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Johnson CR, Dudgeon S. Understanding change in benthic marine systems. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 133:131-144. [PMID: 38079203 PMCID: PMC10921837 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The unprecedented influence of human activities on natural ecosystems in the 21st century has resulted in increasingly frequent large-scale changes in ecological communities. This has heightened interest in understanding such changes and effective means to manage them. Accurate interpretation of state changes is challenging because of difficulties translating theory to empirical study, and most theory emphasizes systems near equilibrium, which may not be relevant in rapidly changing environments. SCOPE We review concepts of long-transient stages and phase shifts between stable community states, both smooth, continuous and discontinuous shifts, and the relationships among them. Three principal challenges emerge when applying these concepts. The first is how to interpret observed change in communities - distinguishing multiple stable states from long transients, or reversible shifts in the phase portrait of single attractor systems. The second is how to quantify the magnitudes of three sources of variability that cause switches between community states: (1) 'noise' in species' abundances, (2) 'wiggle' in system parameters and (3) trends in parameters that affect the topography of the basin of attraction. The third challenge is how variability of the system shapes evidence used to interpret community changes. We outline a novel approach using critical length scales to potentially address these challenges. These concepts are highlighted by a review of recent examples involving macroalgae as key players in marine benthic ecosystems. CONCLUSIONS Real-world examples show three or more stable configurations of ecological communities may exist for a given set of parameters, and transient stages may persist for long periods necessitating their respective consideration. The characteristic length scale (CLS) is a useful metric that uniquely identifies a community 'basin of attraction', enabling phase shifts to be distinguished from long transients. Variabilities of CLSs and time series data may likewise provide proactive management measures to mitigate phase shifts and loss of ecosystem services. Continued challenges remain in distinguishing continuous from discontinuous phase shifts because their respective dynamics lack unique signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig R Johnson
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7001, and
| | - Steve Dudgeon
- Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA 91330-8303, USA
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2
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Moon K, Browne NK. Developing shared qualitative models for complex systems. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1039-1050. [PMID: 32888365 PMCID: PMC8317195 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding complex systems is essential to ensure their conservation and effective management. Models commonly support understanding of complex ecological systems and, by extension, their conservation. Modeling, however, is largely a social process constrained by individuals' mental models (i.e., a small-scale internal model of how a part of the world works based on knowledge, experience, values, beliefs, and assumptions) and system complexity. To account for both system complexity and the diversity of knowledge of complex systems, we devised a novel way to develop a shared qualitative complex system model. We disaggregated a system (carbonate coral reefs) into smaller subsystem modules that each represented a functioning unit, about which an individual is likely to have more comprehensive knowledge. This modular approach allowed us to elicit an individual mental model of a defined subsystem for which the individuals had a higher level of confidence in their knowledge of the relationships between variables. The challenge then was to bring these subsystem models together to form a complete, shared model of the entire system, which we attempted through 4 phases: develop the system framework and subsystem modules; develop the individual mental model elicitation methods; elicit the mental models; and identify and isolate differences for exploration and identify similarities to cocreate a shared qualitative model. The shared qualitative model provides opportunities to develop a quantitative model to understand and predict complex system change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Moon
- School of BusinessUniversity of New South WalesCanberraACT2601Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW2052Australia
| | - Nicola K Browne
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWA6100Australia
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3
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A guide to ecosystem models and their environmental applications. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:1459-1471. [PMID: 32929239 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01298-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Applied ecology has traditionally approached management problems through a simplified, single-species lens. Repeated failures of single-species management have led us to a new paradigm - managing at the ecosystem level. Ecosystem management involves a complex array of interacting organisms, processes and scientific disciplines. Accounting for interactions, feedback loops and dependencies between ecosystem components is therefore fundamental to understanding and managing ecosystems. We provide an overview of the main types of ecosystem models and their uses, and discuss challenges related to modelling complex ecological systems. Existing modelling approaches typically attempt to do one or more of the following: describe and disentangle ecosystem components and interactions; make predictions about future ecosystem states; and inform decision making by comparing alternative strategies and identifying important uncertainties. Modelling ecosystems is challenging, particularly when balancing the desire to represent many components of an ecosystem with the limitations of available data and the modelling objective. Explicitly considering different forms of uncertainty is therefore a primary concern. We provide some recommended strategies (such as ensemble ecosystem models and multi-model approaches) to aid the explicit consideration of uncertainty while also meeting the challenges of modelling ecosystems.
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4
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Carturan BS, Pither J, Maréchal JP, Bradshaw CJA, Parrott L. Combining agent-based, trait-based and demographic approaches to model coral-community dynamics. eLife 2020; 9:e55993. [PMID: 32701058 PMCID: PMC7473774 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexity of coral-reef ecosystems makes it challenging to predict their dynamics and resilience under future disturbance regimes. Models for coral-reef dynamics do not adequately account for the high functional diversity exhibited by corals. Models that are ecologically and mechanistically detailed are therefore required to simulate the ecological processes driving coral reef dynamics. Here, we describe a novel model that includes processes at different spatial scales, and the contribution of species' functional diversity to benthic-community dynamics. We calibrated and validated the model to reproduce observed dynamics using empirical data from Caribbean reefs. The model exhibits realistic community dynamics, and individual population dynamics are ecologically plausible. A global sensitivity analysis revealed that the number of larvae produced locally, and interaction-induced reductions in growth rate are the parameters with the largest influence on community dynamics. The model provides a platform for virtual experiments to explore diversity-functioning relationships in coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Pither
- Department of Biology, University of British ColumbiaKelownaCanada
- Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British ColumbiaKelownaCanada
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, University of British ColumbiaKelownaCanada
| | | | - Corey JA Bradshaw
- Global Ecology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders UniversityAdelaideAustralia
| | - Lael Parrott
- Department of Biology, University of British ColumbiaKelownaCanada
- Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British ColumbiaKelownaCanada
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, University of British ColumbiaKelownaCanada
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5
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McManus LC, Vasconcelos VV, Levin SA, Thompson DM, Kleypas JA, Castruccio FS, Curchitser EN, Watson JR. Extreme temperature events will drive coral decline in the Coral Triangle. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2120-2133. [PMID: 31883173 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In light of rapid environmental change, quantifying the contribution of regional- and local-scale drivers of coral persistence is necessary to characterize fully the resilience of coral reef systems. To assess multiscale responses to thermal perturbation of corals in the Coral Triangle (CT), we developed a spatially explicit metacommunity model with coral-algal competition, including seasonal larval dispersal and external spatiotemporal forcing. We tested coral sensitivity in 2,083 reefs across the CT region and surrounding areas under potential future temperature regimes, with and without interannual climate variability, exploring a range of 0.5-2.0°C overall increase in temperature in the system by 2054. We found that among future projections, reef survival probability and mean percent coral cover over time were largely determined by the presence or absence of interannual sea surface temperature (SST) extremes as well as absolute temperature increase. Overall, reefs that experienced SST time series that were filtered to remove interannual variability had approximately double the chance of survival than reefs subjected to unfiltered SST. By the end of the forecast period, the inclusion of thermal anomalies was equivalent to an increase of at least 0.5°C in SST projections without anomalies. Change in percent coral cover varied widely across the region within temperature scenarios, with some reefs experiencing local extinction while others remaining relatively unchanged. Sink strength and current thermal stress threshold were found to be significant drivers of these patterns, highlighting the importance of processes that underlie larval connectivity and bleaching sensitivity in coral networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C McManus
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Vítor V Vasconcelos
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Simon A Levin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Diane M Thompson
- Department of Geoscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Joan A Kleypas
- National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Enrique N Curchitser
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - James R Watson
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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6
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Jansen J, Dunstan PK, Hill NA, Koubbi P, Melbourne-Thomas J, Causse R, Johnson CR. Integrated assessment of the spatial distribution and structural dynamics of deep benthic marine communities. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02065. [PMID: 31872512 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing the spatial distribution and variation of species communities and validating these characteristics with data from the field are key elements for an ecosystem-based approach to management. However, models of species distributions that yield community structure are usually not linked to models of community dynamics, constraining understanding and management of the ecosystem, particularly in data-poor regions. Here we use a qualitative network model to predict changes in Antarctic benthic community structure between major marine habitats characterized largely by seafloor depth and slope, and use multivariate mixture models of species distributions to validate the community dynamics. We then assess how future increases in primary production associated with anticipated loss of sea-ice may affect the ecosystem. Our study shows how both spatial and structural features of ecosystems in data-poor regions can be analyzed and possible futures assessed, with direct relevance for ecosystem-based management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Jansen
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, 7004, Australia
| | | | - Nicole A Hill
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, 7004, Australia
| | - Philippe Koubbi
- UFR 918 Terre Environnement Biodiversité, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Channel and North Sea Fisheries Research Unit, IFREMER, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
| | | | - Romain Causse
- Unité Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Université, Université de Caen Normandie, Université des Antilles, CNRS, IRD, Paris, France
| | - Craig R Johnson
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, 7004, Australia
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7
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Fulton EA, Blanchard JL, Melbourne-Thomas J, Plagányi ÉE, Tulloch VJD. Where the Ecological Gaps Remain, a Modelers' Perspective. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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8
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Interpreting Daly’s Sustainability Criteria for Assessing the Sustainability of Marine Protected Areas: A System Dynamics Approach. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11174609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sustainability assessments of marine protected areas (MPAs) are essential for improving the effectiveness of management efforts. Since sustainability is closely related to the concept of intergenerational well-being, measuring and tracking it through time is crucial. Therefore, this study will use the system dynamics approach applied at Pieh marine park as the study site. A system dynamics model was built comprising four sub-models: fish population dynamics, coral reef coverage, tourism, and pollution. The goodness-of-fit test of the model indicated low and unsystematic model error. The sustainability assessment was conducted using the three principles of sustainability proposed by Herman Daly, which define sustainability for resource management based on the change in the amount of renewable resources, non-renewable resources, and pollution. The sustainability assessment determined that Pieh marine park cannot sustain economic activities in its area, indicated by decreasing renewable resource indicators in the form of fish population dynamics, coral reef coverage, and increasing pollution levels. Several management interventions can be applied to improve sustainability, including lowering the total allowable catch, coral transplantation, and improved waste management.
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9
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Pata PR, Yñiguez AT. Larval connectivity patterns of the North Indo-West Pacific coral reefs. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219913. [PMID: 31335893 PMCID: PMC6650046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs of the North Indo-West Pacific provide important ecosystem services to the region but are subjected to multiple local and global threats. Strengthening management measures necessitate understanding the variability of larval connectivity and bridging global connectivity models to local scales. An individual-based Lagrangian biophysical model was used to simulate connectivity between coral reefs for three organisms with different early life history characteristics: a coral (Acropora millepora), a sea urchin (Tripneustes gratilla), and a reef fish (Epinephelus sp). Connectivity metrics and reef clusters were computed from the settlement probability matrices. Fitted power law functions derived from the dispersal kernels provided relative probabilities of connection given only the distance between reefs, and demonstrated that 95% of the larvae across organisms settled within a third of their maximum settlement distances. The magnitude of the connectivity metric values of reef cells were sensitive to differences both in the type of organism and temporal variability. Seasonal variability of connections was more dominant than interannual variability. However, despite these differences, the moderate to high correlation of metrics between organisms and seasonal matrices suggest that the spatial patterns are relatively similar between reefs. A cluster analysis based on the Bray-Curtis Dissimilarity of sink and source connections synthesized the inherent variability of these multiple large connectivity matrices. Through this, similarities in regional connectivity patterns were determined at various cluster sizes depending on the scale of interest. The validity of the model is supported by 1) the simulated dispersal kernels being within the range of reported parentage analysis estimates; and, 2) the clusters that emerged reflect the dispersal barriers implied by previously published population genetics studies. The tools presented here (dispersal kernels, temporal variability maps and reef clustering) can be used to include regional patterns of connectivity into the spatial management of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick R. Pata
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
- * E-mail:
| | - Aletta T. Yñiguez
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
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10
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Condie SA, Plagányi ÉE, Morello EB, Hock K, Beeden R. Great Barrier Reef recovery through multiple interventions. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:1356-1367. [PMID: 29956854 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The decline of coral cover on Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has largely been attributed to the cumulative pressures of tropical cyclones, temperature-induced coral bleaching, and predation by crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS). In such a complex system, the effectiveness of any management intervention will become apparent only over decadal time scales. Systems modeling approaches are therefore essential to formulating and testing alternative management strategies. For a network of reefs, we developed a metacommunity model that incorporated the cumulative pressures of tropical cyclones, coral bleaching, predation, and competition between corals. We then tested the response of coral cover to management interventions including catchment restoration to reduce discharge onto the reef during cyclone-induced flood events and enhanced protection of trophic networks supporting predation of CoTS. Model results showed good agreement with long-term monitoring of the GBR, including cyclical outbreaks of CoTS driven by predator-prey dynamics on the network of reefs. Testing of intervention strategies showed that catchment restoration would likely improve coral cover. However, strategies that combined catchment restoration with enhanced CoTS predation were far more effective than catchment restoration alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Condie
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, G.P.O. Box 1538, Hobart, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Éva E Plagányi
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, P.O. Box 2538, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001, Australia
| | - Elisabetta B Morello
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, P.O. Box 2538, Brisbane, Queensland, 4001, Australia
| | - Karlo Hock
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Goddard Building, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Roger Beeden
- Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 2-68 Flinders Street, Townsville, Queensland, 4810, Australia
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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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12
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Linking Land and Sea through Collaborative Research to Inform Contemporary applications of Traditional Resource Management in Hawai‘i. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su10093147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Across the Pacific Islands, declining natural resources have contributed to a cultural renaissance of customary ridge-to-reef management approaches. These indigenous and community conserved areas (ICCA) are initiated by local communities to protect natural resources through customary laws. To support these efforts, managers require scientific tools that track land-sea linkages and evaluate how local management scenarios affect coral reefs. We established an interdisciplinary process and modeling framework to inform ridge-to-reef management in Hawai‘i, given increasing coastal development, fishing and climate change related impacts. We applied our framework at opposite ends of the Hawaiian Archipelago, in Hā‘ena and Ka‘ūpūlehu, where local communities have implemented customary resource management approaches through government-recognized processes to perpetuate traditional food systems and cultural practices. We identified coral reefs vulnerable to groundwater-based nutrients and linked them to areas on land, where appropriate management of human-derived nutrients could prevent increases in benthic algae and promote coral recovery from bleaching. Our results demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary collaborations among researchers, managers and community members. We discuss the lessons learned from our culturally-grounded, inclusive research process and highlight critical aspects of collaboration necessary to develop tools that can inform placed-based solutions to local environmental threats and foster coral reef resilience.
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13
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SEAMANCORE: A spatially explicit simulation model for assisting the local MANagement of COral REefs. Ecol Modell 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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14
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Delevaux JMS, Jupiter SD, Stamoulis KA, Bremer LL, Wenger AS, Dacks R, Garrod P, Falinski KA, Ticktin T. Scenario planning with linked land-sea models inform where forest conservation actions will promote coral reef resilience. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12465. [PMID: 30127469 PMCID: PMC6102229 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29951-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed a linked land-sea modeling framework based on remote sensing and empirical data, which couples sediment export and coral reef models at fine spatial resolution. This spatially-explicit (60 × 60 m) framework simultaneously tracks changes in multiple benthic and fish indicators as a function of land-use and climate change scenarios. We applied this framework in Kubulau District, Fiji, to investigate the effects of logging, agriculture expansion, and restoration on coral reef resilience. Under the deforestation scenario, models projected a 4.5-fold sediment increase (>7,000 t. yr-1) coupled with a significant decrease in benthic habitat quality across 1,940 ha and a reef fish biomass loss of 60.6 t. Under the restoration scenario, models projected a small (<30 t. yr-1) decrease in exported sediments, resulting in a significant increase in benthic habitat quality across 577 ha and a fish biomass gain of 5.7 t. The decrease in benthic habitat quality and loss of fish biomass were greater when combining climate change and deforestation scenarios. We evaluated where land-use change and bleaching scenarios would impact sediment runoff and downstream coral reefs to identify priority areas on land, where conservation or restoration could promote coral reef resilience in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M S Delevaux
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA.
- School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA.
| | - S D Jupiter
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Melanesia Program, 11 Ma'afu Street, Suva, Fiji
| | - K A Stamoulis
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Fisheries Ecology Research Lab, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - L L Bremer
- University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA
- University of Hawai'i Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - A S Wenger
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - R Dacks
- Department of Biology, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - P Garrod
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - K A Falinski
- The Nature Conservancy, Hawai'i Marine Program, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - T Ticktin
- Department of Botany, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA
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15
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McManus LC, Watson JR, Vasconcelos VV, Levin SA. Stability and recovery of coral-algae systems: the importance of recruitment seasonality and grazing influence. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-018-0388-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Alexandridis N, Bacher C, Desroy N, Jean F. Individual-based simulation of the spatial and temporal dynamics of macroinvertebrate functional groups provides insights into benthic community assembly mechanisms. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5038. [PMID: 29938137 PMCID: PMC6011875 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexity and scales of the processes that shape communities of marine benthic macroinvertebrates has limited our understanding of their assembly mechanisms and the potential to make projections of their spatial and temporal dynamics. Individual-based models can shed light on community assembly mechanisms, by allowing observed spatiotemporal patterns to emerge from first principles about the modeled organisms. Previous work in the Rance estuary (Brittany, France) revealed the principal functional components of its benthic macroinvertebrate communities and derived a set of functional relationships between them. These elements were combined here for the development of a dynamic and spatially explicit model that operates at two spatial scales. At the fine scale, modeling each individual’s life cycle allowed the representation of recruitment, inter- and intra-group competition, biogenic habitat modification and predation mortality. Larval dispersal and environmental filtering due to the tidal characteristics of the Rance estuary were represented at the coarse scale. The two scales were dynamically linked and the model was parameterized on the basis of theoretical expectations and expert knowledge. The model was able to reproduce some patterns of α- and β-diversity that were observed in the Rance estuary in 1995. Model analysis demonstrated the role of local and regional processes, particularly early post-settlement mortality and spatially restricted dispersal, in shaping marine benthos. It also indicated biogenic habitat modification as a promising area for future research. The combination of this mechanism with different substrate types, along with the representation of physical disturbances and more trophic categories, could increase the model’s realism. The precise parameterization and validation of the model is expected to extend its scope from the exploration of community assembly mechanisms to the formulation of predictions about the responses of community structure and functioning to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cédric Bacher
- DYNECO-LEBCO, IFREMER, Centre de Bretagne, Plouzané, France
| | - Nicolas Desroy
- Laboratoire Environnement et Ressources de Bretagne Nord, IFREMER, Station CRESCO, Dinard, France
| | - Fred Jean
- LEMAR, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Université de Brest, UBO, CNRS, IRD, Plouzané, France
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Delevaux JMS, Whittier R, Stamoulis KA, Bremer LL, Jupiter S, Friedlander AM, Poti M, Guannel G, Kurashima N, Winter KB, Toonen R, Conklin E, Wiggins C, Knudby A, Goodell W, Burnett K, Yee S, Htun H, Oleson KLL, Wiegner T, Ticktin T. A linked land-sea modeling framework to inform ridge-to-reef management in high oceanic islands. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193230. [PMID: 29538392 PMCID: PMC5851582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Declining natural resources have led to a cultural renaissance across the Pacific that seeks to revive customary ridge-to-reef management approaches to protect freshwater and restore abundant coral reef fisheries. Effective ridge-to-reef management requires improved understanding of land-sea linkages and decision-support tools to simultaneously evaluate the effects of terrestrial and marine drivers on coral reefs, mediated by anthropogenic activities. Although a few applications have linked the effects of land cover to coral reefs, these are too coarse in resolution to inform watershed-scale management for Pacific Islands. To address this gap, we developed a novel linked land-sea modeling framework based on local data, which coupled groundwater and coral reef models at fine spatial resolution, to determine the effects of terrestrial drivers (groundwater and nutrients), mediated by human activities (land cover/use), and marine drivers (waves, geography, and habitat) on coral reefs. We applied this framework in two 'ridge-to-reef' systems (Hā'ena and Ka'ūpūlehu) subject to different natural disturbance regimes, located in the Hawaiian Archipelago. Our results indicated that coral reefs in Ka'ūpūlehu are coral-dominated with many grazers and scrapers due to low rainfall and wave power. While coral reefs in Hā'ena are dominated by crustose coralline algae with many grazers and less scrapers due to high rainfall and wave power. In general, Ka'ūpūlehu is more vulnerable to land-based nutrients and coral bleaching than Hā'ena due to high coral cover and limited dilution and mixing from low rainfall and wave power. However, the shallow and wave sheltered back-reef areas of Hā'ena, which support high coral cover and act as nursery habitat for fishes, are also vulnerable to land-based nutrients and coral bleaching. Anthropogenic sources of nutrients located upstream from these vulnerable areas are relevant locations for nutrient mitigation, such as cesspool upgrades. In this study, we located coral reefs vulnerable to land-based nutrients and linked them to priority areas to manage sources of human-derived nutrients, thereby demonstrating how this framework can inform place-based ridge-to-reef management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade M. S. Delevaux
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Robert Whittier
- Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Kostantinos A. Stamoulis
- Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Fisheries Ecology Research Lab, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Leah L. Bremer
- University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
- University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Stacy Jupiter
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Melanesia Program, Suva, Fiji
| | - Alan M. Friedlander
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
- Fisheries Ecology Research Lab, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
- National Geography Society, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Matthew Poti
- CSS, Inc., Fairfax, Virginia, United States of America
- NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Greg Guannel
- Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Natalie Kurashima
- Kamehameha Schools Natural and Cultural Resources, Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Kawika B. Winter
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
- Limahuli Garden and Preserve, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Hā`ena, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Robert Toonen
- Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Eric Conklin
- The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii Marine Program, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Chad Wiggins
- The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii Marine Program, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Anders Knudby
- Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Whitney Goodell
- Fisheries Ecology Research Lab, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Kimberly Burnett
- University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Susan Yee
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, Florida, United States of America
| | - Hla Htun
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Kirsten L. L. Oleson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Tracy Wiegner
- Marine Science Department, University of Hawaiʻi, Hilo, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
| | - Tamara Ticktin
- Department of Botany, University of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, United States of America
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18
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Bland LM, Regan TJ, Dinh MN, Ferrari R, Keith DA, Lester R, Mouillot D, Murray NJ, Nguyen HA, Nicholson E. Using multiple lines of evidence to assess the risk of ecosystem collapse. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.0660. [PMID: 28931744 PMCID: PMC5627190 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective ecosystem risk assessment relies on a conceptual understanding of ecosystem dynamics and the synthesis of multiple lines of evidence. Risk assessment protocols and ecosystem models integrate limited observational data with threat scenarios, making them valuable tools for monitoring ecosystem status and diagnosing key mechanisms of decline to be addressed by management. We applied the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems criteria to quantify the risk of collapse of the Meso-American Reef, a unique ecosystem containing the second longest barrier reef in the world. We collated a wide array of empirical data (field and remotely sensed), and used a stochastic ecosystem model to backcast past ecosystem dynamics, as well as forecast future ecosystem dynamics under 11 scenarios of threat. The ecosystem is at high risk from mass bleaching in the coming decades, with compounding effects of ocean acidification, hurricanes, pollution and fishing. The overall status of the ecosystem is Critically Endangered (plausibly Vulnerable to Critically Endangered), with notable differences among Red List criteria and data types in detecting the most severe symptoms of risk. Our case study provides a template for assessing risks to coral reefs and for further application of ecosystem models in risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie M Bland
- Deakin University, Australia, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Burwood, 3121, Victoria, Australia .,School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tracey J Regan
- The Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, 3084, Victoria, Australia
| | - Minh Ngoc Dinh
- Research Computing Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Queensland, Australia
| | - Renata Ferrari
- Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David A Keith
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2052, New South Wales, Australia.,New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage, Hurstville, 2220, New South Wales, Australia.,Long Term Ecological Research Network, Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, Australian National University, Canberra, 0200, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Rebecca Lester
- Deakin University, Australia, Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, Geelong, 3220, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Mouillot
- UMR 5119-Écologie des Systèmes marins côtiers, Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, 4881, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Murray
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2052, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hoang Anh Nguyen
- Research Computing Centre, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072, Queensland, Australia
| | - Emily Nicholson
- Deakin University, Australia, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Burwood, 3121, Victoria, Australia
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Arias-González JE, Fung T, Seymour RM, Garza-Pérez JR, Acosta-González G, Bozec YM, Johnson CR. A coral-algal phase shift in Mesoamerica not driven by changes in herbivorous fish abundance. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174855. [PMID: 28445546 PMCID: PMC5405933 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral-algal phase shifts in which coral cover declines to low levels and is replaced by algae have often been documented on coral reefs worldwide. This has motivated coral reef management responses that include restriction and regulation of fishing, e.g. herbivorous fish species. However, there is evidence that eutrophication and sedimentation can be at least as important as a reduction in herbivory in causing phase shifts. These threats arise from coastal development leading to increased nutrient and sediment loads, which stimulate algal growth and negatively impact corals respectively. Here, we first present results of a dynamic process-based model demonstrating that in addition to overharvesting of herbivorous fish, bottom-up processes have the potential to precipitate coral-algal phase shifts on Mesoamerican reefs. We then provide an empirical example that exemplifies this on coral reefs off Mahahual in Mexico, where a shift from coral to algal dominance occurred over 14 years, during which there was little change in herbivore biomass but considerable development of tourist infrastructure. Our results indicate that coastal development can compromise the resilience of coral reefs and that watershed and coastal zone management together with the maintenance of functional levels of fish herbivory are critical for the persistence of coral reefs in Mesoamerica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Ernesto Arias-González
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados I.P.N.-Unidad Mérida. Carr. Ant. Progreso Km. 6, A.P. 73 Cordemex, Mérida, Yucatan, Mexico
- * E-mail:
| | - Tak Fung
- National University of Singapore, Department of Biological Sciences, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Robert M. Seymour
- Centre for Mathematics & Physics in the Life Sciences & Experimental Biology, & Department of Mathematics, University College London, London United Kingdom
| | - Joaquín Rodrigo Garza-Pérez
- Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación Sisal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto de Abrigo S/N, Sisal Yucatán Mexico
| | - Gilberto Acosta-González
- Unidad de Ciencias del Agua. Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán A.C. Calle 8 no. 29 Mza 39 SM 64. Cancún. Q. Roo. C.P. México
| | - Yves-Marie Bozec
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences & Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Craig R. Johnson
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies, Private Bag 129, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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20
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Johnson CR, Chabot RH, Marzloff MP, Wotherspoon S. Knowing when (not) to attempt ecological restoration. Restor Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.12413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Craig R. Johnson
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Private Bag 129 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Rebecca H. Chabot
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Private Bag 129 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Martin P. Marzloff
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Private Bag 129 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
| | - Simon Wotherspoon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Private Bag 129 Hobart Tasmania 7001 Australia
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21
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22
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23
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Doropoulos C, Ward S, Roff G, González-Rivero M, Mumby PJ. Linking demographic processes of juvenile corals to benthic recovery trajectories in two common reef habitats. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128535. [PMID: 26009892 PMCID: PMC4444195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical reefs are dynamic ecosystems that host diverse coral assemblages with different life-history strategies. Here, we quantified how juvenile (<50 mm) coral demographics influenced benthic coral structure in reef flat and reef slope habitats on the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Permanent plots and settlement tiles were monitored every six months for three years in each habitat. These environments exhibited profound differences: the reef slope was characterised by 95% less macroalgal cover, and twice the amount of available settlement substrata and rates of coral settlement than the reef flat. Consequently, post-settlement coral survival in the reef slope was substantially higher than that of the reef flat, and resulted in a rapid increase in coral cover from 7 to 31% in 2.5 years. In contrast, coral cover on the reef flat remained low (~10%), whereas macroalgal cover increased from 23 to 45%. A positive stock-recruitment relationship was found in brooding corals in both habitats; however, brooding corals were not directly responsible for the observed changes in coral cover. Rather, the rapid increase on the reef slope resulted from high abundances of broadcast spawning Acropora recruits. Incorporating our results into transition matrix models demonstrated that most corals escape mortality once they exceed 50 mm, but for smaller corals mortality in brooders was double those of spawners (i.e. acroporids and massive corals). For corals on the reef flat, sensitivity analysis demonstrated that growth and mortality of larger juveniles (21–50 mm) highly influenced population dynamics; whereas the recruitment, growth and mortality of smaller corals (<20 mm) had the highest influence on reef slope population dynamics. Our results provide insight into the population dynamics and recovery trajectories in disparate reef habitats, and highlight the importance of acroporid recruitment in driving rapid increases in coral cover following large-scale perturbation in reef slope environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Doropoulos
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Selina Ward
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - George Roff
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Peter J. Mumby
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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24
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Gurney GG, Melbourne-Thomas J, Geronimo RC, Aliño PM, Johnson CR. Modelling coral reef futures to inform management: can reducing local-scale stressors conserve reefs under climate change? PLoS One 2013; 8:e80137. [PMID: 24260347 PMCID: PMC3832406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 09/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change has emerged as a principal threat to coral reefs, and is expected to exacerbate coral reef degradation caused by more localised stressors. Management of local stressors is widely advocated to bolster coral reef resilience, but the extent to which management of local stressors might affect future trajectories of reef state remains unclear. This is in part because of limited understanding of the cumulative impact of multiple stressors. Models are ideal tools to aid understanding of future reef state under alternative management and climatic scenarios, but to date few have been sufficiently developed to be useful as decision support tools for local management of coral reefs subject to multiple stressors. We used a simulation model of coral reefs to investigate the extent to which the management of local stressors (namely poor water quality and fishing) might influence future reef state under varying climatic scenarios relating to coral bleaching. We parameterised the model for Bolinao, the Philippines, and explored how simulation modelling can be used to provide decision support for local management. We found that management of water quality, and to a lesser extent fishing, can have a significant impact on future reef state, including coral recovery following bleaching-induced mortality. The stressors we examined interacted antagonistically to affect reef state, highlighting the importance of considering the combined impact of multiple stressors rather than considering them individually. Further, by providing explicit guidance for management of Bolinao's reef system, such as which course of management action will most likely to be effective over what time scales and at which sites, we demonstrated the utility of simulation models for supporting management. Aside from providing explicit guidance for management of Bolinao's reef system, our study offers insights which could inform reef management more broadly, as well as general understanding of reef systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina G. Gurney
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of Zoology, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Jessica Melbourne-Thomas
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
- Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Perry M. Aliño
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Craig R. Johnson
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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25
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Pietri DM, Gurney GG, Benitez-Vina N, Kuklok A, Maxwell SM, Whiting L, Vina MA, Jenkins LD. Practical recommendations to help students bridge the research-implementation gap and promote conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2013; 27:958-967. [PMID: 23869527 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/03/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Seasoned conservation researchers often struggle to bridge the research-implementation gap and promote the translation of their work into meaningful conservation actions. Graduate students face the same problems and must contend with obstacles such as limited opportunities for relevant interdisciplinary training and a lack of institutional support for application of research results. However, students also have a crucial set of opportunities (e.g., access to academic resources outside their degree programs and opportunities to design research projects promoting collaboration with stakeholders) at their disposal to address these problems. On the basis of results of breakout discussions at a symposium on the human dimensions of the ocean, a review of the literature, and our own experiences, we devised recommendations on how graduate students can create resources within their academic institutions, institutionalize resources, and engage with stakeholders to promote real-world conservation outcomes. Within their academic institutions, graduate students should foster links to practitioners and promote knowledge and skill sharing among students. To institutionalize resources, students should cultivate student leaders and faculty sponsors, systematically document their program activities, and engage in strategic planning to promote the sustainability of their efforts. While conducting research, students should create connections to and engage actively with stakeholders in their relevant study areas and disseminate research results both to stakeholders and the broader public. Our recommendations can serve as a template for graduate students wishing to bridge the research-implementation gap, both during their current studies and in their future careers as conservation researchers and practitioners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M Pietri
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA, 98195, U.S.A..
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26
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Sustainability analysis: Viability concepts to consider transient and asymptotical dynamics in socio-ecological tourism-based systems. Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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27
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Gao L, Hailu A. Identifying preferred management options: An integrated agent-based recreational fishing simulation model with an AHP-TOPSIS evaluation method. Ecol Modell 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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28
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Kubicek A, Muhando C, Reuter H. Simulations of long-term community dynamics in coral reefs--how perturbations shape trajectories. PLoS Comput Biol 2012; 8:e1002791. [PMID: 23209397 PMCID: PMC3510096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical coral reefs feature extraordinary biodiversity and high productivity rates in oligotrophic waters. Due to increasing frequencies of perturbations – anthropogenic and natural – many reefs are under threat. Such perturbations often have devastating effects on these unique ecosystems and especially if they occur simultaneously and amplify each other's impact, they might trigger a phase shift and create irreversible conditions. We developed a generic, spatially explicit, individual-based model in which competition drives the dynamics of a virtual benthic reef community – comprised of scleractinian corals and algae – under different environmental settings. Higher system properties, like population dynamics or community composition arise through self-organization as emergent properties. The model was parameterized for a typical coral reef site at Zanzibar, Tanzania and features coral bleaching and physical disturbance regimes as major sources of perturbations. Our results show that various types and modes (intensities and frequencies) of perturbations create diverse outcomes and that the switch from high diversity to single species dominance can be evoked by small changes in a key parameter. Here we extend the understanding of coral reef resilience and the identification of key processes, drivers and respective thresholds, responsible for changes in local situations. One future goal is to provide a tool which may aid decision making processes in management of coral reefs. The degradation of coral reefs is a major threat for tropical coastal environments, worldwide. For this reason we developed a spatially explicit model which simulates competition in a benthic reef community under the influence of various environmental factors. Here we highlight the impact of two major perturbation types (mechanical disturbance events and temperature-induced bleaching events) on the long-term dynamics of a standard coral reef off Zanzibar Island, Tanzania. While mechanical disturbances are more non-specific and affect all organisms of the reef similarly, temperature-induced bleaching causes selective impact among coral species within the benthic community. Our results show clearly that complex systems which are organized of a multitude of diverse entities and hence feature complex emergent properties need to be analyzed on different integration levels rather than seen as a black box. Our tool may help to disentangle the combined effects of different perturbations and to analyze their respective impact on the benthic community of a coral reef. Hence, it will help to direct future research foci and to coordinate management measures for distinct site specific contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kubicek
- Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Bremen, Germany.
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29
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Buenau KE, Price NN, Nisbet RM. Size dependence, facilitation, and microhabitats mediate space competition between coral and crustose coralline algae in a spatially explicit model. Ecol Modell 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2012.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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30
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Melbourne-Thomas J, Johnson C, Fulton E. Characterizing sensitivity and uncertainty in a multiscale model of a complex coral reef system. Ecol Modell 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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