Article
Environmental Sciences
Yip Hung Yeung, James Y. Xie, Yu Zhao, Hiu Yan Yu, Chong Chen, William Weijia Lu, Jian-Wen Qiu
Summary: A 2-year study in subtropical Hong Kong waters revealed that external erosion caused by sea urchin grazing is the primary factor contributing to coral skeletal loss. Controlling the sea urchin population density is crucial to reducing coral erosion.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Heather E. Summers, Simon D. Donner
Summary: The structural complexity of coral communities plays a crucial role in wave attenuation, and coral bleaching events can lead to a reduction in structural complexity. This study found that the survival of stress-tolerant corals can mitigate the loss of structural complexity caused by bleaching events.
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.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yaeli Rosenberg, Noa Simon-Blecher, Maya Lalzar, Ruth Yam, Aldo Shemesh, Shahar Alon, Gabriela Perna, Anny Cardenas, Christian R. Voolstra, David J. Miller, Oren Levy
Summary: This study examines the impact of urbanization on coral reefs and finds that coral in urban environments experience extensive disruptions to their natural biorhythms and environmental sensory systems. The study also reveals poor symbiont performance, disturbance to gametogenic cycles, and altered seasonality patterns in vital biological processes. The microbiomes of the urban coral population also showed changes in seasonality patterns, highlighting the impact of urbanization on the holobiont.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gregory P. Asner, Nicholas R. Vaughn, Roberta E. Martin, Shawna A. Foo, Joseph Heckler, Brian J. Neilson, Jamison M. Gove
Summary: Corals are important habitat-building organisms in tropical reefs, supporting a quarter of all ocean species and providing ecosystem services to millions of people. However, marine heat waves threaten coral reefs by killing individual colonies and reducing diversity. This study used aerial imaging spectroscopy to monitor coral mortality during a major heat wave in Hawaii, and found that certain reefs had lower coral loss and therefore may serve as refugia. Human and environmental factors, such as coastal development and sedimentation levels, played a role in differentiating resilient reefs from more vulnerable ones.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adam S. Candy, Shannara K. Taylor K. Parkins, Fleur C. Van Duyl, Benjamin Mueller, Milou G. I. Arts, Will Barnes, Marie Carstensen, Yun J. H. Scholten, Yusuf C. El-Khaled, Christian Wild, Linda Wegley Kelly, Craig E. Nelson, Stuart A. Sandin, Mark J. A. Vermeij, Forest L. Rohwer, Cristian Picioreanu, Paolo Stocchi, Andreas F. Haas
Summary: One mechanism that gives fleshy algae a competitive edge over corals during reef degradation is the occurrence of algal-induced and microbially-mediated hypoxia, which is typically less than 69.5 mu mol oxygen L-1. Algae are more tolerant of low oxygen conditions and may outcompete corals weakened by hypoxia. The extent of local hypoxic zones in highly turbulent aquatic environments, continuously flushed by currents and wave surge, remains a question unanswered.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Don R. Levitan, Rachael M. Best, Peter J. Edmunds
Summary: In 1983-1984, a mass mortality event led to a significant population reduction of Diadema antillarum, which caused algae blooms and devastation of coral populations in the Caribbean. Limited recovery was observed, but in 2022, a second mass mortality event occurred. Analysis of sea urchin populations from St. John, US Virgin Islands, revealed a 98.00% reduction compared to 2021 and a 99.96% reduction compared to 1983. This mortality event eliminated algal-free halos, increasing the risk of coral-free communities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lorna Howlett, Emma F. Camp, John Edmondson, Russell Hosp, Ben Taylor, Philip Coulthard, David J. Suggett
Summary: Tourism-led stewardship projects in the Great Barrier Reef have implemented coral propagation and out-planting practices to improve ecosystem function. Benthic surveys conducted over a 24-month period showed significant increases in hard coral cover at some out-planting sites, particularly for commonly out-planted genera. Despite variations in coral community responses, this tourism-led approach has demonstrated potential for increasing hard coral cover through coral propagation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kate M. Quigley, Blake Ramsby, Patrick Laffy, Jessica Harris, Veronique J. L. Mocellin, Line K. Bay
Summary: Survival of symbiotic reef-building corals under global warming requires rapid acclimation or adaptation. The impact of accumulated heat stress was compared across 1643 symbiont communities before and after the 2016 mass bleaching in three coral species and free-living in the environment across similar to 900 kilometers of the Great Barrier Reef. Resilient reefs (less aerial bleaching than predicted from high satellite sea temperatures) showed low variation in symbioses. Before 2016, heat-tolerant environmental symbionts were common in similar to 98% of samples and moderately abundant (9 to 40% in samples). In corals, heat-tolerant symbionts were at low abundances (0 to 7.3%) but only in a minority (13 to 27%) of colonies. Following bleaching, environmental diversity doubled (including heat-tolerant symbionts) and increased in one coral species. Communities were dynamic (Acropora millepora) and conserved (Acropora hyacinthus and Acropora tenuis), including symbiont community turnover and redistribution. Symbiotic restructuring after bleaching occurs but is a taxon-specific ecological opportunity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah E. Leinbach, Kelly E. Speare, Ashley M. Rossin, Daniel M. Holstein, Marie E. Strader
Summary: Mass thermal bleaching events pose a primary threat to coral reefs, impacting energetics and reproduction. In a study on the French Polynesian island of Mo'orea, resistant and recovered coral colonies showed differences in energy reserves and reproductive potential following a severe bleaching event. Understanding these sublethal impacts is crucial for accurately predicting coral recovery rates and overall reef resilience post-disturbances.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kayla Cayemitte, Nadege Aoki, Sophie R. Ferguson, T. Aran Mooney, Amy Apprill
Summary: The settlement of coral larvae is crucial for the success and longevity of coral reefs. However, the proliferation of Ramicrusta sp., a red-brown encrusting alga, poses a serious threat to coral recruitment by overgrowing corals and causing high mortality rates in larvae compared to crustose coralline algae (CCA) and control groups.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jeneen Hadj-Hammou, David Mouillot, Nicholas A. J. Graham
Summary: The response-and-effect framework is a trait-based approach that aims to analyze the mechanistic links between ecosystem disturbances, species' traits, and ecosystem processes. A review of coral reef fish traits literature shows a focus on linking response traits to disturbances, with fewer studies connecting effect traits to ecosystem processes. Size and diet of fish are identified as common traits in the literature, crucial for understanding both disturbance and process in ecosystems.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
David J. Suggett, Melissa Edwards, Deborah Cotton, Margaux Hein, Emma F. Camp
Summary: The restoration of coral reef ecosystems has been accelerating globally as a management tool in response to the deteriorating health of reefs under climate change. However, many restoration activities lack the necessary sustainable strategies to achieve their long-term ecological and social goals. We propose a framework for socially and ecologically tailored restoration programs to ensure sustained operations and diverse financing options.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jonathan D. Cybulski, John M. Doherty, Carly LaRoche, Kelly Donovan Gutkowski, Zizhan Luo, Elizabeth J. Malloy, Laurel MacMillan, Laurie Raymundo, Kiho Kim
Summary: This study reports a new approach of coring inundated coastal karst formations to determine the historical context of coral reefs in Guam. Coral fragments dating back to 1729 CE reveal a period of relative stability for macrobenthos, but a decline in water clarity suggests an environmental decline in Guam starting from around 100 CE.
Review
Biology
Tim D'Urban Jackson, Gareth J. Williams, Guy Walker-Springett, Andrew J. Davies
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Ashley E. Sproles, Clinton A. Oakley, Thomas Krueger, Arthur R. Grossman, Virginia M. Weis, Anders Meibom, Simon K. Davy
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sabrina L. Rosset, Clinton A. Oakley, Christine Ferrier-Pages, David J. Suggett, Virginia M. Weis, Simon K. Davy
Summary: The molecular signaling between host cnidarians and dinoflagellate endosymbionts in the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis is poorly understood. Current research focuses on lipids, glycans, reactive species, biogenic volatiles, and noncoding RNA, with potential applications to addressing the coral reef crisis.
TRENDS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stuart A. Sandin, Yoan Eynaud, Gareth J. Williams, Clinton B. Edwards, Dylan E. McNamara
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amanda K. Ford, Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Albert Norstrom, Bradley R. Moore, Maggy M. Nugues, Gareth J. Williams, Sonia Bejarano, Franck Magron, Christian Wild, Sebastian C. A. Ferse
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Megan R. Shaffer, Simon K. Davy, James J. Bell
Summary: This study investigated hybridization between two cryptic species of marine sponge, Tethya burtoni, and found no evidence of hybridization between them. The two species showed differences in distribution, with one being present at all locations and the other at only three locations. Asexual reproduction did not play a significant role in population connectivity, but was important for population maintenance.
Article
Ecology
Giada Tortorelli, Carsten Rautengarten, Antony Bacic, Gabriela Segal, Berit Ebert, Simon K. Davy, Madeleine J. H. van Oppen, Geoffrey McFadden
Summary: This study compared the surface glycomes of three symbiotic algae and explored the role of glycan-lectin interactions in host-symbiont recognition and establishment of symbiosis. The study found variations in the cell-surface glycome among different algal species and showed that trypsin treatment of algae altered the uptake rate of symbionts.
Article
Biology
Sandeep S. Beepat, Simon K. Davy, Clinton A. Oakley, Amirhossein Mashini, Lifeng Peng, James J. Bell
Summary: Tropical lagoon-inhabiting organisms, particularly lagoonal sponges, are highly vulnerable to thermal stress from climate change. A study on the stress response mechanisms of the lagoon-inhabiting sponge Amphimedon navalis exposed to elevated temperatures found significant declines in buoyant weight, increased pumping and oxygen consumption rates, as well as a shift in the proteome dynamics. The increase in detoxification proteins and disruption in cellular growth and cytoskeletal activities suggest that sustained thermal exposure can induce significant disruption in cellular homeostasis in these susceptible organisms.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Lucy M. Gorman, Migle K. Konciute, Guoxin Cui, Clinton A. Oakley, Arthur R. Grossman, Virginia M. Weis, Manuel Aranda, Simon K. Davy
Summary: In the symbiotic relationship between cnidarians and dinoflagellates, the presence of symbionts affects the host's cell cycle, cell division, and apoptosis, contributing to the persistence of the symbionts within the host. The symbionts stimulate host cell division in the epidermis, while inhibiting apoptosis in the gastrodermis. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of cnidarian cell proliferation and symbiont maintenance.
CELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Claudia Pogoreutz, Clinton A. Oakley, Nils Radecker, Anny Cardenas, Gabriela Perna, Nan Xiang, Lifeng Peng, Simon K. Davy, David K. Ngugi, Christian R. Voolstra
Summary: This study investigated the interactions between Endozoicomonas bacteria and corals. The results showed that coral tissue extracts can promote the establishment of symbiosis in Endozoicomonas and play an important role in immune response and metabolite exchange.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emma F. Camp, Tim Kahlke, Brandon Signal, Clinton A. Oakley, Adrian Lutz, Simon K. Davy, David J. Suggett, William P. Leggat
Summary: The Symbiodiniaceae are a diverse family of marine dinoflagellates that have a symbiotic relationship with invertebrates. They are sensitive to thermal stress, and research shows that this sensitivity is influenced by both phylogenetic dependent and independent traits. To understand the drivers of Symbiodiniaceae heat stress tolerance, researchers have provided a dataset that includes transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome data.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Amirhossein Gheitanchi Mashini, Clinton A. Oakley, Arthur R. Grossman, Virginia M. Weis, Simon K. Davy
Summary: This study investigated the localization and expression of nutrient transporters in the sea anemone Aiptasia, and found a clear link between transporter expression and symbiont identity. The findings enhance our understanding of nutrient transport and host-symbiont integration in the cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Maggie Wuerz, Caitlin A. Lawson, Maiken Ueland, Clinton A. Oakley, Arthur R. Grossman, Virginia M. Weis, David J. Suggett, Simon K. Davy
Summary: The establishment and maintenance of symbiosis between a cnidarian host and its dinoflagellate symbionts is crucial for the success of coral reefs. This study explored the production of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in this symbiosis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results revealed 152 BVOCs, with differential abundances between symbiotic and aposymbiotic anemones, as well as between symbiotic anemones and cultured dinoflagellates. The findings suggest that symbiosis may have a greater impact on symbiont physiology than host physiology.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Erik C. Krieger, Wendy A. Nelson, Johan Grand, Eric C. Le Ru, Sarah J. Bury, Amelie Cossais, Simon K. Davy, Christopher E. Cornwall
Summary: This study assesses the calcification physiology of five cool temperate coralline algae in response to different irradiance levels and finds that the enhancement of calcification rates is limited to lower irradiances. The study also suggests the existence of two calcification strategies and indicates that magnesium incorporation is determined by the magnesium to calcium ratio in the calcifying fluid.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Francesca Strano, Valerio Micaroni, Torsten Thomas, Lisa Woods, Simon K. Davy, James J. Bell
Summary: Marine heatwaves can have carryover effects on the larval microbiome, settlers growth rate, and metamorphosis duration of sponges. The microbial community of adult sponges changed significantly after exposure to heatwave conditions. Sponge larvae derived from heatwave-exposed sponges showed an increase in endosymbiotic bacteria. Settlers derived from heatwave-exposed sponges had a higher growth rate but delayed metamorphosis compared to settlers from control sponges.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)