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Journal articles on the topic 'Coral reefs'
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1
Mwaura, Jelvas M., Dishon Murage, Juliet F. Karisa, Levy M. Otwoma, and Hashim O. Said. "Artificial reef structures and coral transplantation as potential tools for enhancing locally-managed inshore reefs: a case study from Wasini Island, Kenya." Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science 21, no. 2 (February 27, 2023): 83–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/wiojms.v21i2.8.
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Many severely degraded reefs in the western Indian Ocean region show no signs of natural recovery and have remained for decades as barren, unconsolidated coral rubble fields with depleted commercially important fish groups. Consequently, several restoration techniques have been designed and developed to mitigate the localized impacts on coral reefs. Evaluating the efficacy of combined use of artificial reef structures and coral transplantation in enhancing habitat and recovery of key functions in severely degraded reefs is key to improved conservation of coral reefs. In this study, the survivorship rate of corals transplanted on reef structures is assessed, and changes in coral and fish abundance on artificial reef units and nearby natural reefs over time are compared. Coral cover on artificial reef structures increased from a mean of 17 % one year after initial attachment of fragments to 41 % after two years, with Acropora corals providing the highest cover. The artificial reef structures were also rapidly colonized by reef fish, with fish densities of 18±13 indiv./100 m2 showing an increase of about three fold higher than on natural reefs after two years. Greater numbers of commercially important fish groups (e.g., Lutjanids and Acanthurids) were observed on artificial reefs while natural reefs harboured more small sized fish (Pomacentrids and Labrids). These findings provide insights for artificial reef projects that are capable of restoring the regenerative capacity of the human-induced coral rubble beds.
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Bowden-Kerby, Austin. "Coral-Focused Climate Change Adaptation and Restoration Based on Accelerating Natural Processes: Launching the “Reefs of Hope” Paradigm." Oceans 4, no. 1 (December 31, 2022): 13–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/oceans4010002.
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The widespread demise of coral reefs due to climate change is now a certainty, and investing in restoration without facing this stark reality risks failure. The 50 Reefs Initiative, the dominant adaptation model for coral reefs is examined, and a new coral-focused paradigm is proposed, based on helping coral reefs adapt to rising temperature, to ensure that as many coral species as possible survive locally over time. With pilot sites established in six Pacific Island nations, genebank nurseries of bleaching resistant corals are secured in cooler waters, to help prevent their demise as heat stress increases. Unbleached corals selected during bleaching events are included. From these nurseries corals are harvested to create nucleation patches of genetically diverse pre-adapted corals, which become reproductively, ecologically and biologically viable at reef scale, spreading out over time. This “Reefs of Hope” paradigm, modelled on tropical forest restoration, creates dense coral patches, using larger transplants or multiple small fragments elevated on structures, forming fish habitat immediately. The fish help increase coral and substratum health, which presumably will enhance natural larval-based recovery processes. We also hypothesize that incoming coral recruits, attracted to the patch, are inoculated by heat adapted algal symbionts, facilitating adaptation of the wider reef. With global emissions out of control, the most we can hope for is to buy precious time for coral reefs by saving coral species and coral diversity that will not likely survive unassisted.
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Moriarty, Tess, William Leggat, Scott F. Heron, Rosemary Steinberg, and Tracy D. Ainsworth. "Bleaching, mortality and lengthy recovery on the coral reefs of Lord Howe Island. The 2019 marine heatwave suggests an uncertain future for high-latitude ecosystems." PLOS Climate 2, no. 4 (April 12, 2023): e0000080. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000080.
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Oceanic thermal anomalies are increasing in both frequency and strength, causing detrimental impacts to coral reef communities. Water temperatures beyond the corals optimum threshold causeing coral bleaching and mass mortality, impacting our global coral reef ecosystems, including marginal high-latitude reefs. Coral bleaching and mortality were observed at the southernmost coral reef, Lord Howe Island Marine Park, during the summer of 2019, coinciding with anomalously high sea surface temperatures across the reef system from January-April. Here we document the extent of coral impacts within the Lord Howe Island lagoonal reef and the recovery from bleaching eight-months later. Significant differences in bleaching prevalence were observed across the lagoonal coral reef, ranging from 16 to 83% across offshore and inshore reef regions and with variable onset timing. Coral mortality of up to 40% was recorded in the reef’s most severely impacted near-shore area. The four most dominant species, Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, Porites spp. and Seriatopora hystrix, were the most susceptible to bleaching, with all coral colonies found either bleached or dead at the most affected inshore site during and following peak heat stress. Interestingly, during the eight-months following bleaching, there was no evidence of bleaching recovery (i.e., re-establishment of symbiosis) at the offshore lagoonal site. However, there was a significant increase in the abundance of healthy coral colonies at the inshore site, suggesting the recovery of the surviving bleached corals at this site. Importantly, we found no evidence for bleaching or mortality in the Acropora spp. and minimal bleaching and no mortality in Isopora cuneata during the study period, typically highly susceptible species. Given the isolation of high-latitude reefs such as Lord Howe Island, our results highlight the importance of understanding the impacts of bleaching, mortality and bleaching recovery on coral population structure and resilience of high-latitude coral reefs.
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Sutthacheep, Makamas, Charernmee Chamchoy, Sittiporn Pengsakun, Wanlaya Klinthong, and Thamasak Yeemin. "Assessing the Resilience Potential of Inshore and Offshore Coral Communities in the Western Gulf of Thailand." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 7, no. 11 (November 11, 2019): 408. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse7110408.
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Coral reefs in the Gulf of Thailand have experienced severe coral bleaching events and anthropogenic disturbances during the last two decades. This study assessed the resilience potential of coral communities at Ko Losin offshore reef sites and Mu Ko Chumphon nearshore coral reefs, in the south of Thailand, by conducting field surveys on the live coral cover, hard substratum composition and diversity and density of juvenile corals. Most study sites had higher percentages of live coral cover compared to dead coral cover. Some inshore and offshore reef sites showed low resilience to coral bleaching events. The total densities of juvenile corals at the study sites were in the range of 0.89–3.73 colonies/m2. The density of the juvenile corals at most reef sites was not dependent on the live coral cover of adult colonies in a reef, particularly for the Acropora communities. We suggest that Ko Losin should be established as a marine protected area, and Mu Ko Chumphon National Park should implement its management plans properly to enhance coral recovery and promote marine ecotourism. Other measures, such as shading, should be also applied at some coral reefs during bleaching periods.
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Stahl, Florian, Selma D. Mezger, Valentina Migani, Marko Rohlfs, Victoria J. Fahey, Eike Schoenig, and Christian Wild. "Recent and rapid reef recovery around Koh Phangan Island, Gulf of Thailand, driven by plate-like hard corals." PeerJ 11 (November 9, 2023): e16115. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16115.
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Mass bleaching events and local anthropogenic influences have changed the benthic communities of many coral reefs with pronounced spatial differences that are linked to resilience patterns. The Gulf of Thailand is an under-investigated region with only few existing datasets containing long-term developments of coral reef communities using the same method at fixed sites. We thus analyzed benthic community data from seven reefs surrounding the island of Koh Phangan collected between 2014 and 2022. Findings revealed that the average live hard coral cover around Koh Phangan increased from 37% to 55% over the observation period, while turf algae cover decreased from 52% to 29%, indicating some recovery of local reefs. This corresponds to a mean increased rate of coral cover by 2.2% per year. The increase in live hard coral cover was mainly driven by plate-like corals, which quadrupled in proportion over the last decade from 7% to 28% while branching corals decreased in proportion from 9% to 2%. Furthermore, the hard coral genus richness increased, indicating an increased hard coral diversity. While in other reefs, increasing live hard coral cover is often attributed to fast-growing, branching coral species, considered more susceptible to bleaching and other disturbances, the reefs around Koh Phangan recovered mainly via growth of plate-like corals, particularly of the genus Montipora. Although plate-like morphologies are not necessarily more bleaching tolerant, they are important for supporting reef fish abundance and structural complexity on reefs, aiding reef recovery and sturdiness. Hence, our findings indicate that the intensity of local stressors around Kho Phangan allows reef recovery driven by some hard coral species.
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Asner, Gregory P., Sonja F. Giardina, Christopher Balzotti, Crawford Drury, Sean Hopson, and Roberta E. Martin. "Are Sunken Warships Biodiversity Havens for Corals?" Diversity 14, no. 2 (February 16, 2022): 139. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14020139.
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Coral reefs are threatened by climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Artificial reefs may provide havens for corals, both to escape warming surface waters and to assist in the geographic migration of corals to more habitable natural reef conditions of the future. The largest artificial reefs have been generated by nearly 2000 shipwrecks around the world, but the coral diversity on these wrecks is virtually unknown. Ship size and hull material, location relative to natural reef, time since sinking, ocean currents, and water depth may affect coral diversity. As a test of the biodiversity capacity of very large sunken structures relative to surrounding natural reef, we carried out technical diver-based surveys to quantify genus-level coral diversity on 29 warships sunk in Bikini Atoll and Chuuk Lagoon. We also assessed whether ship length, as an index of substrate availability, and water depth, as an indicator of light and temperature, can serve as predictors of coral diversity. We surveyed a total of 9105 scleractinian corals. The total number of genera identified at Bikini was 34, and at Chuuk it was 51, representing 67% and 72% of genera found on natural reefs at Bikini and Chuuk, respectively. Ship length, but not water depth, was positively correlated with relative abundance and richness at the genus level. Our results suggest that very large wrecks can serve as havens for reef-building corals with a broad genetic diversity, expressed at the genus level, commensurate with corals found on neighboring natural reefs. The role of large artificial reefs could include protecting coral biodiversity from warming surface waters.
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Rogers, Caroline S. "Coral Reef Resilience through Biodiversity." ISRN Oceanography 2013 (February 17, 2013): 1–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.5402/2013/739034.
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Irrefutable evidence of coral reef degradation worldwide and increasing pressure from rising seawater temperatures and ocean acidification associated with climate change have led to a focus on reef resilience and a call to “manage” coral reefs for resilience. Ideally, global action to reduce emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases will be accompanied by local action. Effective management requires reduction of local stressors, identification of the characteristics of resilient reefs, and design of marine protected area networks that include potentially resilient reefs. Future research is needed on how stressors interact, on how climate change will affect corals, fish, and other reef organisms as well as overall biodiversity, and on basic ecological processes such as connectivity. Not all reef species and reefs will respond similarly to local and global stressors. Because reef-building corals and other organisms have some potential to adapt to environmental changes, coral reefs will likely persist in spite of the unprecedented combination of stressors currently affecting them. The biodiversity of coral reefs is the basis for their remarkable beauty and for the benefits they provide to society. The extraordinary complexity of these ecosystems makes it both more difficult to predict their future and more likely they will have a future.
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Lillis, Ashlee, Amy Apprill, Justin J. Suca, Cynthia Becker, Joel K. Llopiz, and T. Aran Mooney. "Soundscapes influence the settlement of the common Caribbean coral Porites astreoides irrespective of light conditions." Royal Society Open Science 5, no. 12 (December 2018): 181358. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181358.
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The settlement of reef-building corals is critical to the survival and recovery of reefs. Recent evidence indicates that coral larvae orient towards reef sound, yet the components of the acoustic environment that may attract coral larvae and induce settlement are unknown. Here we investigated the effects of ambient soundscapes on settlement of Porites astreoides coral larvae using in situ chambers on reefs differing in habitat quality (coral and fish abundance). Mean larval settlement was twice as high in an acoustic environment with high levels of low-frequency sounds, typical of a high-quality, healthy reef; this result was observed in both natural light and dark treatments. Overall, the enhancement of coral settlement by soundscapes typical of healthy reefs suggests a positive feedback where soundscape properties of reefs with elevated coral and fish abundance may facilitate coral recruitment.
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Purnomo, Pujiono Wahyu, Frida Purwanti, and Dhanar Syahrizal Akhmad. "Coral Reef Conditions At the Snorkeling Spots of the Karimunjawa National Park, Indonesia." Croatian Journal of Fisheries 80, no. 2 (June 1, 2022): 77–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/cjf-2022-0008.
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Abstract Karimunjawa as a marine national park has attracted tourists to come and explore coral reefs. The reefs are under increasing pressure from the development of underwater tourist activities so it is necessary to pay attention to the reef condition to maintain its sustainability. This study was conducted in September 2019 by examining the condition of coral reefs in the most visited snorkeling spots based on information from tour operators, i.e. the Ujung Bintang, Maer and Karang Sendok spots. Data was collected using a 20 m line belt transect to count coral cover and was analyzed using coral morphology triangles to assess the Coral Condition Index (CCI) and Impact Severity Index (ISI). The condition of coral reef cover at the Ujung Bintang and Maer spots were in the “good” category based on the CCI, while at the Karang Sendok spot the corals were in the “bad” category based on the ISI. The three snorkeling spots have competition-adapted (K) morphology, which means that the coral reefs are dominated by non-Acropora corals associated with coral reefs with high waves. The dominant life form at the Ujung Bintang spot was foliose corals, at the Maer spot, it was foliose coral and non-Acropora branching corals, while at the Karang Sendok it was Acropora, which is more vulnerable than foliose and massive corals. The CCI at the three spots was in the “good” category as there are healthy coral colonies, whereas the ISI was in the “poor” category since partially and recently dead coral colonies were found there. The coral colony damage in the spots was dominated by bleached coral colonies and partially dead coral colonies.
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SCHULZ, MICHAŁ, ALEKSANDRA ŁOŚ, PATRYCJA SKOWRONEK, and ANETA STRACHECKA. "Prominence of environmental and anthropogenic agents on the occurrence of coral reef bleaching syndrome and coral diseases." Medycyna Weterynaryjna 74, no. 10 (2024): 6139–2024. http://dx.doi.org/10.21521/mw.6139.
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Coral reefs are the most productive ecosystems on Earth. They ensure the conservation of biodiversity and are a live habitat for 25% of all marine organisms. The main relationship on the coral reef is the symbiosis between corals and algae from the genus Symbiodinium (commonly called zooxanthellae). The authors of this publication have characterized and described the factors limiting the occurrence of coral reefs, including: water temperature, salinity, access to sunlight, contamination, physicochemical and hydromechanical parameters of water. Moreover anthropogenic threats to coral reefs have been specified, including diving tourism, ecological disasters (e.g. oil spills) and the development of marine aquaristics. Rapid changes in the basic living conditions are dangerous for corals and their symbionts and may cause the unsuitability of the new environment resulting in diseases such as coral bleaching. Corals bleaching is a disease associated with the break of the coral and algae relationship which results in a coral reef death on a global scale. Awareness of these negative factors, often related to human activity, may allow us to better understand the ecological processes that are the basis of reef functioning and might enable us to prevent and oppose to the changes and ecological recessions of coral reefs.
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Aulia, Qinthan Azzahra, and Ni Wayan Purnama Sari. "CORAL BLEACHING, KARANG HIDUP ATAU MATI?" OSEANA 45, no. 2 (October 27, 2020): 13–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.14203/oseana.2020.vol.45no.2.55.
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Coral reef ecosystem is one of the coastal marine ecosystems in tropical waters. Coral reef ecosystems are vulnerable to damage mainly due to environmental factors. A fairly popular event of coral reef damage is coral bleaching. Mass coral bleaching is generally caused by changes in Sea Surface Temperature (SST). The condition of corals that have bleaching is different from the condition of corals that have died. The recovery process from coral bleaching phenomena can be effectively carried out if the surrounding environment is supportive and sea surface temperature return stable. The phenomenon of coral bleaching is a real indicator of the environmental stresses that occur on coral reefs. This paper will explain about coral bleaching, the factors that cause coral bleaching, and whether the bleaching coral reefs mean alive or dead.
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Apprill, A., H. Holm, AE Santoro, C. Becker, M. Neave, K. Hughen, A. Richards Donà, et al. "Microbial ecology of coral-dominated reefs in the Federated States of Micronesia." Aquatic Microbial Ecology 86 (April 22, 2021): 115–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/ame01961.
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Microorganisms are central to the functioning of coral reef ecosystems, but their dynamics are unstudied on most reefs. We examined the microbial ecology of shallow reefs within the Federated States of Micronesia. We surveyed 20 reefs surrounding 7 islands and atolls (Yap, Woleai, Olimarao, Kosrae, Kapingamarangi, Nukuoro, and Pohnpei), spanning 875053 km2. On the reefs, we found consistently higher coral coverage (mean ± SD = 36.9 ± 22.2%; max 77%) compared to macroalgae coverage (15.2 ± 15.5%; max 58%), and low abundances of fish. Reef waters had low inorganic nutrient concentrations and were dominated by Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus, and SAR11 bacteria. The richness of bacterial and archaeal communities was significantly related to interactions between island/atoll and depth. High coral coverage on reefs was linked to higher relative abundances of Flavobacteriaceae, Leisingera, Owenweeksia, Vibrio, and the OM27 clade, as well as other heterotrophic bacterial groups, consistent with communities residing in waters near corals and within coral mucus. Microbial community structure at reef depth was significantly correlated with geographic distance, suggesting that island biogeography influences reef microbial communities. Reefs at Kosrae Island, which hosted the highest coral abundance and diversity, were unique compared to other locations; seawater from Kosrae reefs had the lowest organic carbon (59.8-67.9 µM), highest organic nitrogen (4.5-5.3 µM), and harbored consistent microbial communities (>85% similar), which were dominated by heterotrophic cells. This study suggests that the reef-water microbial ecology on Micronesian reefs is influenced by the density and diversity of corals as well as other biogeographical features.
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Karnan, Karnan. "Impact of Coral Bleaching on Coral Reef Fishes in Sekotong Bay, West Lombok Regency." Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA 8, no. 6 (December 25, 2022): 2670–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v8i6.1576.
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Coral reef fish is one of the main components making up the ecosystem of coral reefs. There is a strong mutual dependence between reef-forming corals and fish that inhabit coral reefs. Various fish species use coral as a food source and habitat. This article describes the impact of coral bleaching on the diversity, density, and biomass of coral reef fish in the waters of Sekotong Bay, West Lombok. Underwater visual census (UVC) methods are used to obtain data on species, the number of individuals per species, and fish size at transect length 70 meters and width 5 meters. Simple linear regression analysis that is used to assess the impact of coral bleaching on the condition of coral reef fish shows that coral bleaching affects the diversity and density of reef fish. This analysis also showed that coral bleaching affected herbivorous fish biomass but not carnivorous fish. This study concludes that the degradation of coral fish in the Sekotong Bay of West Lombok occurs due to various factors, especially the declining health conditions of coral reefs
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Pratiwi, Rianta. "STUDI TENTANG JENIS KRUSTASEA YANG HIDUP DI KARANG BATU DAN PERANANNYA DALAM EKOSISTEM TERUMBU KARANG." OSEANA 42, no. 1 (April 30, 2019): 45–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.14203/oseana.2017.vol.42no.1.38.
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STUDIES ON CRUSTACEANS SPECIES LIVING IN THE CORAL REEF AND THEIR ROLE IN ECOSYSTEM. Crustaceans are one of the most specis invertebrates in coral reefs, comprising approximately 20 % of all invertebrate species. This taxa often found clearly living in coral communities. The order Decapoda is the most common crustaceans observed the coral reefs due to their relatively large size and having bright colours. In addition, decapods contribute in the environmental balance and having important roles in coral reef ecosystem such as defending live coral from predators and helping growth of corals.
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Steneck, Robert S., and Rubén Torres. "Trends in Dominican Republic Coral Reef Biodiversity 2015–2022." Diversity 15, no. 3 (March 8, 2023): 389. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d15030389.
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In 2015, we initiated a country-wide coral reef ecosystem-monitoring program in the Dominican Republic (DR) to establish biodiversity baselines against which trends in the most important components of coral reef ecosystem’s structure and function could be tracked. Replicate transects were set at a 10 m depth at each of the 12 coral reef sites within 6 DR regions in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022. We quantified the species-level abundances of adult and juvenile corals, reef fishes, sea urchins, lionfishes, and algal functional groups. Country-wide, coral cover and reef fishes have declined. The steepest declines occurred for reefs that had been among the best in the Caribbean in 2015. However, by 2022, adult and juvenile coral, parrotfish, and other herbivores had declined, and macroalgae had increased. The declines in north-shore coral abundance corresponded with the observed disturbances from coral bleaching, hurricanes, and disease. The capacity of reefs to recover from such disturbances has been compromised by abundant and increasing macroalgae that have likely contributed to north-shore declines in juvenile corals. Country-wide, the abundance of all reef fish species has declined below those of other regions of the Caribbean. Improved management of fishing pressure on coral reefs would likely yield positive results.
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Subhan, Subhan, Anung Wijaya, Ishaq Warsandi, La Ode Musni, Baso Amrullah, Jupri Jupri, Indri Maharani Tenriabeng, and Muhammad Ahmi Husein. "KONDISI TERUMBU KARANG DAN KOMUNITAS IKAN PADA AREA PENCADANGAN KAWASAN KONSERVASI DAERAH (KKD) WATUPUTE, KABUPATEN KOLAKA UTARA." Jurnal Sapa Laut (Jurnal Ilmu Kelautan) 7, no. 2 (November 21, 2022): 129. http://dx.doi.org/10.33772/jsl.v7i3.28644.
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Data and information about the coral reefs' condition and fish are essential in planning a marine protected area (MPA). This study aims to provide an overview of the condition of coral reefs and the community structure of reef fish in terms of species distribution, density, and biomass in the Watupute waters – Kolaka Regency. The Point Intercept Transect is used to collect data on the condition of coral reefs and the underwater visual census for observing reef fish communities. The condition of the corals in the Watupute reserve area is generally moderate. Regarding the presence of reef fish communities, areas with higher live coral cover had higher density, number of species, size, and biomass. This area is reasonable to be recommended as a core zone in the design of MPA zonation.Keywords: coral reef, reef fish, marine protected area
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Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Chao-Yang Kuo, Ya-Yi Huang, Rodrigo Carballo-Bolaños, Pei-Jei Meng, Jih-Terng Wang, and Chaolun Allen Chen. "Coral Reef Resilience in Taiwan: Lessons from Long-Term Ecological Research on the Coral Reefs of Kenting National Park (Taiwan)." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 7, no. 11 (October 31, 2019): 388. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse7110388.
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Coral reefs in the Anthropocene are being subjected to unprecedented levels of stressors, including local disturbances—such as overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution—and large-scale destruction related to the global impacts of climate change—such as typhoons and coral bleaching. Thus, the future of corals and coral reefs in any given community and coral-Symbiodiniaceae associations over time will depend on their level of resilience, from individual corals to entire ecosystems. Herein we review the environmental settings and long-term ecological research on coral reefs, based on both coral resilience and space, in Kenting National Park (KNP), Hengchun Peninsula, southern Taiwan, wherein fringing reefs have developed along the coast of both capes and a semi-closed bay, known as Nanwan, within the peninsula. These reefs are influenced by a branch of Kuroshio Current, the monsoon-induced South China Sea Surface Current, and a tide-induced upwelling that not only shapes coral communities, but also reduces the seawater temperature and creates fluctuating thermal environments which over time have favoured thermal-resistant corals, particularly those corals close to the thermal effluent of a nuclear power plant in the west Nanwan. Although living coral cover (LCC) has fluctuated through time in concordance with major typhoons and coral bleaching between 1986 and 2019, spatial heterogeneity in LCC recovery has been detected, suggesting that coral reef resilience is variable among subregions in KNP. In addition, corals exposed to progressively warmer and fluctuating thermal environments show not only a dominance of associated, thermally-tolerant Durusdinium spp. but also the ability to shuffle their symbiont communities in response to seasonal variations in seawater temperature without bleaching. We demonstrate that coral reefs in a small geographical range with unique environmental settings and ecological characteristics, such as the KNP reef, may be resilient to bleaching and deserve novel conservation efforts. Thus, this review calls for conservation efforts that use resilience-based management programs to reduce local stresses and meet the challenge of climate change.
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Denley, Danielle, Anna Metaxas, and Robert Scheibling. "Subregional variation in cover and diversity of hard coral (Scleractinia) in the Western Province, Solomon Islands following an unprecedented global bleaching event." PLOS ONE 15, no. 11 (November 11, 2020): e0242153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242153.
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Coral reefs are critically important marine ecosystems that are threatened worldwide by cumulative impacts of global climate change and local stressors. The Solomon Islands comprise the southwestern boundary of the Coral Triangle, the global center of coral diversity located in the Indo-Pacific, and represent a bright spot of comparatively healthy coral reef ecosystems. However, reports on the status of coral reefs in the Solomon Islands are based on monitoring conducted at 5 stations in 2003–2004 and 2006–2007, with no information on how corals in this region have responded to more recent global bleaching events and other local stressors. In this study, we compare reef condition (substrate composition) and function (taxonomic and morphological diversity of hard corals) among 15 reefs surveyed in the Western Province, Solomon Islands that span a range of local disturbance and conservation histories. Overall, we found high cover of live hard coral (15–64%) and diverse coral assemblages despite an unprecedented 36-month global bleaching event in the three years leading up to our surveys in 2018. However, there was significant variation in coral cover and diversity across the 15 reefs surveyed, suggesting that impacts of global disturbance events are moderated at smaller scales by local anthropogenic factors (fisheries extraction, land-use impacts, marine management) and environmental (hydrodynamics) conditions. Our study provides evidence that relatively healthy reefs persist at some locations in the Solomon Islands and that local stewardship practices have the potential to impact reef condition at subregional scales. As coral reef conservation becomes increasingly urgent in the face of escalating cumulative threats, prioritising sites for management efforts is critical. Based on our findings and the high dependency of Solomon Islanders on coral reef ecosystem services, we advocate that the Western Province, Solomon Islands be considered of high conservation priority.
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Jury, Christopher P., and Robert J. Toonen. "Adaptive responses and local stressor mitigation drive coral resilience in warmer, more acidic oceans." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 286, no. 1902 (May 15, 2019): 20190614. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.0614.
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Coral reefs have great biological and socioeconomic value, but are threatened by ocean acidification, climate change and local human impacts. The capacity for corals to adapt or acclimatize to novel environmental conditions is unknown but fundamental to projected reef futures. The coral reefs of Kāne‘ohe Bay, Hawai‘i were devastated by anthropogenic insults from the 1930s to 1970s. These reefs experience naturally reduced pH and elevated temperature relative to many other Hawaiian reefs which are not expected to face similar conditions for decades. Despite catastrophic loss in coral cover owing to human disturbance, these reefs recovered under low pH and high temperature within 20 years after sewage input was diverted. We compare the pH and temperature tolerances of three dominant Hawaiian coral species from within Kāne‘ohe Bay to conspecifics from a nearby control site and show that corals from Kāne‘ohe are far more resistant to acidification and warming. These results show that corals can have different pH and temperature tolerances among habitats and understanding the mechanisms by which coral cover rebounded within two decades under projected future ocean conditions will be critical to management. Together these results indicate that reducing human stressors offers hope for reef resilience and effective conservation over coming decades.
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Kase, Ardy, Indri Manembu, and Joshian Schaduw. "KONDISI TERUMBU KARANG PULAU MANTEHAGE KABUPATEN MINAHASA UTARA PROVINSI SULAWESI UTARA." JURNAL PESISIR DAN LAUT TROPIS 7, no. 3 (July 23, 2019): 208. http://dx.doi.org/10.35800/jplt.7.3.2019.24466.
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Coral reefs are coastal ecosystems with the highest level of diversity. Corals are invertebrates that are included in the Phylum Coelenterata (hollow animal) or Cnidaria. Whereas coral reefs are a collection of millions of polyps. Natural phenomena and various anthropogenic activities threaten the health and presence of Mantehage Island coral reefs and the lack of information about the health conditions of coral reefs on Mantehage Island. The purpose of this study is to determine the condition of coral reefs andto provide baselines data on Mantehage Island. Data collection was done by using UPT method (Underwater Photo Transect). Underwater Photo Transect carried out by underwater shooting using a digital camera that was shielded (housing). Image analysis were done using the CPCe software (Coral Point Count with Excel extensions). The results of coral reef health conditions at four stations on Mantehage Island shows, coral reef cover at each station as follows, station 1 (one) 53.00% were in good condition, station 2 (two) 25.40% were in a moderate condition, station 3 (three) 16.49% were in poor condition, and station 4 (four) 42.07% were in a moderate condition. From the four stations, the condition of Mantehage Island's coral reefs were in the moderate category with a percentage of 34.24%.Keywords:. Mantehage Island, Terumbu Karang, UPT, CPCe
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Doering, Talisa, Justin Maire, Madeleine J. H. van Oppen, and Linda L. Blackall. "Advancing coral microbiome manipulation to build long-term climate resilience." Microbiology Australia 44, no. 1 (March 9, 2023): 36–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma23009.
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Coral reefs house one-third of all marine species and are of high cultural and socioeconomic importance. However, coral reefs are under dire threat from climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. Climate change is causing coral bleaching, the breakdown of the symbiosis between the coral host and its algal symbionts, often resulting in coral mortality and the deterioration of these valuable ecosystems. While it is essential to counteract the root causes of climate change, it remains urgent to develop coral restoration and conservation methods that will buy time for coral reefs. The manipulation of the bacterial microbiome that is associated with corals has been suggested as one intervention to improve coral climate resilience. Early coral microbiome-manipulation studies, which are aimed at enhancing bleaching tolerance, have shown promising results, but the inoculated bacteria did generally not persist within the coral microbiome. Here, we highlight the importance of long-term incorporation of bacterial inocula into the microbiome of target corals, as repeated inoculations will be too costly and not feasible on large reef systems like the Great Barrier Reef. Therefore, coral microbiome-manipulation studies need to prioritise approaches that can provide sustained coral climate resilience.
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Leão, Zelinda M. A. N., Ruy K. P. Kikuchi, Beatrice P. Ferreira, Elizabeth G. Neves, Hilda H. Sovierzoski, Marília D. M. Oliveira, Mauro Maida, Monica D. Correia, and Rodrigo Johnsson. "Brazilian coral reefs in a period of global change: A synthesis." Brazilian Journal of Oceanography 64, spe2 (2016): 97–116. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1679-875920160916064sp2.
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Abstract Brazilian coral reefs form structures significantly different from the well-known reef models, as follows: (i) they have a growth form of mushroom-shaped coral pinnacles called "chapeirões", (ii) they are built by a low diversity coral fauna rich in endemic species, most of them relic forms dating back to the Tertiary, and (iii) the nearshore bank reefs are surrounded by siliciclastic sediments. The reefs are distributed in the following four major sectors along the Brazilian coast: the northern, the northeastern and the eastern regions, and the oceanic islands, but certain isolated coral species can be found in warmer waters in embayments of the southern region. There are different types of bank reefs, fringing reefs, isolated "chapeirões" and an atoll present along the Brazilian coast. Corals, milleporids and coralline algae build the rigid frame of the reefs. The areas in which the major coral reefs occur correspond to regions in which nearby urban centers are experiencing accelerated growth, and tourism development is rapidly increasing. The major human effects on the reef ecosystem are mostly associated with the increased sedimentation due to the removal of the Atlantic rainforest and the discharge of industrial and urban effluents. The effects of the warming of oceanic waters that had previously affected several reef areas with high intensity coral bleaching had not shown, by the time of the 2010 event, any episodes of mass coral mortality on Brazilian reefs.
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Ye, Zong-Min, Anderson B. Mayfield, and Tung-Yung Fan. "Variable Responses to a Marine Heat Wave in Five Fringing Reefs of Southern Taiwan." Applied Sciences 13, no. 9 (April 29, 2023): 5554. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app13095554.
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In 2020 marine heatwaves elicited severe bleaching on many of Earth’s coral reefs. We compared coral reef benthic community composition before (April 2020), during (September 2020), and after (December 2020–September 2021) this event at five fringing reefs of Southern Taiwan. The four shallow (3 m) reefs were hard coral-dominated in April 2020 (cover = 37–55%), though non-bleached coral cover decreased to only 5–15% by December 2020. Coral abundance at the two shallow (3 m), natural reefs had failed to return to pre-bleaching levels by September 2021. In contrast, coral cover of two artificial reefs reached ~45–50% by this time, with only a small drop in diversity. This is despite the fact that one of these reefs, the Outlet, was characterized by temperatures >30 °C for over 80 days in a six-month period due not only to the bleaching event but also inundation with warm-water effluent from a nearby nuclear power plant. Only the lone deep (7 m) reef was spared from bleaching and maintained a coral/algal ratio >1 at all survey times; its coral cover actually increased over the 18-month monitoring period. These data suggest that (1) the natural deep reef could serve as a refuge from thermal impacts in Southern Taiwan, and (2) the remaining corals at the Outlet have either adapted or acclimatized to abnormally elevated temperatures.
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Widiastiti, Ni Made Ary, I. Wayan Arthana, and Ida Ayu Astarini. "STRATEGI PENGELOLAAN EKOSISTEM TERUMBU KARANG DI DAERAH WISATA AIR TANJUNG BENOA DAN JEMELUK AMED, BALI." ECOTROPHIC : Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan (Journal of Environmental Science) 15, no. 1 (June 2, 2021): 36. http://dx.doi.org/10.24843/ejes.2021.v15.i01.p04.
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Tanjung Benoa and Jemeluk Amed are two famous marine tourism sites in Bali. This study aims to determine the state of coral ecosystem in its life form, factors associated with coral damage, and the strategy to manage coral in those two area. We used two methods: Line Intercept Transect (LIT) and SWOT. The live coral coverage condition in Tanjung Benoa is in moderate and worse category. While the Jemeluk Amed is in moderate level and good condition, respectively. Factors causing damage to coral ecosystem are: the corals are under pressure, some corals are already bleaching, the anchoring activity and oil spill from ships, and algae. The coral reefs ecosystem in Tanjung Benoa and Jemeluk Amed can be sustained in good condition with government support and NGOs in the development of environmentally friendly activities and monitoring studies, implementation of coral reef preservation rules (prohibition of taking coral reefs) and colaboration of the community, government, and NGOs to carry out coral reef rehabilitation and monitoring studies. As one of the tourism area in Bali, the role of universities are needed for continuous research on the state of coral reefs to maintain environmentally friendly and sustainable tourism.Keywords: Coral reef; Life form; Strategy; Marine conservation.
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SHAFIQA-YUSOF, NURUL, and NUR SYAHIRAH MOHD RADZI. "Symbiodinium IN CORAL REEFS AND ITS ADAPTATION RESPONSES TOWARD CORAL BLEACHING EVENTS: A REVIEW." Malaysian Applied Biology 51, no. 3 (September 30, 2022): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.55230/mabjournal.v51i3.2162.
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Symbiodinium is a category of symbiotic dinoflagellates commonly associated with various reef-building corals. Detrimental impacts of global climate change worsen the mutualistic association of coral-Symbiodinium, endangering the reefs to the bleaching and mass mortality phenomenon. Destruction of coral reef ecosystems has adverse effects not only on marine life but also on the human population. It has been proposed that to protect the coral reefs, an exclusive selection of thermal-tolerance traits in Symbiodinium will increase the survivability of coral reefs. However, there are still limited findings on the coral-endosymbiont resistance under adverse environments. Thus, this review aims to introduce shortly the coral reefs, Symbiodinium, and coral bleaching events, as well as to provide brief reviews of cellular and molecular responses in Symbiodinium to tackle thermal stress. Considering the potential applications of this knowledge to confront the threat of coral bleaching prevalence, more study especially in terms of cellular and molecular responses by omics approaches is needed to enhance the understanding of coral-Symbiodinium tolerance toward climate change, particularly heat stress.
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Gress, Erika, Maria J. Arroyo-Gerez, Georgina Wright, and Dominic A. Andradi-Brown. "Assessing mesophotic coral ecosystems inside and outside a Caribbean marine protected area." Royal Society Open Science 5, no. 10 (October 2018): 180835. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.180835.
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Widespread shallow coral reef loss has led to calls for more holistic approaches to coral reef management, requiring inclusion of ecosystems interacting with shallow coral reefs in management plans. Yet, almost all current reef management is biased towards shallow reefs, and overlooks that coral reefs extend beyond shallow waters to mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; 30–150 m). We present the first detailed quantitative characterization of MCEs off Cozumel, Mexico, on the northern Mesoamerican Reef in the Mexican Caribbean, and provide insights into their general state. We documented MCE biodiversity, and assessed whether MCEs adjacent to a major town and port, where coastal development has caused shallow reef damage, have similar benthic and fish communities to MCEs within a National Park. Our results show that overall MCE communities are similar regardless of protection, though some taxa-specific differences exist in benthic communities between sites within the MPA and areas outside. Regardless of protection and location, and in contrast to shallow reefs, all observed Cozumel MCEs were continuous reefs with the main structural habitat complexity provided by calcareous macroalgae, sponges, gorgonians and black corals. Hard corals were present on MCEs, although at low abundance. We found that 42.5% of fish species recorded on Cozumel could be found on both shallow reefs and MCEs, including 39.6% of commercially valuable fish species. These results suggest that MCEs could play an important role in supporting fish populations. However, regardless of protection and depth, we found few large-body fishes (greater than 500 mm), which were nearly absent at all studied sites. Cozumel MCEs contain diverse benthic and fish assemblages, including commercially valuable fisheries species and ecosystem engineers, such as black corals. Because of their inherent biodiversity and identified threats, MCEs should be incorporated into shallow-reef-focused Cozumel National Park management plan.
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Sievers, Katie T., Eva C. McClure, Rene A. Abesamis, and Garry R. Russ. "Multi-Scale Coral Reef and Seascape Habitat Variables Combine to Influence Reef Fish Assemblages." Fishes 9, no. 4 (April 15, 2024): 137. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/fishes9040137.
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While benthic characteristics of coral reef habitats are a major driver of the structure of coral reef fish assemblages, non-reef habitats adjacent to coral reefs (e.g., mangroves, seagrass beds, and macroalgal beds) can affect reef fish assemblages. Here, we investigate how reef fish assemblages respond to local-scale benthic habitats within a coral reef and larger-scale adjacent seascape features (habitats within 500 m of coral reefs) on Siquijor Island in the Philippines. We examined an abundance of species for the entire reef fish assemblage and within the assemblages of parrotfishes (subfamily Scarinae) and wrasses (family Labridae). Five distinct habitat types were identified in a cluster analysis, which incorporated benthic characteristics within coral reefs and habitats adjacent to coral reefs. We found that the diversity and structure of coral reef fish assemblages were affected by benthic characteristics within coral reefs and also by benthic habitat types adjacent to coral reefs. Individual species responses and juveniles of certain species demonstrated uniquely high abundances in habitat clusters characterized by the non-reef habitats surrounding coral reefs. Considering coral reef habitats and adjacent non-reef habitats as a holistic, interconnected seascape will provide better estimations of the drivers of the structures of coral reef fish assemblages.
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House, Jenny E., Viviana Brambilla, Luc M. Bidaut, Alec P. Christie, Oscar Pizarro, Joshua S. Madin, and Maria Dornelas. "Moving to 3D: relationships between coral planar area, surface area and volume." PeerJ 6 (February 6, 2018): e4280. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4280.
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Coral reefs are a valuable and vulnerable marine ecosystem. The structure of coral reefs influences their health and ability to fulfill ecosystem functions and services. However, monitoring reef corals largely relies on 1D or 2D estimates of coral cover and abundance that overlook change in ecologically significant aspects of the reefs because they do not incorporate vertical or volumetric information. This study explores the relationship between 2D and 3D metrics of coral size. We show that surface area and volume scale consistently with planar area, albeit with morphotype specific conversion parameters. We use a photogrammetric approach using open-source software to estimate the ability of photogrammetry to provide measurement estimates of corals in 3D. Technological developments have made photogrammetry a valid and practical technique for studying coral reefs. We anticipate that these techniques for moving coral research from 2D into 3D will facilitate answering ecological questions by incorporating the 3rd dimension into monitoring.
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Oren, Asa, Ofer Berman, Reem Neri, Ezri Tarazi, Haim Parnas, Offri Lotan, Majeed Zoabi, Noam Josef, and Nadav Shashar. "Three-Dimensional-Printed Coral-like Structures as a Habitat for Reef Fish." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 11, no. 4 (April 21, 2023): 882. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jmse11040882.
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Coral reefs are three-dimensional biogenic structures that provide habitat for plenty of marine organisms; yet, coral reefs are deteriorating worldwide. Hence, it is essential to identify suitable substitutes for such coral services. This study examines reef fishes’ behavior and reactions to three-dimensional-printed (3DP) corals based on scanned Stylophora pistillata, as well as modified 3DP models. In particular, fishes’ unresponsiveness to the color, shape, morphology, and material of 3DP models both in vitro and in situ experiments was investigated. Coral reef fishes responded to the 3DP corals and demonstrated their usage in a range of services. Moreover, a greater number of fish species interacted more with 3DP models than they did with live corals. Furthermore, specific reef fish species, such as Sea Goldies (Pseudanthias squamipinnis), showed a preference for specific 3DP coral color, and other species demonstrated preferences for specific 3DP model shapes. The current study results show that three-dimensional-printed coral models can substitute for live corals for certain types of reef fish services.
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Islamiyati, Annisa Dian, and Paulus Hengky Abram. "ANALISIS KADAR KALSIUM OKSIDA (CaO) PADA BATU KARANG DI DAERAH PESISIR BAYANG DAMPELAS DONGGALA." Media Eksakta 16, no. 1 (May 31, 2020): 57–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.22487/me.v16i1.734.
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Coral reefs are classified as coral or coral limestone. These corals contain of a high level of calcium purity with more than 90%. These clacium are in the from calcite (CaCO3). Calcite can be used in the industrial sector wich can be processed into a catalyst and use as a mixture 0f portland cement.its economic value increases by converting CaCO3 to CaO trough the calcination process at high temperatures. The coral sampels were taken from the coastal area of Bayang, Dampelas Donggala wich consisted of 2 samples. i.e coastal and montain coral reefs. The CaO levevls contained in coral reefs wer determined by qualitative and quantitative analysis method using XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence). XRF result showed that were CaO compounds in each coral reef sample. The CaO level in the coastal reef was 92,08% before calcination and 92,11% after calcination. Whereas the CaO level in te mountain coastal reef was 94,51% before calcination and 96,77% after calcination.
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Pangestu, Aulia Dharma Nusa, Dwi Budi Wiyanto, I. Gusti Bagus Sila Dharma, and Elok Faiqoh. "Analisis Kesehatan Terumbu Karang Berdasarkan Kelimpahan Ikan Herbivora Di Perairan Labuan Bajo." Journal of Marine and Aquatic Sciences 9, no. 1 (June 1, 2023): 135. http://dx.doi.org/10.24843/jmas.2023.v09.i01.p14.
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Coral reef ecosystem is one of the ecosystems located in coastal areas which has a very important role for the community, both economically and ecologically. Rock or scleractinian corals are the main building blocks of coral reef ecosystems. The connectivity of coral reef ecosystems with other ecosystems has a very large influence on the life cycle of reef fish such as spawning, rearing, foraging, and sheltering places. Herbivorous fish are that eat turf algae or macroalgae that inhibit the recruitment of new corals. Labuan Bajo is one of the tourism destinations in Indonesia, especially marine tourism. Coral reefs in Labuan Bajo cover 10.8% of the total area of coral reefs in Indonesia located in Nusa Tenggara. The purpose of this study was to determine the health of coral reefs in the waters of Labuan Bajo. This research will be carried out from September to October 2021. The coral reef data collection method used is the Underwater Photo Transect (UPT), and for reef fish is using the Underwater Visual Census (UVC) method. Based on the research results, the percentage of hard coral is 20.16% of the total stations and rubble is 32.24%. The abundance of fish in Labuan Bajo waters ranges from 1608.89 - 4600.00 ind/ha, where the average abundance is 2919.78 ind/ha. All stations got a health index value of 3, this is indicated by the low coral cover, high coral resilience, and low herbivorous fish biomass obtained.
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Lin, Chiahsin. "International Symposium on New Frontiers in Reef Coral Biotechnology (5 May 2022, Taiwan)." Applied Sciences 12, no. 11 (June 6, 2022): 5758. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app12115758.
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Given the global threats towards coral reefs, this conference’s central theme, “Reef coral biotechnology”, is particularly timely. Our goal is to promote communication and dialogue in this field among marine researchers within and outside of Taiwan, and we have invited experts in the fields of coral reef ecology, physiology, conservation, and biotechnology to discuss their recent findings with a cadre of both local and foreign scientists, as well as students (undergraduate, Master’s, and Ph.D. students). We envision that these presentations will segue into discussions and collaborations that stimulate innovation in reef coral biotechnology, and particularly in the development of tools and approaches that improve the odds of conserving coral reefs and biopreserving reef corals.
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Januchowski-Hartley, Fraser A., Nicholas A. J. Graham, Shaun K. Wilson, Simon Jennings, and Chris T. Perry. "Drivers and predictions of coral reef carbonate budget trajectories." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284, no. 1847 (January 25, 2017): 20162533. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2533.
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Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the long-term maintenance of coral-dominated tropical ecosystems, and has received considerable attention over the past two decades. Coral bleaching and associated mortality events, which are predicted to become more frequent and intense, can alter the balance of different elements that are responsible for coral reef growth and maintenance. The geomorphic impacts of coral mass mortality have received relatively little attention, particularly questions concerning temporal recovery of reef carbonate production and the factors that promote resilience of reef growth potential. Here, we track the biological carbonate budgets of inner Seychelles reefs from 1994 to 2014, spanning the 1998 global bleaching event when these reefs lost more than 90% of coral cover. All 21 reefs had positive budgets in 1994, but in 2005 budgets were predominantly negative. By 2014, carbonate budgets on seven reefs were comparable with 1994, but on all reefs where an ecological regime shift to macroalgal dominance occurred, budgets remained negative through 2014. Reefs with higher massive coral cover, lower macroalgae cover and lower excavating parrotfish biomass in 1994 were more likely to have positive budgets post-bleaching. If mortality of corals from the 2016 bleaching event is as severe as that of 1998, our predictions based on past trends would suggest that six of eight reefs with positive budgets in 2014 would still have positive budgets by 2030. Our results highlight that reef accretion and framework maintenance cannot be assumed from the ecological state alone, and that managers should focus on conserving aspects of coral reefs that support resilient carbonate budgets.
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Najmi, Nurul, Ananingtyas S. Darmarini, Nanda Muhammad Razi, Mai Suriani, and Samsul Kahar. "The Current Condition of Coral Reef and Fish Diversity in Gosong Island, Southwest Aceh." Jurnal Ilmiah Perikanan dan Kelautan 15, no. 1 (January 27, 2023): 57–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.20473/jipk.v15i1.35917.
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Highlight Research The current condition coverage percentage of coral reefs in the waters of Gosong Island was 55% Percentage of dead coral with algae founded on Gosong Island is 28% On Gosong Island there are 11 families, namely Acroporidae, Agariciidae, Faviidae, Fungiidae, Merulinidae , Mussidae, Dendrophylliidae, Oculinidae, Pectiniidae, Pocilloporidae and Poritidae Abstract The coral reef ecosystem is an important ecosystem; its existence has a very close relationship with the surrounding ecosystem and the reef fish community. The direct and indirect dependence of reef fish on coral reefs has become an important issue at the national and international levels. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of coral reef ecosystem conditions, the percentage of coral growth, identify the types of coral reefs, and the diversity of reef fish species on Gosong Island, Southwest Aceh. Coral reef biophysical characteristics were collected by measuring water quality, calculating the percentage of coral coverage using the Point Intercept Transect (PIT) method, and the abundance of reef fish using the Underwater Fish Visual Census (UFVC) method. The condition of average percentage of coral reefs in the waters of Gosong Island was in a good category (55%), found as many as 31 genera of hard corals included in the line transect. The percentage of base substrate that dominates other than live coral is dead coral with algae (DCA) of 28%. The average abundance of reef fish in Gosong Island waters is 11,260 ind/ha with an average reef fish biomass of 2074,095 kg/yield. The water quality results show good conditions for coral growth in location. Based on the analysis of the structure of the fish community found in the coral reef area, the results showed good results, so the research location became a good habitat for various types of fish associated with coral reef ecosystems on Gosong Island
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Rafly, Nidzar Muhammad, I. Wayan Gede Astawa Karang, and Widiastuti Widiastuti. "Hubungan Rugositas Terumbu Karang terhadap Struktur Komunitas Ikan Corallivor dan Herbivor di Perairan Pemuteran, Bali." Journal of Marine Research and Technology 3, no. 1 (February 28, 2020): 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.24843/jmrt.2020.v03.i01.p02.
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Reef fishes are the highest number of organisms that can be found in coral reefs in which the abundance depends on the healthy of this ecosystem. Reef fishes are mainly consisted of corallivorous and herbivorous fish. Corralivorous fish feeds on coral polyps while herbivorous fish feeds on algae. Therefore these fishes are an important indicators in the resilience of coral reefs. Studies showed that its abundance is strongly correlated with reef’s conture (rugosity). Pemuteran waters is one of developing tourists attraction in the north Bali island. However, the data of reef fishes and coral reefs in Pemuteran waters remain limited. Therefore, this research aimed to study the reef` condition and rugosity in Pemuteran waters, also to examine the correlation between reefs fishes and reefs rugosity in this area. There were four stations according to purposive sampling method. Data of corallivorous and herbivorous fishes were collected by using the underwater visual census with a 40 m2 transect. Reef rugosity index were determined by using chain transect method. Results showed that reef rugosity in Pemuteran waters was in the medium to high category. Reef rugosity has strong correlation with the total abundance and diversity of corallivorous fishes. However, reef rugosity was only strong correlated with the total abundance but not with the diversity of herbivorous fishes.
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Hosseinipour, Fatemeh. "The paleoecology and depositional model of the Oligo-Miocene coral reefs in the Mohammad Abad Area, the west of Baft, SW Kerman, Iran." Geologica Acta 20 (January 31, 2022): 1–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1344/geologicaacta2022.20.1.
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This paper deals with the Oligo-Miocene coral reefs in the Mohammadabad Area, W Baft, SW Kerman. The studied coral reefs include 11 families, 25 genera and 33 species of the scleractinian corals. The coral reef successions have deposited in three cycles on a mixed siliciclastic-carbonate platform. To understanding the paleoecology, reef architecture and depositional model of studied reefal successions, statistical analyses based on the coral niches, sedimentology analyses based on the grain size of the marly strata and microfacies analyses on limestone strata have used. Based on the statistical analyses, the coral community includes eight ecotypes. The distribution of these ecotypes indicates that, despite of various thicknesses, in all three coral reef successions, the branching and fast growth ecotypes are present at the basal parts and the massive, placoid and meandroid colonies are recorded in the slope, crest and distal parts of the reefs. The main disruptive phenomenon that stopped the reef development and affected the reef architecture has been the addition of clastic deposits to the carbonate system. This sediment load increase is recorded as marly strata. By The addition of clastic sediment load to the system, the carbonate content of the system has diluted, the salinity, water transparency and photic level is decreased, the favorable attachment hard substrate for coral polyps is limited, the nutrient and oxygen flux is disrupted and the coral reefs are suffocated.
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Nava, Héctor, Antonio González-Rodríguez, Nemer E. Narchi, Ana Crisol Méndez-Medina, Yurixhi Maldonado-López, María Angeles Cárdenas-Alvarado, Antonieta Gina Figueroa-Camacho, Huran Tonalli Drouet-Cruz, and Néstor Corona-Morales. "Towards reef restoration in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, México: lessons learned." Revista de Biología Tropical 71, S1 (May 2, 2023): e54792. http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71is1.54792.
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Introduction: Coral reef structures in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero are well-preserved. The coverage of living corals, near 60 % at several locations, makes them comparable to other coral reefs in the states of Oaxaca, Jalisco, and Nayarit and with high potential to promote their conservation.
Objective: To present the outcome of 12 years of research in coral communities from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, as a justifying argument for the current conservation efforts in the area.
Methods: We developed a baseline on the conservation status of the reef structures, bioerosion processes and the source of major natural and anthropogenic impacts. We assessed the genetic diversity of the coral zooxanthellae symbionts, the outcome of a technique of coral transplantation to recover the coverage of living corals and the local ecological knowledge to involve local inhabitants to promote conservation.
Results: At least five coral reefs remain exposed to a medium-low level of impact by bioerosion and anthropization. Coral transplantation experiments made in the area showed records of transplant survival nearing 90 %. Although the warming of the sea surface temperature that occurred during the El Niño of 2015-2016 caused coral bleaching and mortality in several coral populations in this area, there were no affectations attributed to this phenomenon in other locations. This response was not related to the level of exposure to anthropogenic impacts, and the presence of thermal resistant zooxanthellae was assessed using molecular tools, confirming the existence of zooxanthellae of the genus Durusdinium. The analysis of local ecological knowledge of the inhabitants of Zihuatanejo showed that they keep elaborate knowledge on the ecology of coral reefs. This is complemented with scientific knowledge that will encourage community participation in conservation strategies.
Conclusions: A long-term multidisciplinary strategy is required for coral reef conservation that encompasses: 1) assessing the role of the overall holobiont in the thermal resistance of corals from this area and 2) establishing restoration strategies of coral reefs that include the local knowledge about marine ecology, for the establishment of coral reef protection and management schemes put in place by local inhabitants.
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Shima, Jeffrey S., Craig W. Osenberg, and Adrian C. Stier. "The vermetid gastropod Dendropoma maximum reduces coral growth and survival." Biology Letters 6, no. 6 (May 19, 2010): 815–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2010.0291.
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Coral reefs are one of the most diverse systems on the planet; yet, only a small fraction of coral reef species have attracted scientific study. Here, we document strong deleterious effects of an often overlooked species—the vermetid gastropod, Dendropoma maximum— on growth and survival of reef-building corals. Our surveys of vermetids on Moorea (French Polynesia) revealed a negative correlation between the density of vermetids and the per cent cover of live coral. Furthermore, the incidence of flattened coral growth forms was associated with the presence of vermetids. We transplanted and followed the fates of focal colonies of four species of corals on natural reefs where we also manipulated presence/absence of vermetids. Vermetids reduced skeletal growth of focal corals by up to 81 per cent and survival by up to 52 per cent. Susceptibility to vermetids varied among coral species, suggesting that vermetids could shift coral community composition. Our work highlights the potential importance of a poorly studied gastropod to coral dynamics.
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Bessell-Browne, Pia, Hannah E. Epstein, Nora Hall, Patrick Buerger, and Kathryn Berry. "Severe Heat Stress Resulted in High Coral Mortality on Maldivian Reefs following the 2015–2016 El Niño Event." Oceans 2, no. 1 (March 3, 2021): 233–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/oceans2010014.
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Coral cover worldwide has been declining due to heat stress caused by climate change. Here we report the impacts of the 2015–2016 El Niño mass coral bleaching event on the coral cover of reefs located on central and northern atolls of the Maldives. We surveyed six reef sites in the Alifu Alifu (Ari) and Baa (South Maalhosmadulu) Atolls using replicate 20 m benthic photo transects at two depths per reef site. Live and recently dead coral cover identified from images differed between reef sites and depth. Recently dead corals on average made up 33% of the coral assemblage at shallow sites and 24% at deep sites. This mortality was significantly lower in massive corals than in branching corals, reaching an average of only 6% compared to 41%, respectively. The best predictors of live coral cover were depth and morphology, with a greater percentage of live coral at deep sites and in massive corals. The same predictors best described the prevalence of recently dead coral, but showed inverse trends to live coral. However, there was high variability among reef sites, which could be attributed to additional local stressors. Coral bleaching and resulting coral mortalities, such as the ones reported here, are of particular concern for small island nations like the Maldives, which are reliant on coral reefs.
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Munasik, Munasik, Muhammad Helmi, Rikoh Manogar Siringoringo, and Suharsono Suharsono. "Pemetaan Kerusakan Terumbu Karang Akibat Kandasnya Kapal Tongkang di Taman Nasional Karimunjawa, Jawa Tengah." Journal of Marine Research 9, no. 3 (July 16, 2020): 343–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.14710/jmr.v9i3.28239.
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ABSTRAK: Pemetaan kerusakan terumbu karang akibat kandasnya kapal tongkang di P. Tengah dan di P. Cilik, Taman Nasional Karimunjawa, Jawa Tengah telah dilakukan 2-3 bulan setelah kejadian dengan cara mengukur luas area kerusakan dan menilai kondisi terumbu karang. Pengukuran area kerusakan menggunakan metode penginderaan jarak jauh berbasis Drone (UAV Drone/pesawat tanpa awak) dan penilaian kondisi ekosistem terumbu karang dengan menggunakan metode Underwater Photo Transect (UPT). Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kondisi dan kerusakan terumbu karang akibat kandasnya kapal tongkang di P. Cilik dan P. Tengah, Taman Nasional Karimunjawa. Hasil menunjukkan telah terjadi kerusakan fisik di lereng atas terumbu karang pada kedua pulau tersebut berupa karang mati dan pecahan karang. Luas kerusakan terumbu karang di P. Tengah (1.420,32 m2) lima kali lebih luas daripada luas kerusakan terumbu karang di P. Cilik (267,22 m2). Luasnya kerusakan terumbu karang di P. Tengah kemungkinan akibat perbedaan jumlah kapal tongkang yang kandas, waktu kandas dan dominasi karang yang mudah patah (fragile). Komunitas karang keras yang dominan di lereng terumbu P. Tengah adalah karang bercabang (CB), Acropora bercabang (ACB) dan karang lembaran/foliose (CF). Luasan kerusakan dan kondisi terumbu karang akibat kandasnya kapal tongkang ini dapat digunakan untuk pengelola kawasan konservasi dalam perencanaan perlindungan dan restorasi ekosistem terumbu karang di Taman Nasional Karimunjawa ABSTRACT: Mapping damage to coral reefs due to the barges grounding in Cilik Island (P. Cilik) and Tengah Island (P. Tengah), Karimunjawa National Park, Central Java was carried out 2-3 months after the event by measuring the extent of damage and coral reefs assessment. Damage area measurement using Drone (UAV Drone) based remote sensing and reef ecosystem assessment using the Underwater Photo Transect (UPT) method. The aim of this study was to determine the condition and damage of coral reefs due to the wrecking of barges in Cilik and Central P., Karimunjawa National Park The results show that physical damage has occurred on the upper slopes of coral reefs on both islands is dead coral and coral fragments. Damage to extensive coral reefs in P. Tengah (1,420.32 m2) is five times larger than extensive damage to coral reefs in P. Cilik (267.22 m2). Damage to coral reefs in P. Tengah may cause differences in the number of barges that ran aground, time of aground and the dominance of fragile corals the upper slopes of the coral reefs. The dominant hard coral communities on the upper slopes of P. Tengah reefs are generally composed the fragile corals, such as branching corals (CB), branching Acropora (ACB) and foliose corals (CF). Damage to coral reefs and the condition of the ecosystem caused by the aground of the barges can be used to manage conservation areas in the planning of conservation and restoration of coral reef ecosystems in the Karimunjawa National Park in near future.
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Zapalski, Mikołaj K., Andrew H. Baird, Tom Bridge, Michał Jakubowicz, and James Daniell. "Unusual shallow water Devonian coral community from Queensland and its recent analogues from the inshore Great Barrier Reef." Coral Reefs 40, no. 2 (February 4, 2021): 417–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00338-020-02048-9.
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AbstractPalaeozoic coral communities were dominated by two extinct coral groups: Tabulata and Rugosa. Whilst they are not closely related to modern Scleractinia, they are morphologically convergent, displaying many morphological characters that allow comparisons between recent and ancient coral reef communities. The extensive shallow-water reef communities of the Devonian were generally dominated by stromatoporoid sponges, with corals occupying deeper environments. Here, we describe an unusual, shallow water coral reef community from the Middle Devonian (Givetian, approx. 385 Ma) of the Fanning River area, Queensland, Australia. The coral community is dominated by tabulate corals, but also includes solitary and occasionally colonial rugose corals. Tabulate corals most commonly exhibit foliose and massive morphologies, but encrusting and branching growth forms also occur. The depositional environment was characterized by a shallow water depth, moderate hydrodynamic energy, high sedimentation rate, and high turbidity. Since these environmental factors influence the morphological composition of modern coral communities, we hypothesize that similar environments may result in morphologically equivalent coral assemblages throughout the Phanerozoic. To test this idea, we qualitatively compare the Fanning River reefs with modern scleractinian coral assemblages in a similar environmental setting at Magnetic Island. Both reefs are located in a shallow water less than 10 m deep, with high sediment flux, moderate wave energy, and generally high turbidity. Like Fanning River, Magnetic Island coral communities are dominated by foliose morphologies, with contributions from massive and branching forms. The Fanning River reef, together with previously identified Silurian and Devonian mesophotic coral ecosystems, suggest that Palaeozoic coral assemblages may share many functional characteristics with modern scleractinian reefs in similar environments. Therefore, the geological record of inshore, high turbidity-adapted coral communities can be traced back as far as 385 Ma.
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Crabbe, M. James C. "From Citizen Science to Policy Development on the Coral Reefs of Jamaica." International Journal of Zoology 2012 (2012): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/102350.
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This paper explores the application of citizen science to help generation of scientific data and capacity-building, and so underpin scientific ideas and policy development in the area of coral reef management, on the coral reefs of Jamaica. From 2000 to 2008, ninety Earthwatch volunteers were trained in coral reef data acquisition and analysis and made over 6,000 measurements on fringing reef sites along the north coast of Jamaica. Their work showed that while recruitment of small corals is returning after the major bleaching event of 2005, larger corals are not necessarily so resilient and so need careful management if the reefs are to survive such major extreme events. These findings were used in the development of an action plan for Jamaican coral reefs, presented to the Jamaican National Environmental Protection Agency. It was agreed that a number of themes and tactics need to be implemented in order to facilitate coral reef conservation in the Caribbean. The use of volunteers and citizen scientists from both developed and developing countries can help in forging links which can assist in data collection and analysis and, ultimately, in ecosystem management and policy development.
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Elliott, Jennifer A., Mark R. Patterson, Caroline G. Staub, Meera Koonjul, and Stephen M. Elliott. "Decline in coral cover and flattening of the reefs around Mauritius (1998–2010)." PeerJ 6 (November 29, 2018): e6014. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6014.
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Coral reefs are degrading through the impacts of multiple anthropogenic stressors. How are coral reef communities going to change and how to protect them for future generations are important conservation questions. Using coral reef data from Mauritius, we examined changes in cover in 23 benthic groups for a 13-yr period and at 15 sites. Moreover, we determined which land-based stressor out of four (human population, agriculture, tourism, rainfall) correlated the most with the observed changes in coral reef cover. Among the stony corals, Acropora corals appeared to be the most impacted, decreasing in cover at many sites. However, the non-Acropora encrusting group increased in cover at several sites. The increase in abundance of dead corals and rubble at some sites also supported the observations of stony coral decline during the study period. Additionally, the decline in stony corals appeared to be more pronounced in second half of the study period for all sites suggesting that a global factor rather than a local factor was responsible for this decline. There was little change in cover for the other benthic groups, some of which were quite rare. Human population was significantly correlated with changes in coral reef cover for 11 sites, followed by tourism and agriculture. Rainfall, a proxy for runoff, did not appear to affect coral reef cover. Overall, our results showed that there has been a decline of stony coral cover especially the ones with complex morphologies, which in turn suggest that coral reefs around Mauritius have experienced a decline in habitat complexity during the study period. Our study also suggests that humans are an important factor contributing to the demise of coral reefs around the island.
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Herrera, Gabriella, Alexandra Good, Alexander Hirota, Catherine Razal, Nicole Gaertner, Justin Sefcik, Jesse Gilbert, and Keisha Bahr. "Using Coral Color to Indicate Coral Health in Five Caribbean Species." American Journal of Undergraduate Research 20, no. 1 (June 30, 2023): 27–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.33697/ajur.2023.077.
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Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse and productive ecosystems on Earth, and color has been shown to indicate coral health in Australian and Hawaiian reef systems. However, no standardized method exists to quantify coral health for Caribbean corals. Therefore, a health assessment card using coral color was developed for five species of Caribbean corals to monitor coral health non-invasively. To quantify coral health, individual corals of each species were photographed in a controlled environment to develop color profiles. Simultaneously, nondestructive measurements of “health” were quantified by measuring photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) using pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) fluorometry, which determines how efficiently the symbiotic algae provides energy to the coral host. The results of this work successfully corresponded photosynthetic efficiency to coral color for five dominant species of Caribbean corals to develop a Coral Health Assessment Card for Caribbean reefs. Implementing a standardized assessment of symbiont performance can assist in monitoring changes in coral health, which can consequently be implemented into long-term and widespread monitoring projects to track overall Caribbean reef health. KEYWORDS: Photosynthetic Efficiency, Symbiodinium spp., Coral Bleaching, Pulse-amplitude Modulated Fluorometry, Health Assessment
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Renema, Willem, John M. Pandolfi, Wolfgang Kiessling, Francesca R. Bosellini, James S. Klaus, Chelsea Korpanty, Brian R. Rosen, et al. "Are coral reefs victims of their own past success?" Science Advances 2, no. 4 (April 2016): e1500850. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500850.
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As one of the most prolific and widespread reef builders, the staghorn coral Acropora holds a disproportionately large role in how coral reefs will respond to accelerating anthropogenic change. We show that although Acropora has a diverse history extended over the past 50 million years, it was not a dominant reef builder until the onset of high-amplitude glacioeustatic sea-level fluctuations 1.8 million years ago. High growth rates and propagation by fragmentation have favored staghorn corals since this time. In contrast, staghorn corals are among the most vulnerable corals to anthropogenic stressors, with marked global loss of abundance worldwide. The continued decline in staghorn coral abundance and the mounting challenges from both local stress and climate change will limit the coral reefs’ ability to provide ecosystem services.
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Cornwall, Christopher E., Steeve Comeau, Hollie Putnam, and Verena Schoepf. "Impacts of ocean warming and acidification on calcifying coral reef taxa: mechanisms responsible and adaptive capacity." Emerging Topics in Life Sciences 6, no. 1 (February 14, 2022): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1042/etls20210226.
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Ocean warming (OW) and acidification (OA) are two of the greatest global threats to the persistence of coral reefs. Calcifying reef taxa such as corals and coralline algae provide the essential substrate and habitat in tropical reefs but are at particular risk due to their susceptibility to both OW and OA. OW poses the greater threat to future reef growth and function, via its capacity to destabilise the productivity of both taxa, and to cause mass bleaching events and mortality of corals. Marine heatwaves are projected to increase in frequency, intensity, and duration over the coming decades, raising the question of whether coral reefs will be able to persist as functioning ecosystems and in what form. OA should not be overlooked, as its negative impacts on the calcification of reef-building corals and coralline algae will have consequences for global reef accretion. Given that OA can have negative impacts on the reproduction and early life stages of both coralline algae and corals, the interdependence of these taxa may result in negative feedbacks for reef replenishment. However, there is little evidence that OA causes coral bleaching or exacerbates the effects of OW on coral bleaching. Instead, there is some evidence that OA alters the photo-physiology of both taxa. Tropical coralline algal possess shorter generation times than corals, which could enable more rapid evolutionary responses. Future reefs will be dominated by taxa with shorter generation times and high plasticity, or those individuals inherently resistant and resilient to both marine heatwaves and OA.
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Stanley, George D. "Paleobiology and biology of corals: introduction to volume." Paleontological Society Papers 1 (October 1996): 3–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1089332600000024.
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Because of their prodigious abilities for rapid calcification, corals today and in the past have been principal reef builders. The mere mention of corals evokes colorful and vivid image of tropical settings, swaying palm trees, and the crash of waves against the coral-dominated, biologically complex edifice we call the reef. Most geologists, educators, and students are aware of new developments in ecology and evolution of modern and ancient reefs, but they are probably less aware of studies of corals that build reefs. Understanding ancient examples rests on a foundation of modern coral biology and taxonomy. This volume summarizes the 1996 Paleontological Society Short course “Paleobiology and Biology of Corals.” Twelve international authors present current and cutting-edge topics in coral research.
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Wild, Christian, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Malik S. Naumann, M. Florencia Colombo-Pallotta, Mebrahtu Ateweberhan, William K. Fitt, Roberto Iglesias-Prieto, et al. "Climate change impedes scleractinian corals as primary reef ecosystem engineers." Marine and Freshwater Research 62, no. 2 (2011): 205. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf10254.
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Coral reefs are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on our planet. Scleractinian corals function as the primary reef ecosystem engineers, constructing the framework that serves as a habitat for all other coral reef-associated organisms. However, the coral’s engineering role is particularly susceptible to global climate change. Ocean warming can cause extensive mass coral bleaching, which triggers dysfunction of major engineering processes. Sub-lethal bleaching results in the reduction of both primary productivity and coral calcification. This may lead to changes in the release of organic and inorganic products, thereby altering critical biogeochemical and recycling processes in reef ecosystems. Thermal stress-induced bleaching and subsequent coral mortality, along with ocean acidification, further lead to long-term shifts in benthic community structure, changes in topographic reef complexity, and the modification of reef functioning. Such shifts may cause negative feedback loops and further modification of coral-derived inorganic and organic products. This review emphasises the critical role of scleractinian corals as reef ecosystem engineers and highlights the control of corals over key reef ecosystem goods and services, including high biodiversity, coastal protection, fishing, and tourism. Thus, climate change by impeding coral ecosystem engineers will impair the ecosystem functioning of entire reefs.
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Broadbent, Andrew, and Graham Jones. "Seasonal and Diurnal Cycles of Dimethylsulfide, Dimethylsulfoniopropionate and Dimethylsulfoxide at One Tree Reef Lagoon." Environmental Chemistry 3, no. 4 (2006): 260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/en06011.
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Environmental Context. Coral reefs have now been highlighted as significant sources of dimethylsulfide and other organic sulfur compounds, which may be important for the formation of clouds over the ocean and climate regulation. However, no studies have reported the seasonal and diurnal cycles of these organic sulfur substances in reef waters. This study describes the cycling of dimethylsulfide and related organic substances at One Tree Reef, in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as their production from staghorn coral in chamber experiments. The results suggest that coral reefs are significant sources of dimethylsulfide to reef waters and possibly the reef atmosphere, but the effect of this substance on the radiative climate over the Great Barrier Reef is unknown. Abstract. Seasonal and diurnal studies conducted at One Tree Reef lagoon in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) highlight increased production of dissolved dimethylsulfide, atmospheric dimethylsulfide, dissolved and particulate dimethylsulfoniopropionate, and dimethylsulfoxide during the summer months, and when the lagoon is moated with inter-reefal water. This production is due to both the growth of phytoplankton populations within the lagoon, and benthic corals and algae in or on sediments and attached to solid substrates. The relative importance of these two processes was not determined in this study, although benthic production from corals was shown to be significant in chamber experiments. The diurnal cycles of the organic sulfur substances measured at One Tree Reef provide unequivocal evidence that coral reefs produce significant quantities of these organic sulfur substances during the day and suggest that coral reefs could be significant sources of atmospheric dimethylsulfide.
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Burn, Deborah, Morgan Pratchett, Scott Heron, Cassandra Thompson, Deborah Pratchett, and Andrew Hoey. "Limited Cross-Shelf Variation in the Growth of Three Branching Corals on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef." Diversity 10, no. 4 (November 12, 2018): 122. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d10040122.
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Pronounced differences exist in the biodiversity and structure of coral reef assemblages with increasing distance from shore, which may be expected given marked cross-shelf gradients in environmental conditions. Cross-shelf variation in the abundance of coral reef organisms is likely to be caused, at least in part, by differences in demography (e.g., growth and survival), though this has rarely been tested. This study quantified growth of three distinct branching coral taxa (Acropora nasuta, Pocillopora spp. and Stylophora pistillata) at six locations on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR), encompassing inshore, mid-shelf and outer-shelf reefs. Replicate colonies (0–15 colonies per species, per reef) were stained using Alizarin Red in December 2015 and retrieved one year later to quantify linear extension on replicate branches for each colony. Annual linear extension varied within and among coral taxa, with pronounced differences among reefs. For A. nasuta. and S. pistillata, growth rates were highest at one of the inshore reefs, Orpheus Island. However, inter-reef differences in linear extension were not explained by shelf position. Based on differences in skeletal density, which did vary according to shelf position, branching corals at the inshore sites may actually have higher rates of calcification compared to conspecifics on mid-and outer-shelf reefs. This study shows that growth of branching corals is not lower at inshore sites (and perhaps even higher) compared to sites at mid-shelf and outer reefs, despite generally higher levels of sedimentation and turbidity.