Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Valentina Alice Bracchi, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Luca Fallati, Andrea Giulia Varzi, Alessandra Savini, Mauro Pietro Negri, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, Adriano Guido, Marco Bertolino, Gabriele Costa, Elena De Ponti, Riccardo Leonardi, Maurizio Muzzupappa, Daniela Basso
Summary: Coralliguous is one of the most important ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea, supporting high levels of biodiversity. The study confirmed the primary role of crustose coralline algae as major builders of the Coralligenous, matching the evidence from the fossil record. It suggests considering the role of encrusting calcareous red algae in conservation and management policies.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tiancheng Zhou, Simin Hu, Nan Jia, Chen Zhang, Hui Huang, Sheng Liu
Summary: The microbiota in the epilithic algal matrix (EAM) plays a crucial role in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in coral reef ecosystems. This study explored the microbial community of EAMs in the Luhuitou fringing reef in Sanya, China, and found that the composition of the microbial community varies with different phenotypes of EAMs and algal length. The ecological function of the EAM microbiota shifts from autotrophic to pathogenic as algal length increases.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Hannah G. Hayes, Pooneh S. Kalhori, Marcus Weiss, Shalanda R. Grier, Peggy Fong, Caitlin R. Fong
Summary: Storms can strongly impact coral reefs, potentially leading to a decrease in herbivory which in turn affects both turf algae and coral reef conditions. Experimental evidence shows that storms can disrupt the strong top-down control by herbivores on algal turfs. Further research into the underlying mechanisms of storm impacts is crucial as storm intensities and watershed development continue to increase in many tropical regions.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Daniela Basso, Valentina Alice Bracchi, Pietro Bazzicalupo, Marco Martini, Francesco Maspero, Giorgio Bavestrello
Summary: The most important reef of the Mediterranean is the Coralligene, which consists of calcareous algal-invertebrate build-ups. Two samples from the Ligurian Sea were analyzed and compared, showing differences in age, accumulation rate, taxonomic composition, and structure. Crustose coralline algae are the dominant framework builder, along with bryozoans and serpulids. The occurrence of the rare Sporolithon ptychoides is related to climate fluctuations. Coralline algae should receive more attention for conservation and management of Mediterranean reefs.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Gancheng Zhu, Bing Ren, Ping Dong, Guoyu Wang, Weidong Chen
Summary: The laboratory investigation revealed that the infragravity wave height and water level on the reef flat are significantly larger in the fringing reef system compared to the platform reef system. This difference is attributed to the superposition of incoming and reflected infragravity waves, as well as enhanced wave energy transfer from shorter waves to infragravity waves due to more violent wave breaking in the surf zone.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shannon Dee, Michael Cuttler, Paula Cartwright, Jennifer McIlwain, Nicola Browne
Summary: Research on encrusting reef organisms in two inshore island reefs of northern Western Australia revealed seasonal variations in CCA coverage but consistent carbonate production rates. Additionally, the study found in situ water temperatures exceeding coral bleaching thresholds and regular sea surface temperature anomalies over hotter months. Encrusters were deemed to play a vital role in reef carbonate budgets, potentially supporting net positive budgets through periods of temperature anomalies.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shing Hei Zhan, Ling Chen, Chen-Pan Liao, Wun-Ruei Chang, Cheng-Chin Li, Guang-You Tang, Ching-Yu Liou, Wei-Lung Wang, Shih-Wei Wang, Shao-Lun Liu
Summary: This study reveals the diversity of cryptic crustose coralline algae (CCA) species in the Taoyuan Algal Reef (TAR) in Taiwan, many of which are potentially new species or endemic to TAR. The TAR represents a unique hotspot of CCA taxa in Taiwan's waters. The variations in CCA assemblages in the TAR are influenced by geographic distance, sedimentation, and substrate type, indicating the importance of dispersal limitation and environmental selection.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinming Lei, Yuyang Zhang, Lei Jiang, Yong Luo, Guowei Zhou, Youfang Sun, Hui Huang
Summary: Reef-building corals are being greatly impacted by climate change and increasing human activities globally. A study was conducted in a national coral reef reserve in southern China to investigate the bloom-forming macroalgae and the factors influencing their composition. The study found that different aquaculture discharges were related to the structure of macroalgae communities, with temperature, total suspended solids, chlorophyll a, and dissolved inorganic nutrients playing significant roles in the variation of macroalgae composition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Xu Wang, Ke Qu, Jia Men, Liangbin Zhang, Junjie Li, Rongze Gao
Summary: Dredging materials from reef flats is important for meeting the infrastructure needs of coral-lined shores, but it can have profound influences on coral ecological stability and the hydrodynamic characteristics of coral reefs. A study using a numerical wave solver analyzed the wave propagation, transformation, setup, and runup processes on fringing reefs with artificial pits. The presence of artificial pits can slightly decrease wave height and reduce wave runup at the backreef slope. When placed close to the reef edge, artificial pits can have noticeable effects on wave setup along the reef flat.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Geology
Joshua L. Bonesso, Nicola K. Browne, Matilda Murley, Shannon Dee, Michael V. W. Cuttler, Victorien Paumard, Dylan Benson, Michael O'Leary
Summary: This study examines the interconnection between the ecological and sedimentary processes of reef islands, focusing on Eva Island in Western Australia. The study reveals the unique sediment composition of molluscs and coral, suggesting a coupling between the source (reef) and sink (island) environments. The findings indicate that while Eva Island may be resilient to immediate climate change impacts, long-term resilience may be compromised due to reliance on sensitive sediment producing habitats and calcifying organisms.
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Feng Wu, Xinong Xie, Giovanni Coletti, Youhua Zhu, Beichen Chen, Zhilei Shang
Summary: Detailed analysis of paleontological and sedimentological data from the Pliocene interval in the northern South China Sea allows for the reconstruction of paleoclimatic conditions and paleowater depths. Changes in algal and foraminiferal assemblages indicate a gradual warming followed by cooling of the climate, and a rising and declining water depth during the Pliocene in the Xisha area.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Yu Yao, Danni Zhong, Qijia Shi, Ji Wu, Jiangxia Li
Summary: This study proposes a 2DH numerical model based on Boussinesq equations to investigate the impact of dredging reef-flat sand on wave characteristics and wave-driven current. The model is verified through wave flume experiments and wave basin experiments, and the influences of incident wave conditions and pit morphological features on wave characteristics are examined.
Article
Zoology
Kun-Chang Li, Hung-Chang Liu, Hui-Chen Lin
Summary: The study found that the intertidal algal reef ecosystem harbored a rich diversity of brachyuran crabs, but faced threats from development. It suggests protecting the Datan area to maintain diversity and conducting further research to better understand the biology of brachyuran crabs in this ecosystem.
ZOOLOGICAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Shai Oron, Derya Akkaynak, Beverly N. Goodman N. Tchernov, Yonathan Shaked
Summary: In March 2020, a severe storm caused significant damage to the shoreline of the Gulf of Aqaba-Eilat. Observations showed inconsistent damage patterns along a specific coastal stretch, with different areas experiencing varying levels of coral loss and structural changes. This highlights the importance of understanding the impact of storm events and geomorphology on coral communities and reef structures, especially as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of storms. Rating: 8/10.
Article
Geology
Josep Maria Casas, J. Brendan Murphy, Alejandro Diez Montes, Teresa Sanchez-Garcia, Jacques de Poulpiquet, J. Javier Alvaro, Joan Guimera
Summary: The 495-470 Ma Ollo de Sapo magmatism in the Iberian Massif is believed to be the result of a mantle plume event in the Furongian-Early Ordovician. This plume, located beneath the northwestern margin of Gondwana, caused rapid melting of Ediacaran arc-related crustal rocks and their derived sediments.
INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGY REVIEW
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
John McCarthy, Chelsea Wiseman, Katherine Woo, David Steinberg, Michael O'Leary, Daryl Wesley, Liam M. Brady, Sean Ulm, Jonathan Benjamin
Summary: Regional-scale assessments are essential for the management, engagement, and mitigation of submerged archaeological landscapes, but are largely absent in Australia. A novel regional-scale assessment in the Northern Territory has been conducted to address this issue and provide vital baseline data for stakeholders.
AUSTRALIAN ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ulysse Lebrec, Rosine Riera, Victorien Paumard, Michael J. O'Leary, Simon C. Lang
Summary: This study introduces a method to identify submerged coastal features using geophysical data and presents the findings from a study of the Rowley Shelf in Australia. The study identifies specific depths where submerged coastal features are concentrated, called modal sea-level depths, and reveals the influence of these features on shelf morphologies. The study also provides new insights into the processes shaping carbonate provinces.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geology
Therese E. Morris, Stephen N. Morris, Peter R. C. S. Fearns, Aditya Chopra, Mehrooz F. Aspandair, Lindsay B. Collins, Micheal J. O'Leary, Pieter T. Visscher
Summary: This study analyzes the response of the benthic microbial ecosystem in Shark Bay to the Olwyn tropical cyclone, finding that the storm had various effects such as sediment erosion and deposition, accumulation and transformation of mucilage, and limited development of new coquina deposits on the beach.
DEPOSITIONAL RECORD
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ren Min Oh, Zheng Bin Randolph Quek, Yong Kit Samuel Chan, Ambert Chiam Foong Ang, Michael J. O'Leary, Danwei Huang, Benjamin J. Wainwright
Summary: This study presents the first characterization of microbial community structure in sub-bottom sediment of up to 3.5 m beneath the reef substrate. Despite each core containing a large number of unique microbial communities, cores from the same reef showed more similarity compared to cores from other reefs. This study provides novel insight into microbial interactions in sub-bottom reef sediment.
Article
Geography
Amanda Kearney, Michael O'Leary, Spencer Platten
Summary: This paper focuses on the cultural framings of sea territories for Indigenous maritime peoples in northern Australia. By combining Indigenous oral traditions with recent sea floor mapping efforts, it highlights the potential for a more expansive vision of human connections to the past and present continental landmass of Australia.
GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Letter
Archaeology
Jonathan Benjamin, Michael O'Leary, Jo McDonald, Sean Ulm, Peter Jeffries, Geoff Bailey
GEOARCHAEOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Paula J. Cartwright, Nicola K. Browne, David Belton, Iain Parnum, Michael O'Leary, Jurgen Valckenaere, Peter Fearns, Ryan Lowe
Summary: Globally, coral reefs are facing threats, such as degradation and algal dominance, due to marine heatwaves and other disturbance events. Marginal coral reefs in extreme environments, like turbid water reefs, may be more resilient and provide insights into future reefs under climate change. This study examined benthic habitats in the Exmouth Gulf region of north Western Australia to understand the influence of environmental drivers, such as turbidity and temperature, on benthic communities and coral morphology. The results showed that long-term turbidity and temperature variability were connected to macroalgal colonization, while coral cover was negatively associated with temperature variability and positively associated with depth and wave power. Coral morphology diversity was positively associated with turbidity. Moderate turbidity appeared to raise the threshold for coral bleaching and macroalgal dominance, while regions with higher temperature variability had already reached this threshold. The least turbid and temperature variable region experienced severe coral bleaching from a recent heatwave, suggesting that moderate levels of these variables may confer resilience to coral reefs.
Article
Geology
Ulysse Lebrec, Simon C. Lang, Victorien Paumard, Michael J. O'Leary, Yusuke Yokoyama, Jorg Hacker, Jody Webster
Summary: Onshore and offshore site investigations in northwestern Australia led to the discovery of the largest marine ooid shoals in the Indo-Pacific region, formed during the late Holocene. These ooids are spatially linked with the De Grey River and cover an area >1250 km2. The discovery broadens the understanding of ooid formation and highlights the potential presence of carbonate grains in siliciclastic geomorphologies.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Carra Williams, Victorien Paumard, Jody M. Webster, Jonathon Leonard, Tristan Salles, Michael 'Leary, Simon Lang
Summary: North and South Scott Reefs in Australia's North West Shelf are isolated carbonate platforms that evolved from a barrier reef and developed into isolated carbonate build-ups. The timings of coral reef turn on and off in relation to global climatic changes in this region are not well understood. The availability of high resolution and extensive 3D seismic data allows for the investigation of these reefs' evolution using seismic stratigraphy and seismic geomorphology.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jonathan Benjamin, Michael O'Leary, Jo McDonald, Chelsea Wiseman, John McCarthy, Emma Beckett, Patrick Morrison, Francis Stankiewicz, Jerem Leach, Jorg Hacker, Paul Baggaley, Katarina Jerbic, Madeline Fowler, John Fairweather, Peter Jeffries, Sean Ulm, Geoff Bailey
Article
Geography, Physical
Patrick Morrison, Michael O'Leary, Jo McDonald
Summary: Australia's offshore islands have increased in number due to rising sea levels during the late Holocene, except for the Kimberley and Torres Strait regions which have evidence of earlier and longer continuous island sequences, indicating long-standing maritime activities in these areas.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Michael O'Leary, Michael Cuttler, Jonathan Benjamin, Geoff Bailey, Sean Ulm, John McCarthy, Chelsea Wiseman, Amy Stevens, Jo McDonald
Summary: This study examines the hydrodynamic processes at Cape Bruguieres Channel (CBC) in Western Australia to understand how they impact the formation of a submerged lithic scatter site. The study finds that the stability of lithics in water depends on their shape and orientation relative to the current flow direction. It is concluded that the lithic scatter site at Cape Bruguieres has remained in situ since sea level inundation around 7,000 years ago.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Geology
Joshua L. Bonesso, Michael V. W. Cuttler, Nicola K. Browne, Caroline C. Mather, Victorien Paumard, William T. Hiscock, John N. Callow, Michael O'Leary
Summary: This study examines the evolution of an inshore turbid reef island in the southern Pilbara region of Western Australia. The analysis reveals a continuous landform readjustment of the island under stabilised sea levels over the past 650 years.
DEPOSITIONAL RECORD
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Jonathan Benjamin, Michael O'Leary, John McCarthy, Wendy Reynen, Chelsea Wiseman, Jerem Leach, Simon Bobeldyk, Justine Buchler, Philippe Kermeen, Michelle Langley, Adam Black, Hiro Yoshida, Iain Parnum, Amy Stevens, Sean Ulm, Jo McDonald, Peter Veth, Geoff Bailey
Summary: This study reports the discovery and identification of five ancient stone artefacts associated with a submerged freshwater spring at an underwater archaeological site in Murujuga, Western Australia. The site was occupied during the Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene and is well below the intertidal zone at a depth of 14 m. The results highlight the potential of submerged springs as archaeological survey targets in tropical environments.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Ulysse Lebrec, Rosine Riera, Michael O'Leary, Jody M. Webster, Yusuke Yokoyama, Luke A. Gliganic, Simon C. Lang, Victorien Paumard
Summary: The Rowley Shelf in Australia's North West Shelf is covered with linear ridges that are now submerged relict coastal deposits formed over the last 200,000 years. These ridges control the morphology of the continental shelf and the distribution of coral reefs, highlighting climatic changes. Compaction analyses are critical for understanding paleoenvironments and sea level reconstructions.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
