Article
Ecology
Tess Moriarty, Tracy D. Ainsworth, William Leggat
Summary: The prevalence of coral disease has increased significantly under climate change, affecting coral community structure and functionality. The impacts and ecology of coral diseases in high-latitude reefs remain unclear. This study reports the first findings of coral diseases in Lord Howe Island Marine Park, the southernmost coral reef system. Four coral diseases were identified, with a prevalence of 5% and significant variations between time and site.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Takahiro Yoshida, Chris A. M. Reid
Summary: This is a descriptive article about a new species of Psammoecus lordhowensis sp. nov. from Lord Howe Island, Australia. The new species is brachypterous and likely endemic to the island. It can be distinguished from other species by its rounded and convex body, small eyes, well-developed temples, absence of lateral pronotal teeth, and strongly reduced hind wing.
Article
Ecology
M. J. Rees, N. A. Knott, T. R. Davis, A. R. Davis, S. Gudge, J. M. Neilson, L. C. Fetterplace, A. Jordan
Summary: Remote oceanic islands with marine parks are crucial for conserving biodiversity, but assessments of their effectiveness over time showed no significant differences in fish assemblages between management zone types, indicating the relatively healthy condition of the marine park.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Shane t. Ahyong
Summary: Prior to this study, four genera and five species of the mantis shrimp superfamily Gonodactyloidea were known from Lord Howe Island, Australia. The 2017 Australian Museum expedition to Lord Howe Island collected stomatopods, including four species: Chorisquilla tweediei, Gonodactylaceus falcatus, Pseudosquilla ciliata, and a new species of Acaenosquilla, marking the first record of the superfamily Lysiosquilloidea from Lord Howe Island. The new species of Acaenosquilla is formally described and a key to the stomatopods of Lord Howe Island is provided.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meghna Sengupta, Murray R. Ford, Paul S. Kench, George L. W. Perry
Summary: This study analyzes shoreline changes of 568 islands from 42 atolls across the western to central Pacific Ocean and assesses the potential processes driving these changes. The research finds no correlation between sea-level rise and island shoreline change, highlighting the importance of considering multiple predictors and using more robust computational models.
REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Julian P. Hume, Ian Hutton, Greg Middleton, Jacqueline M. T. Nguyen, John Wylie
Summary: Lord Howe Island, located 790 km northeast of Sydney, was one of the last islands discovered by humans in 1788. The island originally had a terrestrial avifauna with five endemic species and eight subspecies, but over-hunting and the accidental invasion of black rats led to the extinction of numerous species.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Angus Rogers, Michaela Flanigan, Oliver Nebel, Yona Nebel-Jacobsen, Xueying Wang, Richard J. Arculus, Laura Miller, Ian Smith, Ben R. Mather, Mark Kendrick, Hugh St. C. O'Neill
Summary: Thermochemical convective instabilities in the mantle, known as mantle plumes, cause mantle melting that leads to the formation of ocean island basalts (OIB). The radiogenic isotope signatures in global intraplate OIB indicate that individual plumes share enriched components resembling subducted crust and a hypothetical mantle matrix called focal zone (FOZO). Each plume produces variable volumes of melting, resulting in subaerial islands or submarine volcanoes. This study presents the first radiogenic isotope data for lavas from Lord Howe Island (LHI), revealing similarities with the nearby Tasmantid Seamounts but inconsistent with a FOZO-type source. The findings suggest a larger plume under the Tasman Sea and a genetic relation between LHI and the Tasmantid plume track.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chris M. Roelfsema, Mitchell B. Lyons, Carolina Castro-Sanguino, Eva M. Kovacs, David Callaghan, Magnus Wettle, Kathryn Markey, Rodney Borrego-Acevedo, Paul Tudman, Meredith Roe, Emma Kennedy, Manuel Gonzalez-Rivero, Nicholas Murray, Stuart R. Phinn
Summary: The geomorphic and benthic composition of Australia's Great Barrier Reef are understudied, but crucial for understanding disturbance impacts and recovery potential. Through new research methods and high-resolution maps, there is now a more comprehensive understanding of the spatial extent and ecological characteristics of the Great Barrier Reef.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu Hou, Xing-wei Cai, Zhi-fang Liang, Dan-dan Duan, Xiao-ping Diao, Ji-liang Zhang
Summary: In this study, the developmental toxicities of Triphenyltin (TPT) on coral reef fish were investigated. Results showed that TPT exposure led to increased cumulative mortality and suppressed growth. TPT exposure also disrupted pigmentation development and skeletal development, as well as interfered with thyroid hormones and locomotor behavior. These findings indicate that TPT pollution poses a threat to the development and health of coral reef ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Zoe T. Richards, David J. Juszkiewicz, Anne Hoggett
Summary: The analysis of 44 years of coral distribution records in the Lizard Island reef system reveals persistence of some species and potential risks of local extinction or range reduction for others. The biodiversity surveys from 2011 to 2020 show fluctuations in species diversity, with significant declines followed by recovery during this period.
Article
Plant Sciences
So Young Jeong, Paul W. Gabrielson, Jeffery R. Hughey, Andrew S. Hoey, Tae Oh Cho, Muhammad A. Abdul Wahab, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido
Summary: Porolithon is an ecologically important genus of crustose coralline algae, distributed abundantly in tropical and subtropical shallow margins of coral reefs. Sequence comparisons of type specimens and field-collected specimens reveal four unique genetic lineages, suggesting the absence of P. gardineri and P. craspedium in eastern Australia. Furthermore, four new species are discovered, distinguished by growth form, margin shape, and medullary system. Urgent documentation of the taxonomic diversity of Porolithon species is necessary due to their ecological importance and sensitivity to ocean acidification.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Junichiro Kuroda, Kyoko Hagino, Yoichi Usui, Paul R. Bown, Kan-Hsi Hsiung, Saburo Sakai, Ron Hackney, Saneatsu Saito, Masafumi Murayama, Takuto Ando, Naohiko Ohkouchi
Summary: New biostratigraphic, magnetostratigraphic, and chemostratigraphic data from Site 208 provide a better understanding of the stratigraphy and depth of the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary. The sedimentary record at this site captures a time interval close to the Chicxulub impact event, although it may not be completely continuous.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Isabel T. Hyman, Jennifer Caiza, Frank Kohler
Summary: This study comprehensively revises the taxonomy of Lord Howe Island Microcystidae and proposes that they may represent a single radiation. The study also provides new descriptions for some species and suggests that some species might be undergoing recent speciation. Conservation assessments are recommended for all species.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Oliver Knebel, Carlos Carvajal, Paul Kench, Roland Gehrels
Summary: Ocean acidification threatens carbonate-dominated marine systems, like tropical coral reefs, by affecting the ability of organisms to calcify. To assess coral reef flat susceptibility to open ocean acidification, it is crucial to understand the dynamics between carbonate chemistry of open ocean waters and local ecological and hydrodynamic processes. This study measured variations in seawater pH and temperature along coral reef flat transects, complemented by surveys of benthic community composition and reef flat bathymetry. Results showed that reef flat hydrodynamic processes determine spatial pH modifications, with little influence from benthic community composition. As reef flat pH largely mirrors ocean conditions, ocean acidification has an unhindered impact on narrow fringing reef flats.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Oliver P. Stuart, Rohan Cleave, Michael J. L. Magrath, Alexander S. Mikheyev
Summary: We have produced a high-quality genome assembly for the critically endangered Australian phasmid, Dryococelus australis. The assembly is 3.42 Gb in length and contains over 99% of the species' genome. It includes 96.3% of insect Benchmarking Unique Single Copy Ortholog genes and has identified the X chromosome and its conservation across phasmid evolution.
GENOME BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Eva Salas, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Moises A. Bernal, W. Brian Simison, Michael L. Berumen, Giacomo Bernardi, Luiz A. Rocha
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Amy G. Coppock, Saul O. Gonzalez-Murcia, Maya Srinivasan, Naomi M. Gardiner, Geoffrey P. Jones
Article
Biology
Theresa Rueger, Hugo B. Harrison, Peter M. Buston, Naomi M. Gardiner, Michael L. Berumen, Geoffrey P. Jones
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Patrick F. Smallhorn-West, Jason Sheehan, Siola'a Malimali, Tuikolongahau Halafihi, Tom C. L. Bridge, Robert L. Pressey, Geoffrey P. Jones
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Ashton Gainsford, Geoffrey P. Jones, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Franz Maximilian Heindler, Lynne van Herwerden
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Biology
Charles P. Lavin, Geoffrey P. Jones, David H. Williamson, Hugo B. Harrison
Summary: This study uses genetic parentage analysis to measure the reproductive success of a size-structured population of a commercially important species of coral grouper in no-take marine reserves in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia. Although the per capita reproductive success of individual fish increases rapidly with body length, the numerous young mature female fish below the minimum size limit were responsible for generating disproportionately large contributions towards larval replenishment.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Joseph D. DiBattista, Brett M. Taylor, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Tane H. Sinclair-Taylor, Darren J. Coker, Elizabeth D. L. Trip, J. Howard Choat, Diego Lozano-Cortes, Nora M. Kandler, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: The study reveals significant interspecific differences in growth rates and body size among butterflyfish species, while there are almost no intraspecific differences between populations within the same study region. Additionally, maximum body size is significantly correlated with the phylogenetic placement of the butterflyfish species.
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Jake R. Lowe, Samuel D. Payet, Hugo B. Harrison, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Andrew S. Hoey, Brett M. Taylor, Tane H. Sinclair-Taylor, Morgan S. Pratchett
Summary: The study compared multiple life-history traits of the two-spined angelfish across 22 reefs spanning 13 degrees of latitude within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Coral Sea Marine Park in Australia. While no predictable latitudinal variation was found in mortality rates, growth patterns, growth rates, or maximum length, there were consistent differences in longevity at lower latitudes in the Coral Sea Marine Park. Additionally, individuals of the species were found to be larger on average on continental reefs compared to oceanic reefs at similar latitudes, suggesting that local environmental conditions may have a greater influence on the demographic rates and life-history traits of the angelfish.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Zoe T. Richards, Iva Popovic, Chuan Lei, Timo M. Staeudle, Stefano R. Montanari, Joseph D. DiBattista
Summary: Hybridisation in the marine environment, particularly in coral reef ecosystems, is more common than previously thought. Fish and hermatypic corals show high prevalence of hybridisation, with fish hybrids being linked to biogeographic borders while coral hybrids are not. These findings suggest that hybridisation can influence the evolution of fishes and corals in various ways.
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Amy G. Coppock, Michael J. Kingsford, Christopher N. Battershill, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: In this study, the relationships between coral reef fish and sponges were evaluated. The role of sponges in providing food and shelter for fishes, the influence of fishes on sponge distribution and abundance, and the possible outcomes of climate change on fish-sponge interactions were examined.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Saul Gonzalez-Murcia, Merrick Ekins, Tom C. L. Bridge, Christopher N. Battershill, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: Substratum preferences and contact interactions among sessile organisms play a crucial role in shaping the structure of benthic communities on coral reefs. This study investigated the substratum preferences and interactions of sponges in coastal coral reefs, revealing their high association with dead coral, coral rubble, and calcium carbonate rock. The most frequent interactions were observed with algae, corals, and crustose coralline algae, with sponges often overgrowing their spatial competitors. Our findings highlight the importance of substratum preferences and interactions in influencing community dynamics on coral reefs.
Article
Biology
S. A. Keith, J-P A. Hobbs, L. Bostrom-Einarsson, I. R. Hartley, N. J. Sanders
Summary: Avoiding costly fights can conserve energy needed to survive environmental change, but how resource depletion affects competitor recognition processes in butterflyfishes is poorly understood. We conducted a study using a coral mortality event and field observations to test the impact of rapid resource loss on recognition processes in butterflyfishes. The results showed that competitor recognition became less accurate for heterospecifics after the coral mortality, potentially due to altered resource overlaps.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
H. B. Harrison, L. Drane, M. L. Berumen, B. J. Cresswell, R. D. Evans, G. F. Galbraith, M. Srinivasan, B. M. Taylor, D. H. Williamson, G. P. Jones
Summary: Temporal patterns in spawning and juvenile recruitment of coral reef fishes have significant impacts on population size and demographic structure. The study focuses on the commercially important coral grouper and reveals year-round spawning activity with variable peak spawning times and no clear association with environmental cues. The findings suggest the need for additional and longer seasonal closures or alternative fisheries management strategies to maximize recruitment contribution during periods of greatest reproductive success.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Patrick F. Smallhorn-West, Sophie E. Gordon, Alexandra C. Dempsey, Sam J. Purkis, Siola'a Malimali, Tu'ikolongahau Halafihi, Paul C. Southgate, Tom C. L. Bridge, Robert L. Pressey, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: Environmental conditions and human impacts play crucial roles in ecological processes and ecosystem services. Effective management of Tonga's marine ecosystems hinges on accurate understanding of these variables. A comprehensive marine socio-environmental dataset has been compiled for Tonga's near-shore marine ecosystem, with the aim of aiding future assessment and management efforts.
PACIFIC CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Rosemary K. Steinberg, Martin H. van der Meer, Morgan S. Pratchett, Lynne van Herwerden, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES
(2020)
