, control the exchange of nutrients and oxygen between the coral and its environment, enhancing mass transfer rates by up to 400%. This ability of corals to stir their boundary layer changes the way that we perceive the microenvironment of coral surfaces, revealing an active mechanism complementing the passive enhancement of transport by ambient flow. These findings extend our understanding of mass transport processes in reef corals and may shed new light on the evolutionary success of corals and coral reefs.
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28
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Wijgerde T, Silva CIF, Scherders V, van Bleijswijk J, Osinga R. Coral calcification under daily oxygen saturation and pH dynamics reveals the important role of oxygen. Biol Open 2014; 3:489-93. [PMID: 24857847 PMCID: PMC4058083 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20147922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs are essential to many nations, and are currently in global decline. Although climate models predict decreases in seawater pH (∼0.3 units) and oxygen saturation (∼5 percentage points), these are exceeded by the current daily pH and oxygen fluctuations on many reefs (pH 7.8-8.7 and 27-241% O2 saturation). We investigated the effect of oxygen and pH fluctuations on coral calcification in the laboratory using the model species Acropora millepora. Light calcification rates were greatly enhanced (+178%) by increased seawater pH, but only at normoxia; hyperoxia completely negated this positive effect. Dark calcification rates were significantly inhibited (51-75%) at hypoxia, whereas pH had no effect. Our preliminary results suggest that within the current oxygen and pH range, oxygen has substantial control over coral growth, whereas the role of pH is limited. This has implications for reef formation in this era of rapid climate change, which is accompanied by a decrease in seawater oxygen saturation owing to higher water temperatures and coastal eutrophication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Wijgerde
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen University and Research Centre, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Catarina I F Silva
- Biological Oceanography, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797 SZ 't Horntje, The Netherlands
| | - Vera Scherders
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen University and Research Centre, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Judith van Bleijswijk
- Biological Oceanography, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1797 SZ 't Horntje, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Osinga
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen University and Research Centre, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands
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