1
|
Mehrotra R, Monchanin C, Desmolles M, Traipipitsiriwat S, Chakrabongse D, Patel A, Kasemsant M, Pitt SM, McCabe T, McGrath T, Marcellucci C, Japakang S, Real TT, Echaubard P, Magson K, Dowling J, Dowling S, Sriaram S, Suraswadi P, Jualaong S. Assessing the scale and ecological impact of derelict and discarded fishing gear across Thailand via the MARsCI citizen science protocol. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 205:116577. [PMID: 38896959 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116577] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
South-East Asia is among the least studied regions for the growing issue of marine debris pollution, despite being a major contributor towards global marine debris. In the present study, we provide the preliminary results from the MARsCI project, a survey protocol designed to utilise citizen science to facilitate data collection on the ecological impact of discarded fishing gear (DFG) in Thailand. Over a three-year period, 103 surveys were carried out across Thailand, resulting in impact assessment of 606 pieces of DFG. Our findings indicate corals are regularly impacted by DFG in Thai waters and that isolated marine habitats may be more severely impacted than near-shore sites. We further identify crabs, muricid snails, and demersal fish to be among the most regularly entangled animals. We discuss our findings in the context of earlier work from Thailand, and conduct a critical review of the protocol itself, identifying improvements for future efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Mehrotra
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand.
| | - Coline Monchanin
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Matthias Desmolles
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Salisa Traipipitsiriwat
- Environmental Justice Foundation, Room 407, 92/4, Floor 2, Sathorn Thani 2 Building, North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
| | - Dominic Chakrabongse
- Environmental Justice Foundation, Room 407, 92/4, Floor 2, Sathorn Thani 2 Building, North Sathorn Road, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
| | - Amir Patel
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Maythira Kasemsant
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Sam Miyano Pitt
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Tim McCabe
- Thai Ocean Academy Bangkok, Room 2113 Floor 2 Gateway Ekamai 982/22 Sukhumvit Rd Phrakanong, Klong Toei, Bangkok 10250, Thailand
| | - Trent McGrath
- Thai Ocean Academy Koh Chang, 18/7 Bang Bao Plaza, Tambon Koh Chang Tai, Ko Chang District, Trat 23170, Thailand
| | - Claudia Marcellucci
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Supatcha Japakang
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Thomas Thana Real
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
| | - Pierre Echaubard
- SOAS University London, 10 Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H0XG, United Kingdom; NatureMind-ED, 414, Soi Chong Pli 6, Aonang, Krabi 81180, Thailand
| | - Kirsty Magson
- New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, 48 Moo 3, Chalok Ban Kao, Koh Tao, Suratthani 84360, Thailand; Conservation Diver, 7321 Timber Trail Road, Evergreen, CO 80439, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Dowling
- The Coral Tribe, 7/1 Moo 2, Koh Tao, Surat Thani 84360, Thailand
| | - Simon Dowling
- The Coral Tribe, 7/1 Moo 2, Koh Tao, Surat Thani 84360, Thailand
| | - Siriporn Sriaram
- Aow Thai Marine Ecology Center, Love Wildlife Foundation, FREC Bangkok, 77 Nakhon Sawan Rd, Wat Sommanat, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100, Thailand; International Union for Conservation of Nature, Asia Regional Office, 63 Sukhumvit Road Soi 39 Klongton-Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
| | - Pinsak Suraswadi
- Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Chaeng Watthana Government Complex, 120 Moo 3, Cheangwattana Road, Thung Song Hong Sub-District, Lak Si District, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Suthep Jualaong
- Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, Eastern Gulf of Thailand, 309 Moo 1, Paknam Prasae, Kleang, Rayong 21170, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pattarach K, Surachat K, Liu SL, Mayakun J. Water depth outweighs reef condition in shaping non-geniculate coralline algae-associated microbial communities in coral reefs: A case study from Thailand. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25486. [PMID: 38356583 PMCID: PMC10864967 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Red calcified non-geniculate coralline algae (NGCA) provide habitat structures, stabilize reef structures, and foster coral larval settlement and metamorphosis. Moreover, the microbes associated with NGCA are dependent on the NGCA host species and are affected by environmental factors; however, little is known about the influence of reef conditions and depth gradients on the associated microbial communities and NGCA. In this study, we collected NGCA under different reef conditions and depth gradients and characterized the microbial communities using the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Metagenomic analysis revealed 2 domains, 51 phyla, 123 classes, and 210 genera. The NGCA-associated bacterial communities were dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteriota. Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria were the most abundant bacterial classes. Differences in microbial diversity and richness were not apparent between reef conditions and depth gradients. However, there was a significant difference in bacterial evenness among the depth gradients. The bacterial abundance associated with NGCA was greater in deep zones than in shallow zones. The shallow zone exhibited a greater relative abundance of all gene functions than the deep zone, indicating differences in the distribution of gene functions. This study showed that the microbial communities associated with red calcified NGCA are diverse, and that the depth gradient affects their abundance and evenness, highlighting the need for further research to understand the functional roles of these microbial communities in coral reef conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kattika Pattarach
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Komwit Surachat
- Department of Biomedical Science & Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Shao-Lun Liu
- Department of Life Science & Center for Ecology and Environment, Tunghai University, Taichung, 40704, Taiwan
| | - Jaruwan Mayakun
- Division of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
- Molecular Evolution and Computational Biology Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mason RAB, Bozec YM, Mumby PJ. Setting sustainable limits on anchoring to improve the resilience of coral reefs. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 189:114721. [PMID: 36907169 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Boat anchoring is common at coral reefs that have high economic or social value, but anchoring has received relatively little attention in reef resilience studies. We developed an individual-based model of coral populations and simulated the effects of anchor damage over time. The model allowed us to estimate the carrying capacity of anchoring for four different coral assemblages and different starting levels of coral cover. The carrying capacity of small to medium-sized recreational vessels across these four assemblages was between 0 and 3.1 anchor strikes ha-1 day-1. In a case study of two Great Barrier Reef archipelagos, we modelled the benefits of anchoring mitigation under bleaching regimes expected for four climate scenarios. The partial mitigation of even a very mild anchoring incidence (1.17 strikes ha-1 day-1) resulted in median coral gains of 2.6-7.7 % absolute cover under RCP2.6, though benefits varied temporally and depended on the Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Model used.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert A B Mason
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Yves-Marie Bozec
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Peter J Mumby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mohamed HF, Abd‐Elgawad A, Cai R, Luo Z, Xu C. The bacterial signature offers vision into the machinery of coral fitness across high-latitude coral reef in the South China Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS 2023; 15:13-30. [PMID: 36054576 PMCID: PMC10103774 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Coral-bacterial interaction is a major driver in coral acclimatization to the stressful environment. 16S rRNA High-throughput sequencing was used to classify the role of different coral reef compartments; sediment, water, and tissue; in the South China Sea (SCS), as well as different locations in shaping the microbial community. The majority of OTUs significantly shifted at impacted sites and indicated distinction in the relative abundance of bacteria compartment/site-wise. Richness and diversity were higher, and more taxa were enriched in the sediment communities. Proteobacteria dominated sediment samples, while Cyanobacteria dominated water samples. Coral tissue showed a shift among different sites with Proteobacteria remaining the dominant Phylum. Moreover, we report a dominance of Chlorobium genus in the healthy coral tissue sample collected from the severely damaged Site B, suggesting a contribution to tolerance and adaptation to the disturbing environment. Thus, revealing the complex functionally diverse microbial patterns associated with biotic and abiotic disturbed coral reefs will deliver understanding of the symbiotic connections and competitive benefit inside the hosts niche and can reveal a measurable footprint of the environmental impacts on coral ecosystems. We hence, urge scientists to draw more attention towards using coral microbiome as a self-sustaining tool in coral restoration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hala F. Mohamed
- Third Institute of OceanographyMinistry of Natural ResourcesXiamenPeople's Republic of China
- Al‐Azhar University (Girls Branch)Faculty of Science, Botany & Microbiology DepartmentCairoEgypt
| | - Amro Abd‐Elgawad
- Third Institute of OceanographyMinistry of Natural ResourcesXiamenPeople's Republic of China
- Tourism Developing AuthorityCentral Adminstration for Environmental AffairsCairoEgypt
| | - Rongshuo Cai
- Third Institute of OceanographyMinistry of Natural ResourcesXiamenPeople's Republic of China
| | - Zhaohe Luo
- Third Institute of OceanographyMinistry of Natural ResourcesXiamenPeople's Republic of China
| | - Changan Xu
- Third Institute of OceanographyMinistry of Natural ResourcesXiamenPeople's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Glidden CK, Field LC, Bachhuber S, Hennessey SM, Cates R, Cohen L, Crockett E, Degnin M, Feezell MK, Fulton‐Bennett HK, Pires D, Poirson BN, Randell ZH, White E, Gravem SA. Strategies for managing marine disease. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2643. [PMID: 35470930 PMCID: PMC9786832 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has increased in wildlife populations in recent years and is expected to continue to increase with global environmental change. Marine diseases are relatively understudied compared with terrestrial diseases but warrant parallel attention as they can disrupt ecosystems, cause economic loss, and threaten human livelihoods. Although there are many existing tools to combat the direct and indirect consequences of EIDs, these management strategies are often insufficient or ineffective in marine habitats compared with their terrestrial counterparts, often due to fundamental differences between marine and terrestrial systems. Here, we first illustrate how the marine environment and marine organism life histories present challenges and opportunities for wildlife disease management. We then assess the application of common disease management strategies to marine versus terrestrial systems to identify those that may be most effective for marine disease outbreak prevention, response, and recovery. Finally, we recommend multiple actions that will enable more successful management of marine wildlife disease emergencies in the future. These include prioritizing marine disease research and understanding its links to climate change, improving marine ecosystem health, forming better monitoring and response networks, developing marine veterinary medicine programs, and enacting policy that addresses marine and other wildlife diseases. Overall, we encourage a more proactive rather than reactive approach to marine wildlife disease management and emphasize that multidisciplinary collaborations are crucial to managing marine wildlife health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline K. Glidden
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
- Present address:
Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Laurel C. Field
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Silke Bachhuber
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Robyn Cates
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Lesley Cohen
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Elin Crockett
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Michelle Degnin
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Maya K. Feezell
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Devyn Pires
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | | | - Zachary H. Randell
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Erick White
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Sarah A. Gravem
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Effect of Various Local Anthropogenic Impacts on the Diversity of Coral Mucus-Associated Bacterial Communities. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse10070863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The global continued decline in coral reefs is intensifying the need to understand the response of corals to local environmental stressors. Coral-associated bacterial communities have been suggested to have a swift response to environmental pollutants. This study aims to determine the variation in the bacterial communities associated with the mucus of two coral species, Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Stylophora pistillata (Esper, 1792), and the coral-surrounding seawater from three areas exposed to contamination at the Jordanian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), and also explores the antibacterial activity of these bacteria. Corals were collected from three contaminated zones along the coast, and the bacteria were quantified and identified by conventional morphological and biochemical tests, as well as 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The average number of bacteria significantly varied among the coral mucus from the sampling zones and between the coral mucus and the surrounding seawater. The P. damicornis mucus-associated bacterial community was dominated by members of the classes Gammaproteobacteria, Cytophagia, and Actinomycetia, while the mucus of S. pistillata represented higher bacterial diversity, with the dominance of the bacterial classes Gammaproteobacteria, Actinomycetia, Alphaproteobacteria, and Bacilli. The effects of local anthropogenic impacts on coral mucus bacterial communities were represented in the increased abundance of bacterial species related to coral diseases. Furthermore, the results demonstrated the existence of bacterial isolates with antibacterial activity that possibly acted as a first line of defense to protect and maintain the coral host against pathogens. Indeed, the dynamics of coral-associated microbial communities highlight the importance of holistic studies that focus on microbial interactions across the coral reef ecosystem.
Collapse
|
7
|
Renchen GF, Butler CB, Matthews TR. Marine debris knows no boundaries: Characteristics of debris accumulation in marine protected areas of the Florida Keys. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:112957. [PMID: 34555780 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112957] [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: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine debris is a persistent and pervasive threat worldwide including inside marine protected areas (MPAs). To assess marine debris accumulation rates and potential impacts, we counted and evaluated trap, non-trap fishing gear, and non-fishing debris in unprotected areas and MPAs with different management boundary regulations in the Florida Keys (USA). Analyses identified that neither MPA type nor size were strong drivers of debris density and that debris densities were not statistically different between unprotected areas and MPAs. Non-fishing and non-trap fishing gear debris densities were potentially related to unexplored local differences in human behavior, while trap debris density was likely associated with oceanographic forces that transported traps into the MPAs. Overall, our results suggested that the drivers of marine debris accumulation for each debris category were different and may vary with each individual MPA, and that marine debris is not constrained by MPA boundaries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle F Renchen
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, South Florida Regional Laboratory, 2796 Overseas Hwy, Suite 119, Marathon, FL 33050, USA.
| | - Casey B Butler
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, South Florida Regional Laboratory, 2796 Overseas Hwy, Suite 119, Marathon, FL 33050, USA
| | - Thomas R Matthews
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, South Florida Regional Laboratory, 2796 Overseas Hwy, Suite 119, Marathon, FL 33050, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Vega Thurber R, Mydlarz LD, Brandt M, Harvell D, Weil E, Raymundo L, Willis BL, Langevin S, Tracy AM, Littman R, Kemp KM, Dawkins P, Prager KC, Garren M, Lamb J. Deciphering Coral Disease Dynamics: Integrating Host, Microbiome, and the Changing Environment. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.575927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases of tropical reef organisms is an intensive area of study, but despite significant advances in methodology and the global knowledge base, identifying the proximate causes of disease outbreaks remains difficult. The dynamics of infectious wildlife diseases are known to be influenced by shifting interactions among the host, pathogen, and other members of the microbiome, and a collective body of work clearly demonstrates that this is also the case for the main foundation species on reefs, corals. Yet, among wildlife, outbreaks of coral diseases stand out as being driven largely by a changing environment. These outbreaks contributed not only to significant losses of coral species but also to whole ecosystem regime shifts. Here we suggest that to better decipher the disease dynamics of corals, we must integrate more holistic and modern paradigms that consider multiple and variable interactions among the three major players in epizootics: the host, its associated microbiome, and the environment. In this perspective, we discuss how expanding the pathogen component of the classic host-pathogen-environment disease triad to incorporate shifts in the microbiome leading to dysbiosis provides a better model for understanding coral disease dynamics. We outline and discuss issues arising when evaluating each component of this trio and make suggestions for bridging gaps between them. We further suggest that to best tackle these challenges, researchers must adjust standard paradigms, like the classic one pathogen-one disease model, that, to date, have been ineffectual at uncovering many of the emergent properties of coral reef disease dynamics. Lastly, we make recommendations for ways forward in the fields of marine disease ecology and the future of coral reef conservation and restoration given these observations.
Collapse
|
9
|
Maxwell SL, Cazalis V, Dudley N, Hoffmann M, Rodrigues ASL, Stolton S, Visconti P, Woodley S, Kingston N, Lewis E, Maron M, Strassburg BBN, Wenger A, Jonas HD, Venter O, Watson JEM. Area-based conservation in the twenty-first century. Nature 2020; 586:217-227. [PMID: 33028996 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2773-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Humanity will soon define a new era for nature-one that seeks to transform decades of underwhelming responses to the global biodiversity crisis. Area-based conservation efforts, which include both protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, are likely to extend and diversify. However, persistent shortfalls in ecological representation and management effectiveness diminish the potential role of area-based conservation in stemming biodiversity loss. Here we show how the expansion of protected areas by national governments since 2010 has had limited success in increasing the coverage across different elements of biodiversity (ecoregions, 12,056 threatened species, 'Key Biodiversity Areas' and wilderness areas) and ecosystem services (productive fisheries, and carbon services on land and sea). To be more successful after 2020, area-based conservation must contribute more effectively to meeting global biodiversity goals-ranging from preventing extinctions to retaining the most-intact ecosystems-and must better collaborate with the many Indigenous peoples, community groups and private initiatives that are central to the successful conservation of biodiversity. The long-term success of area-based conservation requires parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to secure adequate financing, plan for climate change and make biodiversity conservation a far stronger part of land, water and sea management policies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean L Maxwell
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Victor Cazalis
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | - Nigel Dudley
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Equilibrium Research, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael Hoffmann
- Conservation and Policy, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Ana S L Rodrigues
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Piero Visconti
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK.,International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Stephen Woodley
- World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland
| | - Naomi Kingston
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, UK
| | - Edward Lewis
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, UK
| | - Martine Maron
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bernardo B N Strassburg
- Rio Conservation and Sustainability Science Centre, Department of Geography and the Environment, Pontifícia Universidade Católica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,International Institute for Sustainability, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Programa de Pós Graduacão em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Amelia Wenger
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Global Marine Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, NY, USA
| | - Harry D Jonas
- World Commission on Protected Areas, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland.,Future Law, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - Oscar Venter
- Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | - James E M Watson
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Underwood JN, Richards Z, Berry O, Oades D, Howard A, Gilmour JP. Extreme seascape drives local recruitment and genetic divergence in brooding and spawning corals in remote north-west Australia. Evol Appl 2020; 13:2404-2421. [PMID: 33005230 PMCID: PMC7513722 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Management strategies designed to conserve coral reefs threatened by climate change need to incorporate knowledge of the spatial distribution of inter- and intra-specific genetic diversity. We characterized patterns of genetic diversity and connectivity using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two reef-building corals to explore the eco-evolutionary processes that sustain populations in north-west Australia. Our sampling focused on the unique reefs of the Kimberley; we collected the broadcast spawning coral Acropora aspera (n = 534) and the brooding coral Isopora brueggemanni (n = 612) across inter-archipelago (tens to hundreds of kilometres), inter-reef (kilometres to tens of kilometres) and within-reef (tens of metres to a few kilometres) scales. Initial analysis of A. aspera identified four highly divergent lineages that were co-occurring but morphologically similar. Subsequent population analyses focused on the most abundant and widespread lineage, Acropora asp-c. Although the overall level of geographic subdivision was greater in the brooder than in the spawner, fundamental similarities in patterns of genetic structure were evident. Most notably, limits to gene flow were observed at scales <35 kilometres. Further, we observed four discrete clusters and a semi-permeable barrier to dispersal that were geographically consistent between species. Finally, sites experiencing bigger tides were more connected to the metapopulation and had greater gene diversity than those experiencing smaller tides. Our data indicate that the inshore reefs of the Kimberley are genetically isolated from neighbouring oceanic bioregions, but occasional dispersal between inshore archipelagos is important for the redistribution of evolutionarily important genetic diversity. Additionally, these results suggest that networks of marine reserves that effectively protect reefs from local pressures should be spaced within a few tens of kilometres to conserve the existing patterns of demographic and genetic connectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jim N Underwood
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley Perth WA Australia
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre Crawley WA Australia
| | - Zoe Richards
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre Crawley WA Australia
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Bentley WA Australia
- Department of Aquatic Zoology Western Australian Museum Welshpool WA Australia
| | - Oliver Berry
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre Crawley WA Australia
- CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley Perth WA Australia
| | - Daniel Oades
- Bardi Jawi Rangers Kimberley Land Council Broome WA Australia
| | - Azton Howard
- Bardi Jawi Rangers Kimberley Land Council Broome WA Australia
| | - James P Gilmour
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, Crawley Perth WA Australia
- Western Australian Marine Science Institution Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre Crawley WA Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
The World Coral Conservatory (WCC): A Noah's ark for corals to support survival of reef ecosystems. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000823. [PMID: 32925901 PMCID: PMC7529426 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Global change causes widespread decline of coral reefs. In order to counter the anticipated disappearance of coral reefs by the end of this century, many initiatives are emerging, including creation of marine protected areas (MPAs), reef restoration projects, and assisted evolution initiatives. Such efforts, although critically important, are locally constrained. We propose to build a “Noah's Ark” biological repository for corals that taps into the network of the world’s public aquaria and coral reef scientists. Public aquaria will serve not only as a reservoir for the purpose of conservation, restoration, and research of reef-building corals but also as a laboratory for the implementation of operations for the selection of stress-resilient and resistant genotypes. The proposed project will provide a global dimension to coral reef education and protection as a result of the involvement of a network of public and private aquaria. Global change is causing a widespread decline in coral reefs. This Community Page article proposes to build the World Coral Conservatory, a “Noah's Ark” biological repository that taps into the network of the world’s public aquaria and coral reef scientists, in order to preserve the fast-disappearing biodiversity of coral reefs.
Collapse
|
12
|
Coral Restoration Effectiveness: Multiregional Snapshots of the Long-Term Responses of Coral Assemblages to Restoration. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12040153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Coral restoration is rapidly becoming a mainstream strategic reef management response to address dramatic declines in coral cover worldwide. Restoration success can be defined as enhanced reef functions leading to improved ecosystem services, with multiple benefits at socio-ecological scales. However, there is often a mismatch between the objectives of coral restoration programs and the metrics used to assess their effectiveness. In particular, the scales of ecological benefits currently assessed are typically limited in both time and space, often being limited to short-term monitoring of the growth and survival of transplanted corals. In this paper, we explore reef-scale responses of coral assemblages to restoration practices applied in four well-established coral restoration programs. We found that hard coral cover and structural complexity were consistently greater at restored compared to unrestored (degraded) sites. However, patterns in coral diversity, coral recruitment, and coral health among restored, unrestored, and reference sites varied across locations, highlighting differences in methodologies among restoration programs. Altogether, differences in program objectives, methodologies, and the state of nearby coral communities were key drivers of variability in the responses of coral assemblages to restoration. The framework presented here provides guidance to improve qualitative and quantitative assessments of coral restoration efforts and can be applied to further understanding of the role of restoration within resilience-based reef management.
Collapse
|
13
|
Caldwell JM, Aeby G, Heron SF, Donahue MJ. Case-control design identifies ecological drivers of endemic coral diseases. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2831. [PMID: 32071347 PMCID: PMC7028714 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59688-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Endemic disease transmission is an important ecological process that is challenging to study because of low occurrence rates. Here, we investigate the ecological drivers of two coral diseases-growth anomalies and tissue loss-affecting five coral species. We first show that a statistical framework called the case-control study design, commonly used in epidemiology but rarely applied to ecology, provided high predictive accuracy (67-82%) and disease detection rates (60-83%) compared with a traditional statistical approach that yielded high accuracy (98-100%) but low disease detection rates (0-17%). Using this framework, we found evidence that 1) larger corals have higher disease risk; 2) shallow reefs with low herbivorous fish abundance, limited water motion, and located adjacent to watersheds with high fertilizer and pesticide runoff promote low levels of growth anomalies, a chronic coral disease; and 3) wave exposure, stream exposure, depth, and low thermal stress are associated with tissue loss disease risk during interepidemic periods. Variation in risk factors across host-disease pairs suggests that either different pathogens cause the same gross lesions in different species or that the same disease may arise in different species under different ecological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie M Caldwell
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, USA. .,ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
| | - Greta Aeby
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Scott F Heron
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.,Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.,NOAA Coral Reef Watch, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan J Donahue
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Beatty DS, Valayil JM, Clements CS, Ritchie KB, Stewart FJ, Hay ME. Variable effects of local management on coral defenses against a thermally regulated bleaching pathogen. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaay1048. [PMID: 31616794 PMCID: PMC6774716 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay1048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Bleaching and disease are decimating coral reefs especially when warming promotes bleaching pathogens, such as Vibrio coralliilyticus. We demonstrate that sterilized washes from three common corals suppress V. coralliilyticus but that this defense is compromised when assays are run at higher temperatures. For a coral within the ecologically critical genus Acropora, inhibition was 75 to 154% greater among colonies from coral-dominated marine protected areas versus adjacent fished areas that were macroalgae-dominated. Acropora microbiomes were more variable within fished areas, suggesting that reef degradation may also perturb coral microbial communities. Defenses of a robust poritid coral and a weedy pocilloporid coral were not affected by reef degradation, and microbiomes were unaltered for these species. For some ecologically critical, but bleaching-susceptible, corals such as Acropora, local management to improve reef state may bolster coral resistance to global change, such as bacteria-induced coral bleaching during warming events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deanna S. Beatty
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Jinu Mathew Valayil
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Cody S. Clements
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Kim B. Ritchie
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of South Carolina Beaufort, 801 Carteret St., Beaufort, SC 29902, USA
| | - Frank J. Stewart
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Mark E. Hay
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Torda G, Sambrook K, Cross P, Sato Y, Bourne DG, Lukoschek V, Hill T, Torras Jorda G, Moya A, Willis BL. Decadal erosion of coral assemblages by multiple disturbances in the Palm Islands, central Great Barrier Reef. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11885. [PMID: 30089786 PMCID: PMC6082856 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29608-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Increases in the frequency of perturbations that drive coral community structure, such as severe thermal anomalies and high intensity storms, highlight the need to understand how coral communities recover following multiple disturbances. We describe the dynamics of cover and assemblage composition of corals on exposed inshore reefs in the Palm Islands, central Great Barrier Reef, over 19 years encapsulating major disturbance events such as the severe bleaching event in 1998 and Cyclone Yasi in 2011, along with other minor storm and heat stress events. Over this time, 47.8% of hard coral cover was lost, with a concomitant shift in coral assemblage composition due to taxon-specific rates of mortality during the disturbances, and asymmetric recovery in the aftermath thereof. High recruitment rates of some broadcast-spawning corals, particularly corymbose Acropora spp., even in the absence of adult colonies, indicate that a strong external larval supply replenished the stocks. Conversely, the time required for recovery of slow-growing coral morphologies and life histories was longer than the recurrence times of major disturbances. With interludes between bleaching and cyclones predicted to decrease, the probability of another severe disturbance event before coral cover and assemblage composition approximates historical levels suggests that reefs will continue to erode.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Torda
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia. .,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia. .,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, MC, QLD, 4810, Australia.
| | - Katie Sambrook
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Peter Cross
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Yui Sato
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - David G Bourne
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, MC, QLD, 4810, Australia
| | - Vimoksalehi Lukoschek
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Tessa Hill
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Georgina Torras Jorda
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Aurelie Moya
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Bette L Willis
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Beatty DS, Clements CS, Stewart FJ, Hay ME. Intergenerational effects of macroalgae on a reef coral: major declines in larval survival but subtle changes in microbiomes. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES 2018; 589:97-114. [PMID: 30505048 PMCID: PMC6261492 DOI: 10.3354/meps12465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Tropical reefs are shifting from coral to macroalgal dominance, with macroalgae suppressing coral recovery, potentially via effects on coral microbiomes. Understanding how macroalgae affect corals and their microbiomes requires comparing algae- versus coral-dominated reefs without confounding aspects of time and geography. We compared survival, settlement, and post-settlement survival of larvae, as well as the microbiomes of larvae and adults, of the Pacific coral Pocillopora damicornis between an Marine Protected Area (MPA) dominated by corals versus an adjacent fished area dominated by macroalgae. Microbiome composition in adult coral, larval coral, and seawater did not differ between the MPA and fished area. However, microbiomes of adult coral were more variable in the fished area and Vibrionaceae bacteria, including strains most closely related to the pathogen Vibrio shilonii, were significantly enriched, but rare, in adult and larval coral from the fished area. Larvae from the macroalgae-dominated area exhibited higher pre-settlement mortality and reduced settlement compared to those from the coral-dominated area. Juveniles planted into a coral-dominated area survived better than those placed into a fished area dominated by macroalgae. Differential survival depended on whether macroalgae were immediately adjacent to juvenile coral rather than on traits of the areas per se. Contrary to our expectations, coral microbiomes were relatively uniform at the community level despite dramatic differences in macroalgal cover between the MPA (~2% cover) and fished (~90%) area. Reducing macroalgae may elicit declines in rare but potentially harmful microbes in coral and their larvae, as well as positive intergenerational effects on offspring survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deanna S. Beatty
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0230
| | - Cody S. Clements
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0230
| | - Frank J. Stewart
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0230
| | - Mark E. Hay
- School of Biological Sciences and Aquatic Chemical Ecology Center Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0230
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Lamb JB, Willis BL, Fiorenza EA, Couch CS, Howard R, Rader DN, True JD, Kelly LA, Ahmad A, Jompa J, Harvell CD. Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs. Science 2018; 359:460-462. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aar3320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 378] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
|
18
|
Tracy AM, Weil E, Harvell CD. Octocoral co-infection as a balance between host immunity and host environment. Oecologia 2017; 186:743-753. [PMID: 29280003 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-4051-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Co-infection is the reality in natural populations, but few studies incorporate the players that matter in the wild. We integrate the environment, host demography, two parasites, and host immunity in a study of co-infection to determine the drivers of parasite interactions. Here, we use an ecologically important Caribbean sea fan octocoral, Gorgonia ventalina, that is co-infected by a copepod and a labyrinthulid protist. We first expanded upon laboratory studies by showing that immune suppression is associated with the labyrinthulid in a natural setting. Histological analyses revealed that immune cells (amoebocytes) were significantly suppressed in both labyrinthulid infections and co-infections relative to healthy sea fans, but remained unchanged in copepod infections. However, surveys of natural coral populations demonstrated a critical role for the environment and host demography in this co-infection: the prevalence of copepod infections increased with sea fan size while labyrinthulid prevalence increased with water depth. Although we predicted that immune suppression by the labyrinthulid would facilitate copepod infection, the two parasites did not co-occur in the sea fans more often than expected by chance. These results suggest that the distinct ecological drivers for each parasite overwhelm the role of host immune suppression in determining the distribution of parasites among hosts. This interplay of the environment and parasite-mediated immune suppression in sea fan co-infection provides insights into the factors underlying co-occurrence patterns in wild co-infections. Moving forward, simultaneous consideration of co-occurring parasites, host traits, and the environmental context will improve the understanding of host - parasite interactions and their consequences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Tracy
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-2601, USA.
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR, 00680, USA
| | - C Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853-2601, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Abstract
To put marine disease impacts in context requires a broad perspective on the roles infectious agents have in the ocean. Parasites infect most marine vertebrate and invertebrate species, and parasites and predators can have comparable biomass density, suggesting they play comparable parts as consumers in marine food webs. Although some parasites might increase with disturbance, most probably decline as food webs unravel. There are several ways to adapt epidemiological theory to the marine environment. In particular, because the ocean represents a three-dimensional moving habitat for hosts and parasites, models should open up the spatial scales at which infective stages and host larvae travel. In addition to open recruitment and dimensionality, marine parasites are subject to fishing, filter feeders, dose-dependent infection, environmental forcing, and death-based transmission. Adding such considerations to marine disease models will make it easier to predict which infectious diseases will increase or decrease in a changing ocean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D. Lafferty
- Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lamb JB, van de Water JAJM, Bourne DG, Altier C, Hein MY, Fiorenza EA, Abu N, Jompa J, Harvell CD. Seagrass ecosystems reduce exposure to bacterial pathogens of humans, fishes, and invertebrates. Science 2017; 355:731-733. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aal1956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joleah B. Lamb
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jeroen A. J. M. van de Water
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Marine Biology, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco
| | - David G. Bourne
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Craig Altier
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Margaux Y. Hein
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Evan A. Fiorenza
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Nur Abu
- Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Jamaluddin Jompa
- Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - C. Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
van de Water JAJM, Melkonian R, Voolstra CR, Junca H, Beraud E, Allemand D, Ferrier-Pagès C. Comparative Assessment of Mediterranean Gorgonian-Associated Microbial Communities Reveals Conserved Core and Locally Variant Bacteria. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2017; 73:466-478. [PMID: 27726033 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-016-0858-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Gorgonians are key habitat-forming species of Mediterranean benthic communities, but their populations have suffered from mass mortality events linked to high summer seawater temperatures and microbial disease. However, our knowledge on the diversity, dynamics and function of gorgonian-associated microbial communities is limited. Here, we analysed the spatial variability of the microbiomes of five sympatric gorgonian species (Eunicella singularis, Eunicella cavolini, Eunicella verrucosa, Leptogorgia sarmentosa and Paramuricea clavata), collected from the Mediterranean Sea over a scale of ∼1100 km, using next-generation amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The microbiomes of all gorgonian species were generally dominated by members of the genus Endozoicomonas, which were at very low abundance in the surrounding seawater. Although the composition of the core microbiome (operational taxonomic units consistently present in a species) was found to be unique for each host species, significant overlap was observed. These spatially consistent associations between gorgonians and their core bacteria suggest intricate symbiotic relationships and regulation of the microbiome composition by the host. At the same time, local variations in microbiome composition were observed. Functional predictive profiling indicated that these differences could be attributed to seawater pollution. Taken together, our data indicate that gorgonian-associated microbiomes are composed of spatially conserved bacteria (core microbiome members) and locally variant members, and that local pollution may influence these local associations, potentially impacting gorgonian health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rémy Melkonian
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1, MC 98000, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Howard Junca
- Microbiomas Foundation - Division of Ecogenomics & Holobionts, Chia, Colombia
| | - Eric Beraud
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1, MC 98000, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Denis Allemand
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1, MC 98000, Monaco, Monaco
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Harborne AR, Rogers A, Bozec YM, Mumby PJ. Multiple Stressors and the Functioning of Coral Reefs. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2017; 9:445-468. [PMID: 27575738 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-010816-060551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs provide critical services to coastal communities, and these services rely on ecosystem functions threatened by stressors. By summarizing the threats to the functioning of reefs from fishing, climate change, and decreasing water quality, we highlight that these stressors have multiple, conflicting effects on functionally similar groups of species and their interactions, and that the overall effects are often uncertain because of a lack of data or variability among taxa. The direct effects of stressors on links among functional groups, such as predator-prey interactions, are particularly uncertain. Using qualitative modeling, we demonstrate that this uncertainty of stressor impacts on functional groups (whether they are positive, negative, or neutral) can have significant effects on models of ecosystem stability, and reducing uncertainty is vital for understanding changes to reef functioning. This review also provides guidance for future models of reef functioning, which should include interactions among functional groups and the cumulative effect of stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alastair R Harborne
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida 33181;
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; , ,
| | - Alice Rogers
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; , ,
| | - Yves-Marie Bozec
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; , ,
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia; , ,
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Groner ML, Maynard J, Breyta R, Carnegie RB, Dobson A, Friedman CS, Froelich B, Garren M, Gulland FMD, Heron SF, Noble RT, Revie CW, Shields JD, Vanderstichel R, Weil E, Wyllie-Echeverria S, Harvell CD. Managing marine disease emergencies in an era of rapid change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2015.0364. [PMID: 26880835 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious marine diseases can decimate populations and are increasing among some taxa due to global change and our increasing reliance on marine environments. Marine diseases become emergencies when significant ecological, economic or social impacts occur. We can prepare for and manage these emergencies through improved surveillance, and the development and iterative refinement of approaches to mitigate disease and its impacts. Improving surveillance requires fast, accurate diagnoses, forecasting disease risk and real-time monitoring of disease-promoting environmental conditions. Diversifying impact mitigation involves increasing host resilience to disease, reducing pathogen abundance and managing environmental factors that facilitate disease. Disease surveillance and mitigation can be adaptive if informed by research advances and catalysed by communication among observers, researchers and decision-makers using information-sharing platforms. Recent increases in the awareness of the threats posed by marine diseases may lead to policy frameworks that facilitate the responses and management that marine disease emergencies require.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maya L Groner
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Jeffrey Maynard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA Laboratoire d'Excellence 'CORAIL' USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE, CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Rachel Breyta
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ryan B Carnegie
- Department of Aquatic Health Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
| | - Andy Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Carolyn S Friedman
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Brett Froelich
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557, USA
| | - Melissa Garren
- Division of Science and Environmental Policy, California State University Monterey Bay, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955, USA
| | | | - Scott F Heron
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch, NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, 5830 University Research Ct., E/RA3, College Park, MD 20740, USA Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics Department, College of Science, Technology and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4814, Australia
| | - Rachel T Noble
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557, USA
| | - Crawford W Revie
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Jeffrey D Shields
- Department of Aquatic Health Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
| | - Raphaël Vanderstichel
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR 00680, USA
| | - Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, USA Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St Thomas, VI 00802, USA
| | - C Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Lamb JB, Wenger AS, Devlin MJ, Ceccarelli DM, Williamson DH, Willis BL. Reserves as tools for alleviating impacts of marine disease. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2015.0210. [PMID: 26880842 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine protected areas can prevent over-exploitation, but their effect on marine diseases is less clear. We examined how marine reserves can reduce diseases affecting reef-building corals following acute and chronic disturbances. One year after a severe tropical cyclone, corals inside reserves had sevenfold lower levels of disease than those in non-reserves. Similarly, disease prevalence was threefold lower on reserve reefs following chronic exposure to terrestrial run-off from a degraded river catchment, when exposure duration was below the long-term site average. Examination of 35 predictor variables indicated that lower levels of derelict fishing line and injured corals inside reserves were correlated with lower levels of coral disease in both case studies, signifying that successful disease mitigation occurs when activities that damage reefs are restricted. Conversely, reserves were ineffective in moderating disease when sites were exposed to higher than average levels of run-off, demonstrating that reductions in water quality undermine resilience afforded by reserve protection. In addition to implementing protected areas, we highlight that disease management efforts should also target improving water quality and limiting anthropogenic activities that cause injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joleah B Lamb
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Amelia S Wenger
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michelle J Devlin
- Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, Catchment to Reef Research Group, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Daniela M Ceccarelli
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - David H Williamson
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bette L Willis
- College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Suchley A, McField MD, Alvarez-Filip L. Rapidly increasing macroalgal cover not related to herbivorous fishes on Mesoamerican reefs. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2084. [PMID: 27280075 PMCID: PMC4893329 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term phase shifts from coral to macroalgal dominated reef systems are well documented in the Caribbean. Although the impact of coral diseases, climate change and other factors is acknowledged, major herbivore loss through disease and overfishing is often assigned a primary role. However, direct evidence for the link between herbivore abundance, macroalgal and coral cover is sparse, particularly over broad spatial scales. In this study we use a database of coral reef surveys performed at 85 sites along the Mesoamerican Reef of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, to examine potential ecological links by tracking site trajectories over the period 2005–2014. Despite the long-term reduction of herbivory capacity reported across the Caribbean, the Mesoamerican Reef region displayed relatively low macroalgal cover at the onset of the study. Subsequently, increasing fleshy macroalgal cover was pervasive. Herbivorous fish populations were not responsible for this trend as fleshy macroalgal cover change was not correlated with initial herbivorous fish biomass or change, and the majority of sites experienced increases in macroalgae browser biomass. This contrasts the coral reef top-down herbivore control paradigm and suggests the role of external factors in making environmental conditions more favourable for algae. Increasing macroalgal cover typically suppresses ecosystem services and leads to degraded reef systems. Consequently, policy makers and local coral reef managers should reassess the focus on herbivorous fish protection and consider complementary measures such as watershed management in order to arrest this trend.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Suchley
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México; Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Melanie D McField
- Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, Smithsonian Institution , Ft Lauderdale, Florida , USA
| | - Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip
- Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo , México
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Lukoschek V, Riginos C, van Oppen MJH. Congruent patterns of connectivity can inform management for broadcast spawning corals on the Great Barrier Reef. Mol Ecol 2016; 25:3065-80. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vimoksalehi Lukoschek
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
| | - Cynthia Riginos
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; St. Lucia Qld 4072 Australia
| | - Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; James Cook University; Townsville Qld 4811 Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science; PMB 3; Townsville Mail Centre; Townsville Qld 4810 Australia
- School of BioSciences; The University of Melbourne; Parkville Vic. 3010 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Ziegler M, Roik A, Porter A, Zubier K, Mudarris MS, Ormond R, Voolstra CR. Coral microbial community dynamics in response to anthropogenic impacts near a major city in the central Red Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 105:629-40. [PMID: 26763316 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Coral-associated bacteria play an increasingly recognized part in coral health. We investigated the effect of local anthropogenic impacts on coral microbial communities on reefs near Jeddah, the largest city on the Saudi Arabian coast of the central Red Sea. We analyzed the bacterial community structure of water and corals (Pocillopora verrucosa and Acropora hemprichii) at sites that were relatively unimpacted, exposed to sedimentation & local sewage, or in the discharge area of municipal wastewaters. Coral microbial communities were significantly different at impacted sites: in both corals the main symbiotic taxon decreased in abundance. In contrast, opportunistic bacterial families, such as e.g. Vibrionaceae and Rhodobacteraceae, were more abundant in corals at impacted sites. In conclusion, microbial community response revealed a measurable footprint of anthropogenic impacts to coral ecosystems close to Jeddah, even though the corals appeared visually healthy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maren Ziegler
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anna Roik
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adam Porter
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences: Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Khalid Zubier
- Faculty of Marine Science, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80207, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed S Mudarris
- Faculty of Marine Science, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80207, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rupert Ormond
- Faculty of Marine Science, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80207, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia; Centre for Marine Biotechnology and Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Christian R Voolstra
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 23955-6900 Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Mellin C, Aaron MacNeil M, Cheal AJ, Emslie MJ, Julian Caley M. Marine protected areas increase resilience among coral reef communities. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:629-37. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Camille Mellin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No. 3, Townsville MC Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
- The Environment Institute and School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide South Australia 5005 Australia
| | - M. Aaron MacNeil
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No. 3, Townsville MC Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
| | - Alistair J. Cheal
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No. 3, Townsville MC Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
| | - Michael J. Emslie
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No. 3, Townsville MC Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
| | - M. Julian Caley
- Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No. 3, Townsville MC Townsville Queensland 4810 Australia
| |
Collapse
|