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Randrianarivo M, Botosoamananto RL, Guilhaumon F, Penin L, Todinanahary G, Adjeroud M. Effects of Madagascar marine reserves on juvenile and adult coral abundance, and the implication for population regulation. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106080. [PMID: 37422994 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Recruitment is a critical component in the dynamics of coral assemblages, and a key question is to determine the degree to which spatial heterogeneity of adults is influenced by pre-vs. post-settlement processes. We analyzed the density of juvenile and adult corals among 18 stations located at three regions around Madagascar, and examined the effects of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Our survey did not detect a positive effect of MPAs on juveniles, except for Porites at the study scale. The MPA effect was more pronounced for adults, notably for Acropora, Montipora, Seriatopora, and Porites at the regional scale. For most dominant genera, densities of juveniles and adults were positively correlated at the study scale, and at least at one of the three regions. These outcomes suggest recruitment-limitation relationships for several coral taxa, although differences in post-settlement events may be sufficiently strong to distort the pattern established at settlement for other populations. The modest benefits of MPAs on the density of juvenile corals demonstrated here argue in favor of strengthening conservation measures more specifically focused to protect recruitment processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahery Randrianarivo
- Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines, Université de Toliara, Toliara, Madagascar; ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, La Réunion, France
| | - Radonirina Lebely Botosoamananto
- Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines, Université de Toliara, Toliara, Madagascar; ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, La Réunion, France
| | - François Guilhaumon
- ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, La Réunion, France
| | - Lucie Penin
- ENTROPIE, Université de La Réunion, IRD, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, La Réunion, France; Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France
| | - Gildas Todinanahary
- Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines, Université de Toliara, Toliara, Madagascar
| | - Mehdi Adjeroud
- ENTROPIE, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, IFREMER, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, Perpignan, France; Laboratoire d'Excellence "CORAIL", Paris, France; PSL Université Paris, UAR 3278, CRIOBE EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, Perpignan, France.
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Sims CA, Sampayo EM, Mayfield MM, Staples TL, Dalton SJ, Gutierrez‐Isaza N, Pandolfi JM. Janzen–Connell effects partially supported in reef‐building corals: adult presence interacts with settler density to limit establishment. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie A. Sims
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Eugenia M. Sampayo
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Margaret M. Mayfield
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Timothy L. Staples
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Steven J. Dalton
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross Univ. Bay Drive Coffs Harbour New South Wales Australia
| | - Nataly Gutierrez‐Isaza
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - John M. Pandolfi
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
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Koval G, Rivas N, D'Alessandro M, Hesley D, Santos R, Lirman D. Fish predation hinders the success of coral restoration efforts using fragmented massive corals. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9978. [PMID: 33062430 PMCID: PMC7534677 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As coral reefs continue to decline globally, coral restoration practitioners have explored various approaches to return coral cover and diversity to decimated reefs. While branching coral species have long been the focus of restoration efforts, the recent development of the microfragmentation coral propagation technique has made it possible to incorporate massive coral species into restoration efforts. Microfragmentation (i.e., the process of cutting large donor colonies into small fragments that grow fast) has yielded promising early results. Still, best practices for outplanting fragmented corals of massive morphologies are continuing to be developed and modified to maximize survivorship. Here, we compared outplant success among four species of massive corals (Orbicella faveolata, Montastraea cavernosa, Pseudodiploria clivosa, and P. strigosa) in Southeast Florida, US. Within the first week following coral deployment, predation impacts by fish on the small (<5 cm2) outplanted colonies resulted in both the complete removal of colonies and significant tissue damage, as evidenced by bite marks. In our study, 8–27% of fragments from four species were removed by fish within one week, with removal rates slowing down over time. Of the corals that remained after one week, over 9% showed signs of fish predation. Our findings showed that predation by corallivorous fish taxa like butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae), parrotfishes (Scaridae), and damselfishes (Pomacentridae) is a major threat to coral outplants, and that susceptibility varied significantly among coral species and outplanting method. Moreover, we identify factors that reduce predation impacts such as: (1) using cement instead of glue to attach corals, (2) elevating fragments off the substrate, and (3) limiting the amount of skeleton exposed at the time of outplanting. These strategies are essential to maximizing the efficiency of outplanting techniques and enhancing the impact of reef restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gammon Koval
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Rivas
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Martine D'Alessandro
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Dalton Hesley
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Rolando Santos
- Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States of America
| | - Diego Lirman
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
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Quimpo TJR, Cabaitan PC, Hoey AS. Detachment of
Porites cylindrica
nubbins by herbivorous fishes. Restor Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. R. Quimpo
- The Marine Science Institute, College of ScienceUniversity of the Philippines, Diliman Quezon City 1101 Philippines
| | - Patrick C. Cabaitan
- The Marine Science Institute, College of ScienceUniversity of the Philippines, Diliman Quezon City 1101 Philippines
| | - Andrew S. Hoey
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesJames Cook University Townsville QLD 4811 Australia
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Doropoulos C, Evensen NR, Gómez-Lemos LA, Babcock RC. Density-dependent coral recruitment displays divergent responses during distinct early life-history stages. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170082. [PMID: 28573015 PMCID: PMC5451816 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Population growth involves demographic bottlenecks that regulate recruitment success during various early life-history stages. The success of each early life-history stage can vary in response to population density, interacting with intrinsic (e.g. behavioural) and environmental (e.g. competition, predation) factors. Here, we used the common reef-building coral Acropora millepora to investigate how density-dependence influences larval survival and settlement in laboratory experiments that isolated intrinsic effects, and post-settlement survival in a field experiment that examined interactions with environmental factors. Larval survival was exceptionally high (greater than 80%) and density-independent from 2.5 to 12 days following spawning. By contrast, there was a weak positive effect of larval density on settlement, driven by gregarious behaviour at the highest density. When larval supply was saturated, settlement was three times higher in crevices compared with exposed microhabitats, but a negative relationship between settler density and post-settlement survival in crevices and density-independent survival on exposed surfaces resulted in similar recruit densities just one month following settlement. Moreover, a negative relationship was found between turf algae and settler survival in crevices, whereas gregarious settlement improved settler survival on exposed surfaces. Overall, our findings reveal divergent responses by coral larvae and newly settled recruits to density-dependent regulation, mediated by intrinsic and environmental interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas R. Evensen
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, Australia Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Luis A. Gómez-Lemos
- Griffith School of Environment, Australian Rivers Institute—Coast and Estuaries, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
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