Article
Ecology
Amelia A. Desbiens, George Roff, William D. Robbins, Brett M. Taylor, Carolina Castro-Sanguino, Alexandra Dempsey, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: In the relatively unfished northern Great Barrier Reef, changes in reef shark density did not have a significant impact on the density or biomass of teleost mesopredators or prey, suggesting a lack of trophic cascading. Instead, many functional groups, including sharks, responded positively to environmental drivers.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adele M. Dixon, Marji Puotinen, Hamish A. Ramsay, Maria Beger
Summary: This study examines the ability of downscaled cyclones to represent observed cyclone characteristics that affect wave damage to Australian coral reef regions. The research finds spatial uncertainties in downscaled cyclogenesis and track positions limit estimates of reef damage, and the downscaled tracks perform differently for different regions. The study also suggests that there is no clear evidence that cyclones will cause more damage to Australian coral reef regions in the future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sterling B. Tebbett, Renato A. Morais, Christopher H. R. Goatley, David R. Bellwood
Summary: Environmental stressors can threaten the sustainability of ecosystem functions and services, with sediment accumulation in algal turfs leading to the collapse of coral reef ecosystems. However, monitoring and management of these stressors are currently lacking.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aislinn F. Dunne, Matthew D. Tietbohl, Clara Nuber, Michael Berumen, Burton H. Jones
Summary: We examined the gut contents of two herbivorous fish species (Naso elegans and N. unicornis) from coral reefs in the central Red Sea and found that up to 41% of their stomach contents were Sargassum, especially on inshore reefs close to macroalgae canopies. Little to no Sargassum was found in fish on offshore reefs farther from macroalgae canopies. Based on consumption and excretion rates, it is estimated that these fish contribute significant amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to inshore reefs through Sargassum consumption. This study highlights the importance of fish as vectors of nutrition to nutrient-poor coral reefs.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sterling B. Tebbett, David R. Bellwood
Summary: Algal turfs are a productive component of coral reef ecosystems, with depth being the primary driver of turf productivity rates and turnover mainly related to turf biomass. However, limited data availability and methodological constraints constrain our understanding of their productivity. Addressing these challenges is crucial for improving our knowledge of algal turf dynamics on coral reefs.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Bert W. Hoeksema, Luna M. van der Loos, Godfried W. N. M. van Moorsel
Summary: In this study of the coral reefs around St. Eustatius, it was found that there is no distinct relation between coral diversity and economic value. However, future marine park designs should consider coral diversity.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Griffin Srednick, Alyssa Cohen, Olivia Diehl, Kaela Tyler, Stephen E. Swearer
Summary: Understanding spatiotemporal variation in species abundance is crucial for understanding ecosystem resilience. This study investigates how habitat attributes mediate the effects of herbivory on tropical marine macroalgal communities and influence community assembly at different scales. The results show that reduced accessibility and detectability of habitat attributes can lead to variable trajectories and community structures in algal communities. This suggests that habitat attributes play a significant role in consumer-resource interactions, which ultimately affect species diversity, succession, and stability in algal metacommunities.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher R. Hemingson, Michalis Mihalitsis, David R. Bellwood
Summary: The diversity of colors in fish communities is directly related to the composition of the local environment, with areas of complex coral cover supporting more diverse and brighter colored fish species. However, global environmental changes and human-induced disturbances can lead to significant declines in the perception of color in fish communities.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Hansel Caballero-Aragon, Maickel Armenteros, Susana Perera-Valderrama, Raul Martell-Dubois, Nestor Rey-Villiers, Laura Rosique-de la Cruz, Sergio Cerdeira-Estrada
Summary: Abiotic factors and human impact have a significant influence on the dynamics and distribution of reef corals. This study found that wave exposure, sea surface temperature, and average temperature played important roles in the structure of coral communities. Human impact also had an effect on coral reefs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
John H. R. Burns, Kailey H. Pascoe, Sofia B. Ferreira, Haunani Kane, Clifford Kapono, Toni L. Carrell, Andres Reyes, Atsuko Fukunaga
Summary: Underwater cultural heritage sites, such as shipwrecks and sunken aircrafts, have both positive and negative impacts on marine ecosystems. They can provide physical structures to support coral recruitment and habitats for marine organisms, but they can also harm live coral and release pollutants into the environment. This study used photogrammetry techniques to investigate the coral assemblages on natural and artificial reef substrata, and found significant differences in live coral cover and assemblage structure between the two. The research highlights the importance of coral assemblage structure in supporting 3D habitat complexity and suggests that the approach can be used to better understand the ecological impacts of underwater cultural heritage sites on coral reefs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew G. Bauman, Fraser A. Januchowski-Hartley, Aaron Teo, Peter A. Todd
Summary: The increasing incidence of severe coral bleaching caused by climate change is leading to significant coral losses and declines in the physical structure of coral reef ecosystems. Understanding the relationship between coral composition and structural complexity is vital for maintaining ecosystem functions and processes. This study examines the impacts of the 2016 global coral bleaching event on seven coral reefs in Singapore and highlights the importance of structural complexity for reef stability.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Noam T. Altman-Kurosaki, Celia M. Smith, Erik C. Franklin
Summary: Herbivorous fishes and urchins play important roles in protecting coral reef ecosystems. Marine protected areas (MPAs) have some protective effects on herbivorous fish and urchin populations, but differences in benthic communities inside and outside of MPAs may impact the effectiveness of protection.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Noelle K. Helder, John H. R. Burns, Stephanie J. Green
Summary: This study investigates the impact of different scales and metrics of habitat complexity on fish functional groups in coral reef ecosystems. The results show that large-scale complexity is closely related to the presence of solitary, cryptic, nocturnal carnivores, while small-scale complexity is associated with an increase in gregarious herbivores.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Tongshun Yu, Xiaoyu Meng, Tingyu Li, Qiyue Guo, Yongcheng Li
Summary: This study investigates the interaction between wave-driven current on a reef flat and a rear revetment breakwater, focusing on the hydrodynamic pressure on the revetment. A two-dimensional numerical model is used to explore the interaction and calculate the pressure distribution, which is verified by an experimental wave flume. The results show stratified wave-driven current in the vertical direction and increasing pressure peak values with steeper fore-reef slopes, longer reef flats, and larger relative distances. A fifth-order polynomial is found to match the pulsating pressure at the wave surface with the submerged water depth.
Article
Ecology
Benedict Yuen, Courtney E. Stuart, Simon J. Pittman, Stephanie J. Green, Leslie M. Henderson, Lisa M. Wedding
Summary: Coral reefs are facing unprecedented levels of stress, and active coral reef restoration through outplanting of live corals has become a widespread intervention technique. A maximum entropy model was used to predict and map habitat suitability for Acropora palmata around St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The model revealed potential restoration sites within existing marine protected areas and provided a cost-effective tool for future coral restoration design.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominic Muenzel, Kay Critchell, Courtney Cox, Stuart J. Campbell, Raymond Jakub, Iliana Chollett, Nils Krueck, Daniel Holstein, Eric A. Treml, Maria Beger
Summary: This study compared two methods for incorporating larval dispersal connectivity into spatial planning of marine reserve networks and found that different methods are suitable for different contexts. The spatial dependency method is more appropriate when dispersal is limited, habitats are highly degraded, or the target amount of habitat protected is low. On the other hand, protecting individual sites with high connectivity scores is a better strategy when subpopulations are well connected and more habitat is protected. Spatial dependency methods generally produce more spatially clustered solutions with more benefits inside reserves compared to site-based methods.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominic Muenzel, Kay Critchell, Courtney Cox, Stuart J. Campbell, Raymond Jakub, Wahid Suherfian, La Sara, Iliana Chollett, Eric A. Treml, Maria Beger
Summary: This study used larval dispersal connectivity to design networks of no-take reserves in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Different methods, such as decision trees and Marxan, were used to consider the setting and expansion of marine reserve networks at different scales. The study found that there were differences in priority areas for protection and expected benefits among different species, and that reef quality should also be taken into account when interpreting larval dispersal patterns and evaluating conservation measures.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Tania M. M. Kenyon, Christopher Doropoulos, Kennedy Wolfe, Gregory E. E. Webb, Sophie Dove, Daniel Harris, Peter J. J. Mumby
Summary: This article reviews the dynamics of rubble beds on coral reefs, with a focus on the changes expected in the generation, mobilization, binding, and coral recruitment of rubble on future reefs. It predicts that major disturbances, such as storms and coral bleaching, will increase in intensity and frequency, leading to larger quantities of coral rubble. With smaller recovery windows and increased bioerosion, smaller and less complex rubble pieces will be generated more often. The time available for binding will be reduced, and changing ocean chemistry may affect the efficacy of binders. Ultimately, increased rubble cover will negatively impact coral recruitment into rubble beds.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Amelia A. A. Desbiens, Peter J. J. Mumby, Symon Dworjanyn, Eva E. Plaganyi, Sven Uthicke, Kennedy Wolfe
Summary: This study investigated the predators of crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) and found 26 novel predators, but only 10 species regularly consumed juvenile CoTS. Most predation resulted in severed bodies and missing arms, rather than total consumption. The research highlights the importance of predators during the juvenile stage in controlling CoTS populations.
Article
Ecology
Kennedy Wolfe, Tania M. Kenyon, Amelia Desbiens, Kimberley de la Motte, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Declines in habitat complexity have led to ecological degradation in various ecosystems. Coral reefs have served as a model for studying such changes, but previous research has mainly focused on corals and fish, overlooking the dominant role of small cryptic organisms. This study used a hierarchical framework to explore whether broad seascape parameters or nested microhabitat processes better describe cryptofauna communities in coral rubble. The results showed that microhabitat complexity influenced sessile organism cover, which in turn shaped the motile cryptofauna community.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert A. B. Mason, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: This article analyses the future scenarios of the Great Barrier Reef under various realistic drivers and finds that under a limited warming scenario, the coral cover can eventually recover to present-day levels. However, under higher warming scenarios, the coral cover declines drastically and may even disappear.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas J. Richards, Katrina McGuigan, J. David Aguirre, Adriana Humanes, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby, Cynthia Riginos
Summary: Global environmental change is happening rapidly, with coral reefs being one of the most threatened ecosystems. To ensure the survival of wild populations, adaptation is necessary. However, our understanding of the complex ecological and evolutionary dynamics of corals is limited, hindering predictions about their ability to adapt to future conditions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chelsey M. Beese, Peter J. Mumby, Alice Rogers
Summary: The quality of coral reef habitats is declining due to heatwaves and other disturbances, resulting in reduced complexity and energy transfer to higher trophic levels. By using a size-based ecosystem model, researchers found that providing refuge for fish between 5 and 10 cm in length can significantly enhance fish biomass and fisheries productivity. The study also identifies refuge profiles that can improve ecosystem service provision by up to sixfold.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Robert A. B. Mason, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Boat anchoring is a common practice at coral reefs with high economic or social value, but its impact on reef resilience has been understudied. Using an individual-based model, we simulated the effects of anchor damage on coral populations and estimated the carrying capacity of anchoring for different coral assemblages. We found that even a small to medium-sized recreational vessel can cause 0 to 3.1 anchor strikes per hectare per day. In a case study of the Great Barrier Reef, we demonstrated that mitigating anchoring can lead to significant coral gains under bleaching scenarios.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kennedy Wolfe, Amelia A. A. Desbiens, Peter J. J. Mumby
Summary: Patterns of movement of marine species can provide valuable information about reproduction and dispersal strategies, species interactions, trophodynamics, and vulnerability to change, which is crucial for population and ecosystem management. In coral reefs, the highest density and diversity of metazoan taxa are found in dead coral and rubble, but the energy stored in rubble is mainly accessible to small individuals, limiting its availability to higher trophic levels.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carolina Castro-Sanguino, Yves-Marie Bozec, Scott A. Condie, Cameron S. Fletcher, Karlo Hock, Chris Roelfsema, David A. Westcott, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: CoTS outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia have caused significant damage to coral ecosystems. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the current CoTS control program and suggests increasing control efforts to ensure coral persistence in the face of climate change impacts.
Article
Biology
Liam Lachs, Adriana Humanes, Daniel R. Pygas, John C. Bythell, Peter J. Mumby, Renata Ferrari, Will F. Figueira, Elizabeth Beauchamp, Holly K. East, Alasdair J. Edwards, Yimnang Golbuu, Helios M. Martinez, Brigitte Sommer, Eveline van der Steeg, James R. Guest
Summary: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will be under strong selection, but trade-offs between heat tolerance and other traits may compromise adaptation. The study focused on reef-building corals and found no trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Surprisingly, faster-growing corals tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Overall, this suggests that some high-performing corals excel across multiple traits and trade-offs may not be major barriers to adaptation or evolution interventions.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Elizabeth Buccheri, Gerard F. Ricardo, Russell C. Babcock, Peter J. Mumby, Christopher Doropoulos
Summary: This study investigated the sensitivity of coral reproduction to changes in sperm concentration and contact time between gametes. The results showed that fertilisation was most successful at high sperm concentrations and longer contact times, with variations between different coral species.
Article
Geology
Tara R. Clark, George Roff, Tess Chapman, Hannah Markham-Summers, Nicholas M. Hammerman, Faye Liu, Yuexing Feng, John M. Pandolfi, Jian-xin Zhao
Summary: The overall status of many reefs in the Great Barrier Reef is uncertain due to the lack of detailed broad-scale studies. The relative role of various threats in impacting individual reefs is generally unclear. A novel approach using uranium-thorium dating of dead corals was adopted to reconstruct historical disturbance events at Rib and Davies Reefs, providing a reliable benchmark to assess recovery and monitor coral communities effectively.