Article
Environmental Sciences
Ariel K. Pezner, Travis A. Courtney, Heather N. Page, Sarah N. Giddings, Cory M. Beatty, Michael D. DeGrandpre, Andreas J. Andersson
Summary: Spatial and temporal carbonate chemistry variability on coral reefs is influenced by a combination of seawater hydrodynamics, geomorphology, and biogeochemical processes, with their relative impacts differing by site. Lateral variability in carbonate chemistry parameters was found to be larger than vertical variability, and this variability was observed in conjunction with depth gradients, although it varied between sampling events depending on factors such as time of day and current flow modifications.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kay L. Davis, Andrew P. Colefax, James P. Tucker, Brendan P. Kelaher, Isaac R. Santos
Summary: Global coral reef calcification is primarily driven by depth and benthic calcifier cover. Repeatedly studied reefs are experiencing an annual decline in calcification rates of 4.3% and an increase in organic productivity of 3% since 1970. This indicates a shift in essential metabolic processes of coral reef ecosystems, potentially leading to net dissolution worldwide around 2054.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Stephen J. Tomasetti, Michael H. Doall, Brendan D. Hallinan, Jeffrey R. Kraemer, Christopher J. Gobler
Summary: Oyster reef restoration is a widely used coastal restoration intervention, but its impact on the chemistry of surrounding seawater and the vulnerability of oysters to acidification is still unclear. This study characterized the growth of constructed reefs and examined the pH and carbonate chemistry of reef-influenced seawater. The results showed that reef communities modified seawater carbonate chemistry, increasing oyster vulnerability to acidification.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hannah C. Barkley, Thomas A. Oliver, Ariel A. Halperin, Noah V. Pomeroy, Joy N. Smith, Rebecca M. Weible, Charles W. Young, Courtney S. Couch, Russell E. Brainard, Jennifer C. Samson
Summary: The study evaluates coral reef community structure and reef processes across a strong natural gradient in pH and aragonite saturation state. It finds that net carbonate accretion rates are sensitive to declining omega(ar), while benthic ecological metrics show fewer direct responses to lower-omega(ar) conditions. This highlights the importance of monitoring coral reef net carbonate accretion as a critical tool for assessing the long-term impacts of ocean acidification.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. E. Cryer, C. Schlosser, N. Allison
Summary: The decrease in ocean pH and the presence of dissolved copper have negative impacts on the calcification, photosynthesis, and respiration of the tropical Stylophora pistillata coral. The effects are amplified when both stressors are combined.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ariel K. Pezner, Travis A. Courtney, Hannah C. Barkley, Wen-Chen Chou, Hui-Chuan Chu, Samantha M. Clements, Tyler Cyronak, Michael D. DeGrandpre, Samuel A. H. Kekuewa, David I. Kline, Yi-Bei Liang, Todd R. Martz, Satoshi Mitarai, Heather N. Page, Max S. Rintoul, Jennifer E. Smith, Keryea Soong, Yuichiro Takeshita, Martin Tresguerres, Yi Wei, Kimberly K. Yates, Andreas J. Andersson
Summary: Using data from 32 representative reef sites, the authors find that hypoxia is already widespread on coral reefs. Under future scenarios of ocean warming and deoxygenation, the duration, intensity, and severity of hypoxia will increase, with a significant proportion of reefs facing severe hypoxia. This projected oxygen loss could have negative consequences for coral reef taxa due to the important role of oxygen in organism functioning and fitness.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Kristina K. Beck, Gertraud M. Schmidt-Grieb, Jurgen Laudien, Guenter Foersterra, Verena Haeussermann, Humberto E. Gonzalez, Juan Pablo Espinoza, Claudio Richter, Marlene Wall
Summary: The cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus in the Comau Fjord of Chile benefits from stable environmental conditions and shows high adaptability to new environments. Additionally, there is an inverse relationship between coral fitness and environmental variability.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Travis A. Courtney, James R. Guest, Alasdair J. Edwards, Romeo M. Dizon
Summary: The study suggests that the blue coral may become an important reef-builder under ocean warming due to its relative resistance to thermal stress and high skeletal density. Blue corals are locally distributed and may be underestimated in their ability to restore stressed reef environments.
Article
Limnology
Hanna C. C. Mantanona, Thomas M. M. DeCarlo
Summary: Mass bleaching events lead to reduction in coral populations and calcium carbonate production, which weakens the ability of reefs to counter rising sea levels. This study used Raman spectrometry techniques to examine the biogeochemical response of long-lived corals before, during, and after bleaching. The findings indicate that the calcification process of coral-bleaching survivors is unexpectedly resilient.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Florita Flores, Joseane A. Marques, Sven Uthicke, Rebecca Fisher, Frances Patel, Sarit Kaserzon, Andrew P. Negri
Summary: This study found that the Great Barrier Reef is negatively impacted by the combined effects of the contaminant diuron and climate change, particularly affecting the physiological responses of corals, with photosynthesis being significantly affected. It suggests that water quality guideline values may need to be adjusted as climate conditions change.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Colleen B. Bove, Sarah W. Davies, Justin B. Ries, James Umbanhowar, Bailey C. Thomasson, Elizabeth B. Farquhar, Jess A. McCoppin, Karl D. Castillo
Summary: Global change driven by anthropogenic carbon emissions is causing unprecedented alterations to ecosystems, particularly coral reefs. A study on the physiological responses of three Caribbean coral species reveals that ocean warming and acidification have varying impacts on coral health, with different species exhibiting different responses to these stressors.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinqing Zheng, Chenying Wang, Huaxia Sheng, Gaofeng Niu, Xu Dong, Lingling Yuan, Tuo Shi
Summary: This study investigated the importance of symbiotic metabolite supply to scleractinian corals and the effects of ocean acidification on coral calcification. The findings suggest that while there were no significant differences in carbon assimilation among different pH treatments, nitrogen assimilation significantly decreased at pH 7.4. This decreased nitrogen assimilation could lead to reduced coral resilience to stressful events, highlighting the trade-off between coral hosts and symbionts in response to future climate change.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Zong-Pei Jiang, Jiacheng Lv, Quanlong Li, Minhan Dai, Shuh-Ji Kao, Nan Zheng, Wei Fan
Summary: The study found that the flux of submarine groundwater discharge in Sanya Bay is mainly driven by tidal pumping, with more significant impacts on coastal water during the spring tide, resulting in higher variability of carbonate variables.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cheryl A. Logan, John P. Dunne, James S. Ryan, Marissa L. Baskett, Simon D. Donner
Summary: The study examines the role of algal symbiont shuffling and evolution in coral resilience to global warming and ocean acidification, highlighting that shuffling is more effective than evolution. It also reveals global vulnerability patterns due to the interaction of warming rate and adaptive capacity, emphasizing the importance of considering species' ability to adaptively respond to climate change in conservation decisions.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lauren T. Toth, Travis A. Courtney, Michael A. Colella, Rob R. Ruzicka
Summary: SCTLD has had an unprecedented impact on the western Atlantic coral-reef ecosystems, causing a decline in reef-accretion potential and altering the composition of coral assemblages. The loss of reef-building corals has significantly decreased carbonate production, leading to a decline in their capacity for growth.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
