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Lin YJ, Heinle MJ, Al-Musabeh A, Gopalan J, Vasanthi TD, Panickan P, Hamade T, Pulido B, Joydas TV, Shepherd B. Coral reefs in the northeastern Saudi Arabian Red Sea are resilient to mass coral mortality events. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115693. [PMID: 37890317 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
We conducted an integrated survey combining visual census and baited remote underwater video survey on the coral reefs in the northeastern Red Sea and examined their health by comparing the baseline information from two decades ago. The mean coverage of the corals of all stations was 36 %, including 32 % stony corals and 4.0 % soft corals, significantly higher and lower to previous baseline. Observed high proportion of dead corals indicated the occurrence of the events of mass mortality, and the heating events were the most likely cause. Similar levels of coral coverage compared to two decades ago indicated their resilience to past events with mass coral mortality. Small proportions of macroalgae and sea urchins indicated that they might be controlled by their predators frequently observed in both visual census and underwater video survey. Regular monitoring and careful development plans are needed to safeguard these invaluable reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jia Lin
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Institute of Marine Ecology and Conservation, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804201, Taiwan.
| | - Moritz J Heinle
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Al-Musabeh
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jinoy Gopalan
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thiyagarajan D Vasanthi
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Premlal Panickan
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Thadickal V Joydas
- Applied Research Center for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
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2
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Díaz-López AM, Hernández-Arana HA, Vega-Zepeda A, Ruiz-Zárate MÁ, Victoria-Salazar I. Changes in the community structure of stony corals in the southern Mexican Caribbean. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 191:106154. [PMID: 37678100 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106154] [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: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The Mexican Caribbean coral reef ecosystem has endured the effects of global and regional stressors and, recently, the massive arrivals of the free-living, floating brown algae Sargassum spp. This study aimed to evaluate spatiotemporal changes in the stony coral community structure in the southern Mexican Caribbean by a temporal comparison of live coral cover and colony density using a data set collected in 2008-2009 and a recent survey in 2021 within a Protected Natural Area. A multivariate analysis approach was used to reveal spatiotemporal changes in coral cover and colony densities. Coral cover ranged from 6.9 to 8.9% in 2008-2009 to 6.5% in 2021, the lowest values recorded for the area. Coral colony density ranged from 0.68 to 0.78 colonies m-1 in 2008-2009 to 0.68 colonies m-1 in 2021. The present results appear to represent subtle changes during the last decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Mauri Díaz-López
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal. Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática. Av. Centenario km 5.5, CP. 77014. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Héctor Abuid Hernández-Arana
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal. Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática. Av. Centenario km 5.5, CP. 77014. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
| | - Alejandro Vega-Zepeda
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal. Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática. Av. Centenario km 5.5, CP. 77014. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Miguel Ángel Ruiz-Zárate
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal. Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática. Av. Centenario km 5.5, CP. 77014. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Isael Victoria-Salazar
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal. Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática. Av. Centenario km 5.5, CP. 77014. Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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Caballero-Aragón H, Perera-Valderrama S, Cobián-Rojas D, Hernández Gonzalez Z, González Méndez J, De la Guardia E. A decade of study on the condition of western Cuban coral reefs, with low human impact. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15953. [PMID: 37667748 PMCID: PMC10475277 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The long-time study of coral reefs with low human impacts can provide information on the effects of regional pressures like climate change, and is an opportunity to document how these pressures are reflected in coral communities. An example of minimal local anthropogenic impacts are the Guanahacabibes coral reefs, located in the westernmost region of Cuba. The objectives of this study were: to evaluate the temporal variability of six benthic biological indicators of coral reefs, and to explore the possible relationship between predictive abiotic variables and biological response variables. Methods Four coral reef sites were sampled between 2008 and 2017, to analyze biological indicators (living coral cover, fleshy algae index, coral species richness, coral species abundance, coral trait groups species abundance, Functional Reef Index). Seven abiotic variables (wave exposure, sea surface temperature, degree heating week, chlorophyll-a concentration, particulate organic carbon, photosynthetically available radiation, and the diffuse attenuation coefficient) were compiled between 2007 and 2016, from remote sensing datasets, to analyze their relationship with the biological indicators. Permanova statistical analysis was used to evaluate trends in biological variables between sites and years, and Routine Analysis Based on Linear Distances (DISTLM) was used to explore some dependencies between biotic and abiotic variables. Results We found significant variability in the temporal analysis, with a decrease in living coral cover, a decline in the predominance of the branching and massive framework reef-building species, a decline in Orbicella species abundance, and an increase in the fleshy algae index. Some abiotic variables (average of degree heating weeks, standard deviation of the diffuse attenuation coefficient, average of the sea surface temperature, among others) significantly explained the variability of biological indicators; however, determination coefficients were low. Conclusions Certain decrease in the functionality of the coral reef was appreciated, taking into account the predominance of secondary and nom-massive framework reef-building species in the last years. A weak association between abiotic and biological variables was found in the temporal analysis. The current scenario of the condition of the coral reefs seems to be regulated by the global effects of climate change, weakly associated effects, and in longer terms.
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Rey-Villiers N, Sánchez A, González-Díaz P, Álvarez-Filip L. Morphometric responses of two zooxanthellate octocorals along a water quality gradient in the Cuban northwestern coast. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290293. [PMID: 37594931 PMCID: PMC10437867 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Octocoral abundance is increasing on Caribbean reefs, and one of the possible causes is their vertical morphological plasticity that allows them to grow above the substrate to reduce the effect of processes that occur in it (e.g., scour by sediments) as well as adapt to environmental gradients. The aim of this study was to determine the morphometric response of two octocorals species (Eunicea flexuosa and Plexaura kükenthali) with different life strategies in a water quality gradient. The research was carried out between 2008 and 2016 on eight forereefs of northwest Cuba. Different morphometric indicators were measured in the colonies of both species found within a belt transect (100 x 2 m) randomly located at each site. The lowest means in height, diameter, number of terminal branches/colony, cover index, and least arborescent colonies of E. flexuosa were detected at the sites with the greatest anthropogenic pollution. The water quality gradient did not explain the variability of the five morphometric indicators of P. kükenthali. However, hydrodynamic stress was the factor that most negatively affected the morphometry of this species. The chronic effect of poor water quality over time resulted in more small sized colonies of E. flexuosa at the polluted site, probably due to higher mortality. The size distribution of P. kükenthali also showed the same trend but at the sites with greater hydrodynamic stress. These results show that the morphometric response of octocorals along a water quality gradient is species-specific. This study suggests that poor water quality decreases the size and thus availability of habitat provided by octocorals sensitive to that factor (e.g., E. flexuosa) while other tolerant species (e.g., P. kükenthali) could provide the habitat of several organisms in a scenario of increasing anthropogenic pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Néstor Rey-Villiers
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Alberto Sánchez
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, Baja California Sur, México
| | | | - Lorenzo Álvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
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Carrasco Navas-Parejo JC, Papaspyrou S, Haro S, Caballero de Frutos I, Corzo A. Trophic status of a coastal lagoon - marine harbor system: Potential outwelling rates to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef southern region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 880:163202. [PMID: 37023814 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Eutrophication is still a serious problem in many coastal areas, including the tropics, where river discharges of nutrients is usually high. The ecological stability and ecosystem services of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), the world's second-largest coral reef system, suffer a generalized impact by riverine discharge of sediment and organic and inorganic nutrients, which may lead to coastal eutrophication and a coral-macroalgal phase shift. However, few data exist on the MRBS coastal zone status, particularly in Honduras. Here, two in situ sampling campaigns were carried out (May 2017 and January 2018) in the Alvarado Lagoon and Puerto Cortés Bay (Honduras). Measurements included water column nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chla), particulate organic and inorganic matter and net community metabolism, completed with satellite images analysis. The lagoon and bay environments are ecologically different systems and present different sensitivities to seasonal changes in precipitation as shown by the multivariate analysis. Nonetheless, net community production and respiration rates were neither different spatially, nor seasonally. In addition, both environments were highly eutrophic as shown by the TRIX index. Thus, the Puerto Cortés system represents an important source of dissolved nutrients and particulate matter to the coastal zone. Even though offshore, water quality, based on estimated outwelling rates from the Puerto Cortés system to the coastal waters of the southern MRBS region, improved considerably, concentrations of Chla and nutrients remained higher than those typically measured in non-polluted coral reefs in the Caribbean region and the suggested threshold values. In situ monitoring and assessment of these aspects are crucial to evaluate the ecological functioning of and threats on the MBRS, and elaborate and implement adequate policies for integrated management given its regional and global importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Carrasco Navas-Parejo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain; Coastal and Marine Research, Los Profesores, Main street, Tela, Atlántida, Honduras
| | - Sokratis Papaspyrou
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigacion Marina, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510, Cadiz, Spain.
| | - Sara Haro
- Earth and Ocean Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute |University of Galway, Ireland, H91 TK33
| | - Isabel Caballero de Frutos
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ICMAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Puerto Real 11510, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Alfonso Corzo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain; Instituto Universitario de Investigacion Marina, Campus Universitario de Puerto Real, 11510, Cadiz, Spain
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Randazzo-Eisemann Á, Garza-Pérez JR, Figueroa-Zavala B. The role of coral diseases in the flattening of a Caribbean Coral Reef over 23 years. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 181:113855. [PMID: 35753248 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coral diseases acting synergistically with other environmental stressors are a growing problem for Caribbean reefs. Hard coral cover, coral traits, and coral diseases were examined from 1999 to 2021 for Akumal reef, located in the Northern Mexican Caribbean. The 45 recorded coral species were classified into life-history strategies: competitive, stress-tolerant, and weedy, associated with different framework-building capacities. Results indicate that cumulative impacts of coral diseases outbreaks in the last two decades, in synergy with the effects of coastal development and thermal stressors, have decreased significantly cover and abundance of major reef-building corals, shifting the dominance of the coral assemblage to species belonging to non-framework weedy life history strategy, corresponding to a low Reef Functional Index. Due to the relevant role of coral diseases in shaping coral assemblages, addressing current, and preventing future coral disease outbreaks through integrated management strategies, will be paramount to preserving physical functionality in Caribbean reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángela Randazzo-Eisemann
- PIESACOM, UMDI-Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, Puerto de Abrigo s/n, C.P. 97356 Sisal, Yucatán, Mexico
| | | | - Baruch Figueroa-Zavala
- Centro Ukana I Akumal, A.C., Carretera Puerto Juarez-Tulum, Km. 104, 77776 Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
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7
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Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas by Decree: Lessons Learned from the Creation of the Revillagigedo Marine Park. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14074027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The increasing speed of the establishment of large-scale marine protected areas (LSMPA) on a global scale has generated intense debate among the scientific community. In this paper, we revise the declaration of the Revillagigedo Marine Park, the largest marine reserve in North America, and propose a framework to assess the potential costs and benefits of having a competitive or a cooperative strategy between the tuna fishing industry and the conservation sector. By framing scenarios in a simple model of the prisoner dilemma and using multicriteria analysis with Delphos—an open-source multicriteria program developed by NGOs for this purpose—we show how conservationists and fishers might have a potential benefit of competing for marine spaces, but not as much as they could gain if they collaborate. Our ultimate goal with this paper is to retrieve the lessons learned in this process to propose a step-by-step process that helps to improve the creation of LSMPAs in the future, thus helping improve the outcome of marine conservation on a global scale.
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8
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Milne R, Bauch CT, Anand M. Local Overfishing Patterns Have Regional Effects on Health of Coral, and Economic Transitions Can Promote Its Recovery. Bull Math Biol 2022; 84:46. [PMID: 35182222 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-022-01000-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Overfishing has the potential to severely disrupt coral reef ecosystems worldwide, while harvesting at more sustainable levels instead can boost fish yield without damaging reefs. The dispersal abilities of reef species mean that coral reefs form highly connected environments, and the viability of reef fish populations depends on spatially explicit processes such as the spillover effect and unauthorized harvesting inside marine protected areas. However, much of the literature on coral conservation and management has only examined overfishing on a local scale, without considering how different spatial patterns of fishing levels can affect reef health both locally and regionally. Here, we simulate a coupled human-environment model to determine how coral and herbivorous reef fish respond to overfishing across multiple spatial scales. We find that coral and reef fish react in opposite ways to habitat fragmentation driven by overfishing, and that a potential spillover effect from marine protected areas into overfished patches helps coral populations far less than it does reef fish. We also show that ongoing economic transitions from fishing to tourism have the potential to revive fish and coral populations over a relatively short timescale, and that large-scale reef recovery is possible even if these transitions only occur locally. Our results show the importance of considering spatial dynamics in marine conservation efforts and demonstrate the ability of economic factors to cause regime shifts in human-environment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell Milne
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada. .,School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| | - Chris T Bauch
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.,School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Madhur Anand
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.,School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Lapointe BE, Tewfik A, Phillips M. Macroalgae reveal nitrogen enrichment and elevated N:P ratios on the Belize Barrier Reef. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 171:112686. [PMID: 34271509 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Macroalgal blooms are increasing on the Belize Barrier Reef (BBR) as scleractinian coral cover declines. Although some have attributed this to reduced grazing, the role of land-based nutrient pollution has not been assessed. Nutrient enrichment was quantified through macroalgal tissue analysis from Belize City to the offshore fore reef and at several central BBR lagoon sites. These recent data were compared to baseline data from the 1980s. Significant nearshore-to-offshore gradients of %N, %P and δ13C in macroalgae all indicated land-based sources of these nutrients. Macroalgal δ15N values were generally enriched in nearshore waters where values matched those reported for human sewage. Notably, the N:P ratios of recent macroalgae measurements were elevated at all sites, more than two-fold higher than values from the 1980s (~30: 1 to 70:1). These results support the hypothesis that nitrogen enrichment from land-based sources has increased phosphorus limitation driving macroalgal blooms and coral stress on the BBR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Lapointe
- Florida Atlantic University-Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, 5600 US 1 North, Ft. Pierce, FL 34946, USA
| | - Alexander Tewfik
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize Program, PO Box 768, 1755 Coney Drive, 2nd Floor, Belize City, Belize.
| | - Myles Phillips
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize Program, PO Box 768, 1755 Coney Drive, 2nd Floor, Belize City, Belize
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10
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A doubling of stony coral cover on shallow forereefs at Carrie Bow Cay, Belize from 2014 to 2019. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19185. [PMID: 34584122 PMCID: PMC8478911 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96799-2] [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: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
To better understand the decline of one of earth’s most biodiverse habitats, coral reefs, many survey programs employ regular photographs of the benthos. An emerging challenge is the time required to annotate the large volume of digital imagery generated by these surveys. Here, we leverage existing machine-learning tools (CoralNet) and develop new fit-to-purpose programs to process and score benthic photoquadrats using five years of data from the Smithsonian MarineGEO Network’s biodiversity monitoring program at Carrie Bow Cay, Belize. Our analysis shows that scleractinian coral cover on forereef sites (at depths of 3–10 m) along our surveyed transects increased significantly from 6 to 13% during this period. More modest changes in macroalgae, turf algae, and sponge cover were also observed. Community-wide analysis confirmed a significant shift in benthic structure, and follow-up in situ surveys of coral demographics in 2019 revealed that the emerging coral communities are dominated by fast-recruiting and growing coral species belonging to the genera Agaricia and Porites. While the positive trajectory reported here is promising, Belizean reefs face persistent challenges related to overfishing and climate change. Open-source computational toolkits offer promise for increasing the efficiency of reef monitoring, and therefore our ability to assess the future of coral reefs in the face of rapid environmental change.
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Cortés-Useche C, Hernández-Delgado EA, Calle-Triviño J, Sellares Blasco R, Galván V, Arias-González JE. Conservation actions and ecological context: optimizing coral reef local management in the Dominican Republic. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10925. [PMID: 33854832 PMCID: PMC7953877 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past few decades, coral reef ecosystems have been lost at accelerated rates as a result of global climate change and local stressors. Local management schemes can help improve the condition of coral reefs by enhancing their ecosystem recovery capacity. Caribbean conservation efforts include mitigation of local anthropogenic stressors, and integrating social participation. Here, we analyzed the case of the Bayahibe reefs in the Southeastern (SE) Dominican Republic to identify conservation actions and illustrate a conceptual example of local seascape management. We assessed reef health indicators from 2011 to 2016. Overall, our results show increases in total fish biomass, in both commercial and herbivorous fishes. Mean live coral cover was 31% and fleshy macroalgae was 23% after multiple disturbances such as Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac (2012), Mathew (2016) and heat stress presented in the study area in 2015. We also described actions taken by stakeholders and government institutions, including the implementation of a policy declaring an area of 869,000 ha as a marine protected area (MPA), enhanced water quality treatment, local restrictions to vessel traffic, enforcement of fishing regulations, and the removal of invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.). In addition, a restoration program for the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) was established in 2011, and currently has eight coral nurseries and six outplanting sites. Considering the biology and ecology of these reefs, we observed good results for these indicators (live coral cover, fish biomass, and water quality) in contrast with severely degraded Caribbean reefs, suggesting that optimizing local management may be a useful example for improving reef condition. Our results provide an overview of trends in reef condition in the SE Dominican Republic and could support current strategies to better protect reefs in the region. Given that Caribbean coral reefs face extreme challenges from global climate change, management measures may improve reef conditions across the region but stronger policy processes and increased scientific knowledge are needed for the successful management of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Cortés-Useche
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N, Mérida, Yucatán, México.,Wave Of Change, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Edwin A Hernández-Delgado
- Deparment of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Sociedad Ambiente Marino, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Johanna Calle-Triviño
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N, Mérida, Yucatán, México.,Wave Of Change, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Rita Sellares Blasco
- Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos, Bayahibe, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic
| | - Victor Galván
- Wave Of Change, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Playa Paraíso, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Jesús E Arias-González
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del I.P.N, Mérida, Yucatán, México
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12
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Adam TC, Burkepile DE, Holbrook SJ, Carpenter RC, Claudet J, Loiseau C, Thiault L, Brooks AJ, Washburn L, Schmitt RJ. Landscape-scale patterns of nutrient enrichment in a coral reef ecosystem: implications for coral to algae phase shifts. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e2227. [PMID: 32918509 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient pollution is altering coastal ecosystems worldwide. On coral reefs, excess nutrients can favor the production of algae at the expense of reef-building corals, yet the role of nutrients in driving community changes such as shifts from coral to macroalgae is not well understood. Here we investigate the potential role of anthropogenic nutrient loading in driving recent coral-to-macroalgae phase shifts on reefs in the lagoons surrounding the Pacific island of Moorea, French Polynesia. We use nitrogen (N) tissue content and stable isotopes (δ15 N) in an abundant macroalga (Turbinaria ornata) together with empirical models of nutrient discharge to describe spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient enrichment in the lagoons. We then employ time series data to test whether recent increases in macroalgae are associated with nutrients. Our results revealed that patterns of N enrichment were linked to several factors, including rainfall, wave-driven circulation, and distance from anthropogenic nutrient sources, especially human sewage. Reefs near large watersheds, where inputs of N from sewage and agriculture are high, have been consistently enriched in N for at least the last decade. In many of these areas, corals have decreased and macroalgae have increased, while reefs with lower levels of N input have maintained high cover of coral and low cover of macroalgae. Importantly, these patchy phase shifts to macroalgae have occurred despite substantial island-wide increases in the density and biomass of herbivorous fishes over the time period. Together, these results indicate that nutrient loading may be an important driver of coral-to-macroalgae phase shifts in the lagoons of Moorea even though the reefs harbor an abundant and diverse herbivore assemblage. These results emphasize the important role that bottom-up factors can play in driving coral-to-macroalgae phase shifts and underscore the critical importance of watershed management for reducing inputs of nutrients and other land-based pollutants to coral reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas C Adam
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
| | - Deron E Burkepile
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
| | - Sally J Holbrook
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
| | - Robert C Carpenter
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, California, 91330, USA
| | - Joachim Claudet
- National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, Maison des Océans, 195 rue Saint-Jacques, Paris, 75005, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Charles Loiseau
- National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, Maison des Océans, 195 rue Saint-Jacques, Paris, 75005, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Lauric Thiault
- National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, Maison des Océans, 195 rue Saint-Jacques, Paris, 75005, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Andrew J Brooks
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
| | - Libe Washburn
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
- Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
| | - Russell J Schmitt
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA
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Spadaro AJ, Butler MJ. Herbivorous Crabs Reverse the Seaweed Dilemma on Coral Reefs. Curr Biol 2020; 31:853-859.e3. [PMID: 33306950 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Coral reefs are on a steep trajectory of decline, with natural recovery in many areas unlikely.1-3 Eutrophication, overfishing, climate change, and disease have fueled the supremacy of seaweeds on reefs,4,5 particularly in the Caribbean, where many reefs have undergone an ecological phase shift so that seaweeds now dominate previously coral-rich reefs.6-8 Discovery of the powerful grazing capability of the Caribbean's largest herbivorous crab (Maguimithrax spinosissimus)9 led us to test the effectiveness of their grazing on seaweed removal and coral reef recovery in two experiments conducted sequentially at separate locations 15 km apart in the Florida Keys (USA). In those experiments, we transplanted crabs onto several patch reefs, leaving others as controls (n = 24 reefs total; each 10-20 m2 in area) and then monitored benthic cover, coral recruitment, and fish community structure on each patch reef for a year. We also compared the effectiveness of crab herbivory to scrubbing reefs by hand to remove algae. Crabs reduced the cover of seaweeds by 50%-80%, resulting in a commensurate 3-5-fold increase in coral recruitment and reef fish community abundance and diversity. Although laborious hand scrubbing of reefs also reduced algal cover, that effect was transitory unless maintained by the addition of herbivorous crabs. With the persistence of Caribbean coral reefs in the balance, our findings demonstrate that large-scale restoration that includes enhancement of invertebrate herbivores can reverse the ecological phase shift on coral reefs away from seaweed dominance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Jason Spadaro
- Division of Marine Science and Technology, The College of the Florida Keys, Key West, FL 33040, USA.
| | - Mark J Butler
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33181, USA.
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Coral Reef Recovery in the Mexican Caribbean after 2005 Mass Coral Mortality—Potential Drivers. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12090338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In 2005, an extreme heatwave hit the Wider Caribbean, followed by 13 hurricanes (including hurricanes Emily and Wilma) that caused significant loss in hard coral cover. However, the drivers of the potential recovery are yet to be fully understood. Based on recent findings in the literature of coral cover recovery in the Mexican Caribbean after the mass bleaching event and associated hurricanes in 2005, this study analyzed, through random-effects meta-analysis, the hard coral and macroalgae benthic development and potential drivers of change between 2005 and 2016 in the Mexican Caribbean. Therefore, we tested the relative effect of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a water concentration, coastal human population development, reef distance to shore, and geographical location on both hard coral and macroalgae cover over time. Findings revealed increases of both hard coral (by 6%) and algae cover (by ca. 14%, i.e., almost three times the increase of corals) over 12 years. Although our findings confirm the partial coral recovery after the 2005 Caribbean mass coral mortality event, they also indicate rapid colonization of algae across the region. Surprisingly, only SST correlated negatively with changes in coral cover. Contrary to expectations, there was a significantly greater algae cover increase in the Central section of the Mexican Caribbean, which is characterized by a low population density. However, a constant discharge of nutrient-rich freshwater may have facilitated algae growth there. This study reports partial regional reef recovery, but it also indicates that local factors, particularly eutrophication, facilitate algae growth at a speed that is much faster than coral recovery.
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Contreras-Silva AI, Tilstra A, Migani V, Thiel A, Pérez-Cervantes E, Estrada-Saldívar N, Elias-Ilosvay X, Mott C, Alvarez-Filip L, Wild C. A meta-analysis to assess long-term spatiotemporal changes of benthic coral and macroalgae cover in the Mexican Caribbean. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8897. [PMID: 32483234 PMCID: PMC7264131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65801-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs in the wider Caribbean declined in hard coral cover by ~80% since the 1970s, but spatiotemporal analyses for sub-regions are lacking. Here, we explored benthic change patterns in the Mexican Caribbean reefs through meta-analysis between 1978 and 2016 including 125 coral reef sites. Findings revealed that hard coral cover decreased from ~26% in the 1970s to 16% in 2016, whereas macroalgae cover increased to ~30% in 2016. Both groups showed high spatiotemporal variability. Hard coral cover declined in total by 12% from 1978 to 2004 but increased again by 5% between 2005 and 2016 indicating some coral recovery after the 2005 mass bleaching event and hurricane impacts. In 2016, more than 80% of studied reefs were dominated by macroalgae, while only 15% were dominated by hard corals. This stands in contrast to 1978 when all reef sites surveyed were dominated by hard corals. This study is among the first within the Caribbean region that reports local recovery in coral cover in the Caribbean, while other Caribbean reefs have failed to recover. Most Mexican Caribbean coral reefs are now no longer dominated by hard corals. In order to prevent further reef degradation, viable and reliable conservation alternatives are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameris I Contreras-Silva
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße UFT, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Arjen Tilstra
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße UFT, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Valentina Migani
- Population and Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 5, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Andra Thiel
- Population and Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 5, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Esmeralda Pérez-Cervantes
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Nuria Estrada-Saldívar
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Xochitl Elias-Ilosvay
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße UFT, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Claudius Mott
- Remote Sensing Solutions GmbH, Dingolfinger Str. 9, 81673, München, Germany
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
| | - Christian Wild
- Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße UFT, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
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Camacho-Cruz KA, Ortiz-Hernández MC, Sánchez A, Carrillo L, De Jesús Navarrete A. Water quality in the eastern karst region of the Yucatan Peninsula: nutrients and stable nitrogen isotopes in turtle grass, Thalassia testudinum. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:15967-15983. [PMID: 30903477 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-04757-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Water quality in the Mexican Caribbean is affected by increases in tourism infrastructure and poor wastewater treatment. Additionally, karst geomorphology facilitates the infiltration of organic matter to subterranean water and coastal fresh water that originates from submarine groundwater discharges (SGDs), altering the environment. The tourism infrastructure grows at different rates along the Caribbean coast, characterizing zones with diverse levels of tourism impact. The aim of this work was to measure nutrient concentrations in superficial coastal water and fresh water to evaluate the water quality through different zones along a gradient from intermediate- (Riviera Maya) to low-tourism (Costa Maya) development regions. Furthermore, this study aimed to compare the measured nutrient concentrations with the Mexican ecological criteria of water quality 001/89 (CE-CCA-001/89), detect possible contributions by SGDs, and determine whether the nitrogen (N) sources are anthropogenic using stable nitrogen isotopes in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. According to the results, nutrient concentrations (ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, and orthophosphate) differed significantly between the Riviera Maya and Costa Maya (P = 0.0001). Sites such as Shambala, Chávez, Tankah, Mahahual 2, Tulum, Akumal, and Xahuayxol exceeded the upper levels set by the CE-CCA-001/89. Tankah, Shambala, and Chávez were influenced by SGDs. The nitrogen isotope ratio in Akumal and Tulum coast water shows that they are under N loading derived to the sewage percentage of δ15N in Akumal, Tulum, and Mahahual, showing that these sites suffer N loading due to sewage. Our study recommends continuous monitoring and coastal characterization to detect SGD and to regulate, treat, and dispose of sewage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla A Camacho-Cruz
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Mexico
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
| | | | - Alberto Sánchez
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
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17
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Tebbett SB, Bellwood DR. Algal turf sediments on coral reefs: what's known and what's next. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 149:110542. [PMID: 31542595 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Algal turfs are likely to rise in prominence on coral reefs in the Anthropocene. In these ecosystems the sediments bound within algal turfs will shape ecosystem functions and the services humanity can obtain from reefs. However, while interest is growing in the role of algal turf sediments, studies remain limited. In this review we provide an overview of our knowledge to-date concerning algal turf sediments on coral reefs. Specifically, we highlight what algal turf sediments are, their role in key ecosystem processes, the potential importance of algal turf sediments on Anthropocene reefs, and key knowledge gaps for future research. The evidence suggests that the management of algal turf sediments will be critically important if we are to sustain key functions and services on highly-altered, Anthropocene coral reef configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterling B Tebbett
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
| | - David R Bellwood
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
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18
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Cabanillas-Terán N, Hernández-Arana HA, Ruiz-Zárate MÁ, Vega-Zepeda A, Sanchez-Gonzalez A. Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean alter the trophic structure of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7589. [PMID: 31531271 PMCID: PMC6718159 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The arrival of large masses of drifting Sargassum since 2011 has caused changes in the natural dynamics of Caribbean coastal ecosystems. In the summer of 2015, unprecedented and massive mats of S. fluitans and S. natans have been observed throughout the Mexican Caribbean including exceptional accumulations ashore. This study uses stable isotopes to assess the impact of Sargassum blooms on the trophic dynamics of the Diadema antillarum sea urchin, a keystone herbivore on many Caribbean reefs. Bayesian models were used to estimate the variations in the relative proportions of carbon and nitrogen of assimilated algal resources. At three lagoon reef sites, the niche breadth of D. antillarum was analysed and compared under massive influx of drifting Sargassum spp. vs. no influx of Sargassum blooms. The effects of the leachates generated by the decomposition of Sargassum led to hypoxic conditions on these reefs and reduced the taxonomic diversity of macroalgal food sources available to D. antillarum. Our trophic data support the hypothesis that processes of assimilation of carbon and nitrogen were modified under Sargassum effect. Isotopic signatures of macroalgae associated with the reef sites exhibited significantly lower values of δ15N altering the natural herbivory of D. antillarum. The Stable Isotopes Analysis in R (SIAR) indicated that, under the influence of Sargassum blooms, certain algal resources (Dictyota, Halimeda and Udotea) were more assimilated due to a reduction in available algal resources. Despite being an abundant available resource, pelagic Sargassum was a negligible contributor to sea urchin diet. The Stable Isotope Bayesian Ellipses in R (SIBER) analysis displayed differences between sites, and suggests a reduction in trophic niche breadth, particularly in a protected reef lagoon. Our findings reveal that Sargassum blooms caused changes in trophic characteristics of D. antillarum with a negative impact by hypoxic conditions. These dynamics, coupled with the increase in organic matter in an oligotrophic system could lead to reduce coral reef ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Cabanillas-Terán
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología México- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Héctor A Hernández-Arana
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Miguel-Ángel Ruiz-Zárate
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Alejandro Vega-Zepeda
- Departamento de Sistemática y Ecología Acuática, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Alberto Sanchez-Gonzalez
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, Baja California, México
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19
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Arellano-Verdejo J, Lazcano-Hernandez HE, Cabanillas-Terán N. ERISNet: deep neural network for Sargassum detection along the coastline of the Mexican Caribbean. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6842. [PMID: 31106059 PMCID: PMC6500371 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, Caribbean coasts have experienced atypical massive arrivals of pelagic Sargassum with negative consequences both ecologically and economically. Based on deep learning techniques, this study proposes a novel algorithm for floating and accumulated pelagic Sargassum detection along the coastline of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Using convolutional and recurrent neural networks architectures, a deep neural network (named ERISNet) was designed specifically to detect these macroalgae along the coastline through remote sensing support. A new dataset which includes pixel values with and without Sargassum was built to train and test ERISNet. Aqua-MODIS imagery was used to build the dataset. After the learning process, the designed algorithm achieves a 90% of probability in its classification skills. ERISNet provides a novel insight to detect accurately algal blooms arrivals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Arellano-Verdejo
- Estacion para la Recepcion de Informacion Satelital ERIS-Chetumal, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
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20
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McCauley M, Goulet TL. Caribbean gorgonian octocorals cope with nutrient enrichment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 141:621-628. [PMID: 30955777 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.02.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Corals inhabit oligotrophic waters, thriving amidst limited nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous. When nutrient levels increase, usually due to human activity, the symbiosis of dinoflagellates (family Symbiodiniaceae) with scleractinian corals can break down. Although gorgonian corals dominate many Caribbean reefs, the impact of enrichment on them and their algae is understudied. We exposed two gorgonian species, Pseudoplexaura porosa and Eunicea tourneforti, to elevated concentrations of either ammonium (10 μM or 50 μM) or phosphate (4 μM). Enrichment with 10 μM ammonium increased chlorophyll content and algal density in both species, whereas the host biochemical composition was unaffected. Exposure to 50 μM ammonium only reduced the quantum yield in P. porosa and mitotic indices in both species. Conversely, algal carbon and nitrogen content within E. tourneforti increased with 4 μM phosphate exposure. These gorgonian species coped with short-term nutrient enrichment, furthering our understanding of the success of Caribbean gorgonians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark McCauley
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA.
| | - Tamar L Goulet
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677, USA.
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21
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Rioja-Nieto R, Álvarez-Filip L. Coral reef systems of the Mexican Caribbean: Status, recent trends and conservation. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 140:616-625. [PMID: 30005908 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the last four decades the Mexican Caribbean has experienced intensive coastal development, and change on the reef system condition has already been observed. This paper describes the reef system characteristics, at local and seascape scales, and discusses the current status and trends, considering the main research efforts from academia and Non-Governmental Organizations. To date, the coral cover of most reefs in the region is between 15 and 20%, following a slight recovery on mean coral cover over the last decade. During this same period, fleshy macroalgae and herbivorous fish biomass appear to have increased. At seascape scales, an increase of macroalgae and the loss of seagrass habitat have been observed. Considering that anthropogenic and environmental disturbances will most likely increase, the establishment of newly protected areas in the Mexican Caribbean is appropriate, but sufficient accompanying funding is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Rioja-Nieto
- Laboratorio de Análisis Espacial de Zonas Costeras, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación-Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Carretera Sierra Papacal-Chuburná Puerto Km 5, Sierra Papacal, Yucatán 97302, México.
| | - Lorenzo Álvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México.
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22
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Guibert I, Bonnard I, Pochon X, Zubia M, Sidobre C, Lecellier G, Berteaux-Lecellier V. Differential effects of coral-giant clam assemblages on biofouling formation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2675. [PMID: 30804382 PMCID: PMC6389951 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39268-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
To prevent the settlement and/or the growth of fouling organisms (i.e. bacteria, fungi or microalgae), benthic sessile species have developed various defense mechanisms among which the production of chemical molecules. While studies have mostly focused on the release of chemical compounds by single species, there exist limited data on multi-species assemblages. We used an integrative approach to explore the potential interactive effects of distinct assemblages of two corals species and one giant clam species on biofouling appearance and composition. Remarkably, we found distinct biofouling communities suggesting the importance of benthic sessile assemblages in biofouling control. Moreover, the assemblage of 3 species led to an inhibition of biofouling, likely through a complex of secondary metabolites. Our results highlight that through their different effect on their near environment, species assemblages might be of upmost importance for their survival and therefore, should now be taken into account for sustainable management of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Guibert
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, F-75005, paris, France.
- USR3278 PSL CRIOBE CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, LabEx CORAIL, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia.
- UMR250/9220 ENTROPIE IRD-CNRS-UR, LabEx CORAIL, Promenade Roger-Laroque, Noumea cedex, New Caledonia, France.
| | - Isabelle Bonnard
- USR3278 PSL CRIOBE CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, LabEx CORAIL, Université de Perpignan, 58 avenue Paul Alduy, 66860, Perpignan, France
| | - Xavier Pochon
- Coastal and Freshwater Group, Cawthron Institute, Private Bag 2, Nelson, 7042, New Zealand
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 349, Warkworth, 0941, New Zealand
| | - Mayalen Zubia
- University of French Polynesia, UMR-241 Ecosystèmes Insulaires Océaniens, BP 6570, 98702, Faa'a, Tahiti, French Polynesia
| | - Christine Sidobre
- USR3278 PSL CRIOBE CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, LabEx CORAIL, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Gaël Lecellier
- UMR250/9220 ENTROPIE IRD-CNRS-UR, LabEx CORAIL, Promenade Roger-Laroque, Noumea cedex, New Caledonia, France
- Université de Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, 45 avenue des Etats-Unis, Versailles Cedex, France
| | - Véronique Berteaux-Lecellier
- USR3278 PSL CRIOBE CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, LabEx CORAIL, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
- UMR250/9220 ENTROPIE IRD-CNRS-UR, LabEx CORAIL, Promenade Roger-Laroque, Noumea cedex, New Caledonia, France
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23
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Tebbett SB, Goatley CHR, Bellwood DR. Algal turf sediments across the Great Barrier Reef: Putting coastal reefs in perspective. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 137:518-525. [PMID: 30503463 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.056] [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: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Sediments trapped within algal turfs play a key role in mediating ecosystem processes on reefs. Despite this ecological importance, our understanding of turf-bound sediments on coastal reefs is limited, even though such reefs are heavily exposed to terrestrial sediments. We compared algal turf sediment loads, composition and grain size distributions among coastal reefs along the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and compared these to turf-bound sediments on reefs across the GBR. Algal turf sediment loads on coastal reefs were on average 9.4 times higher than offshore reefs (range 2.2-16.1 times). Among coastal reefs there was marked variability in the loads (797.87-3681.78 g m-2), composition (organics 1.0-8.9%; silicates 27.4-93.0%) and grain size of sediments. Our data highlight the potential variability in physical and ecological factors that control sediment dynamics on coastal reefs, including proximity to rivers, and reveal that turfs on coastal reefs are heavily influenced by sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sterling B Tebbett
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
| | - Christopher H R Goatley
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab and Palaeoscience Research Centre, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351, Australia
| | - David R Bellwood
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
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24
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Trophic network properties of coral ecosystems in three marine protected areas along the Mexican Pacific Coast: Assessment of systemic structure and health. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2018.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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25
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Weijerman M, Veazey L, Yee S, Vaché K, Delevaux JMS, Donovan MK, Falinski K, Lecky J, Oleson KLL. Managing Local Stressors for Coral Reef Condition and Ecosystem Services Delivery Under Climate Scenarios. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE 2018; 5:10.3389/fmars.2018.00425. [PMID: 34124078 PMCID: PMC8193846 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs provide numerous ecosystem goods and services, but are threatened by multiple environmental and anthropogenic stressors. To identify management scenarios that will reverse or mitigate ecosystem degradation, managers can benefit from tools that can quantify projected changes in ecosystem services due to alternative management options. We used a spatially-explicit biophysical ecosystem model to evaluate socio-ecological trade-offs of land-based vs. marine-based management scenarios, and local-scale vs. global-scale stressors and their cumulative impacts. To increase the relevance of understanding ecological change for the public and decision-makers, we used four ecological production functions to translate the model outputs into the ecosystem services: "State of the Reef," "Trophic Integrity," "Fisheries Production," and "Fisheries Landings." For a case study of Maui Nui, Hawai'i, land-based management attenuated coral cover decline whereas fisheries management promoted higher total fish biomass. Placement of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) across 30% of coral reef areas led to a reversal of the historical decline in predatory fish biomass, although this outcome depended on the spatial arrangement of MPAs. Coral cover declined less severely under strict sediment mitigation scenarios. However, the benefits of these local management scenarios were largely lost when accounting for climate-related impacts. Climate-related stressors indirectly increased herbivore biomass due to the shift from corals to algae and, hence, greater food availability. The two ecosystem services related to fish biomass increased under climate-related stressors but "Trophic Integrity" of the reef declined, indicating a less resilient reef. "State of the Reef" improved most and "Trophic Integrity" declined least under an optimistic global warming scenario and strict local management. This work provides insight into the relative influence of land-based vs. marine-based management and local vs. global stressors as drivers of changes in ecosystem dynamics while quantifying the tradeoffs between conservation- and extraction-oriented ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariska Weijerman
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Lindsay Veazey
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Susan Yee
- Gulf Ecology Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FL, United States
| | - Kellie Vaché
- Biological and Ecological Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Jade M. S. Delevaux
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Mary K. Donovan
- Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kānéohe, HI, United States
| | - Kim Falinski
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Joey Lecky
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Kirsten L. L. Oleson
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
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Suchley A, Alvarez-Filip L. Local human activities limit marine protection efficacy on Caribbean coral reefs. Conserv Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Suchley
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Puerto Morelos Quintana Roo Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Mexico City Mexico
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory, Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Puerto Morelos Quintana Roo Mexico
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Weijerman M, Gove JM, Williams ID, Walsh WJ, Minton D, Polovina JJ. Evaluating management strategies to optimise coral reef ecosystem services. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariska Weijerman
- Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research; University of Hawai'i at Manoa; Honolulu HI USA
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Honolulu HI USA
| | - Jamison M. Gove
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Honolulu HI USA
| | - Ivor D. Williams
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Honolulu HI USA
| | - William J. Walsh
- Division of Aquatic Resources; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Kailua-Kona; HI USA
| | | | - Jeffrey J. Polovina
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Honolulu HI USA
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Zarco-Perello S, Simões N. Ordinary kriging vs inverse distance weighting: spatial interpolation of the sessile community of Madagascar reef, Gulf of Mexico. PeerJ 2017; 5:e4078. [PMID: 29204321 PMCID: PMC5712470 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Information about the distribution and abundance of the habitat-forming sessile organisms in marine ecosystems is of great importance for conservation and natural resource managers. Spatial interpolation methodologies can be useful to generate this information from in situ sampling points, especially in circumstances where remote sensing methodologies cannot be applied due to small-scale spatial variability of the natural communities and low light penetration in the water column. Interpolation methods are widely used in environmental sciences; however, published studies using these methodologies in coral reef science are scarce. We compared the accuracy of the two most commonly used interpolation methods in all disciplines, inverse distance weighting (IDW) and ordinary kriging (OK), to predict the distribution and abundance of hard corals, octocorals, macroalgae, sponges and zoantharians and identify hotspots of these habitat-forming organisms using data sampled at three different spatial scales (5, 10 and 20 m) in Madagascar reef, Gulf of Mexico. The deeper sandy environments of the leeward and windward regions of Madagascar reef were dominated by macroalgae and seconded by octocorals. However, the shallow rocky environments of the reef crest had the highest richness of habitat-forming groups of organisms; here, we registered high abundances of octocorals and macroalgae, with sponges, Millepora alcicornis and zoantharians dominating in some patches, creating high levels of habitat heterogeneity. IDW and OK generated similar maps of distribution for all the taxa; however, cross-validation tests showed that IDW outperformed OK in the prediction of their abundances. When the sampling distance was at 20 m, both interpolation techniques performed poorly, but as the sampling was done at shorter distances prediction accuracies increased, especially for IDW. OK had higher mean prediction errors and failed to correctly interpolate the highest abundance values measured in situ, except for macroalgae, whereas IDW had lower mean prediction errors and high correlations between predicted and measured values in all cases when sampling was every 5 m. The accurate spatial interpolations created using IDW allowed us to see the spatial variability of each taxa at a biological and spatial resolution that remote sensing would not have been able to produce. Our study sets the basis for further research projects and conservation management in Madagascar reef and encourages similar studies in the region and other parts of the world where remote sensing technologies are not suitable for use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador Zarco-Perello
- Unidad Académica Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sisal, Yucatán, México
- School of Biological Sciences and UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Nuno Simões
- Unidad Académica Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Sisal, Yucatán, México
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Suchley A, Alvarez-Filip L. Herbivory facilitates growth of a key reef-building Caribbean coral. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:11246-11256. [PMID: 29299297 PMCID: PMC5743540 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The decline of reef-building corals in conjunction with shifts to short-lived opportunistic species has prompted concerns that Caribbean reef framework-building capacity has substantially diminished. Restoring herbivore populations may be a potential driver of coral recovery; however, the impact of herbivores on coral calcification has been little studied. We performed an exclusion experiment to evaluate the impact of herbivory on Orbicella faveolata coral growth over 14 months. The experiment consisted of three treatments: full exclusion cages; half cage procedural controls; and uncaged control plates, each with small O. faveolata colonies. We found that herbivorous fish exclusion had a substantial impact on both macroalgal cover and coral growth. Fleshy macroalgae reached 50% cover within some exclusion cages, but were almost absent from uncaged control plates. Critically, O. faveolata calcification rates were suppressed by almost half within exclusion cages, with monthly coral growth negatively related to overgrowth by fleshy macroalgae. These findings highlight the importance of herbivorous fishes for coral growth and the detrimental impact of macroalgal proliferation in the Caribbean. Policy makers and local managers should consider measures to protect herbivorous fishes and reduce macroalgal proliferation to enable coral communities to continue to grow and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Suchley
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City Mexico
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Biodiversity and Reef Conservation Laboratory Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Puerto Morelos Mexico
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