Article
Biology
Nicholas J. MacKnight, Kathryn Cobleigh, Danielle Lasseigne, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra, Alexandra Gutting, Bradford Dimos, Jendahye Antoine, Lauren Fuess, Contessa Ricci, Caleb Butler, Erinn M. Muller, Laura D. Mydlarz, Marilyn Brandt
Summary: The study compared the phenotypic and microbial responses of seven Caribbean coral species after exposure to white plague disease, showing a spectrum of disease susceptibility corresponding to microbial dysbiosis. This suggests that coral disease and microbial dysbiosis may ultimately shape reef ecosystems.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
William E. Feeney, Zara-Louise Cowan, Frederic Bertucci, Rohan M. Brooker, Gilles Siu, Frederique Jossinet, Tamatoa Bambridge, Rene Galzin, David Lecchini
Summary: In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in reduced human activities and movement restrictions, leading to improvements in air and water quality and the movement of animal populations. A study conducted in French Polynesia found that the lockdown-induced reduction in recreational activities allowed coral reef fish populations to recolonize inner barrier reef sites.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Bing Lin, Yiwen Zeng, Gregory P. P. Asner, David S. S. Wilcove
Summary: By combining Instagram data from tourists and live coral cover maps in Hawaii, this study reveals that coral reefs both attract and suffer from coastal tourism. Higher live coral cover attracts more visitors, but their visitation contributes to subsequent reef degradation. This finding highlights the economic value of coral reefs and the importance of effective conservation management.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena Bollati, Yaeli Rosenberg, Noa Simon-Blecher, Raz Tamir, Oren Levy, Danwei Huang
Summary: Urbanized coral reefs are often impacted by sedimentation and reduced light levels, but many coral species can still thrive under these disturbed conditions. A study on the transcriptomic response to sediment stress in corals found that exposure to sediment induced upregulation of genes related to energy metabolism and immune response, with anaerobic glycolysis and glyoxylate bypass enzymes being significantly affected. This suggests that hypoxia may be a driving factor for the molecular response of corals to sediment stress.
Article
Ecology
Alexandre C. C. Siqueira, Pooventhran Muruga, David R. R. Bellwood
Summary: The biodiversity of tropical reefs is characterized by the interaction between fishes and corals. However, only a minority of fish species strongly associate with live corals, and there is no coevolutionary pattern between the fish and coral lineages. The expansion of reef structures, rather than coral association, is more likely responsible for the Miocene fish diversification.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Thomas J. F. Goreau
Summary: Coral reefs are collapsing rapidly due to various factors, and urgent steps are necessary to regenerate them. The use of safe electrical stimulation has shown potential in increasing settlement, growth, and survival of marine organisms under extreme stress conditions. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms at the cellular and molecular levels. Electrical stimulation is the only known method to reverse the impacts of extreme stresses on corals and other marine organisms.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Crawford Drury, Roberta E. Martin, David E. Knapp, Joseph Heckler, Joshua Levy, Ruth D. Gates, Gregory P. Asner
Summary: To improve coral conservation and management, we used historical bleaching phenotypes, imaging spectroscopy, and temperature stress to map coral species composition and thermal tolerance. Spectral data accurately distinguished benthic composition and coral species and showed potential for mapping thermal tolerance. Additionally, we strengthened the relationship between predictions and conserved tolerance phenotypes through a study of a marine heatwave in 2019.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Peter J. J. Edmunds
Summary: Coral recruitment is the addition of new individuals to populations and plays a crucial role in population size. Understanding the factors influencing coral recruitment and its ability to support community resilience is crucial due to declines in coral cover and abundance. Settlement tiles have proven to be effective tools in measuring coral recruitment and future studies should focus on expanding taxonomic resolution and using time series of settlement tile deployments.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nadiezhda Santodomingo, Chris Perry, Zarinah Waheed, Muhammad Ali Bin Syed Hussein, Allia Rosedy, Kenneth G. Johnson
Summary: This study documented the magnitude, types, sources, and potential impacts of marine litter on six coral reefs in East Sabah. The research found that plastics dominate the litter, primarily single-use items, with discarded fishing gear also making up a significant portion. Litter pollution is more severe closer to urban developments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Angelo Jason Spadaro, Mark J. Butler
Summary: The study shows that herbivorous crabs play a significant role in removing seaweed and promoting coral reef recovery. By reducing seaweed cover, increasing coral recruitment, and enhancing reef fish community abundance and diversity, the crabs can reverse the ecological phase shift on coral reefs away from seaweed dominance. Compared to manual scrubbing, the herbivory of crabs has a more lasting effect on reducing algae cover and restoring coral reefs.
Article
Microbiology
Justin Maire, Pranali Deore, Vanta J. Jameson, Magdaline Sakkas, Alexis Perez-Gonzalez, Linda L. Blackall, Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
Summary: The study shows that bacterial communities associated with Symbiodiniaceae respond to heat selection and may contribute to coral adaptation to climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nikolas Zuchowicz, Jonathan Daly, Jessica Bouwmeester, Claire Lager, E. Michael Henley, C. Isabel Nunez Lendo, Mary Hagedorn
Summary: This study proposes quality control procedures and CASA settings effective for coral sperm analysis, showing that additions like bovine serum albumin and caffeine can improve motility without affecting total sperm concentration. It provides a benchmark for comparative work on coral reproductive characteristics and their adaptation to climate change.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mary K. Donovan, Deron E. Burkepile, Chelsey Kratochwill, Tom Shlesinger, Shannon Sully, Thomas A. Oliver, Gregor Hodgson, Jan Freiwald, Robert van Woesik
Summary: Climate change poses a serious threat to coral reefs, leading to coral bleaching and mortality, and global mass coral mortality events highlight the importance of mitigating climate change to protect coral reefs. Local stressors such as high abundance of macroalgae or urchins intensify coral loss and in combination with increasing heat stress, exacerbate coral mortality. Effective local management practices, combined with global efforts to mitigate climate change, offer hope for the survival of coral reefs in the Anthropocene era.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jenny Fong, Peter A. Todd
Summary: The study reveals that interactions between corals and macroalgae vary greatly across sites and seasons, with different coral species showing varying effects on macroalgae. It is important to consider seasonal fluctuations of macroalgae for understanding their overall long-term impacts.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yip Hung Yeung, James Y. Xie, Chun Kit Kwok, Keith Kei, Put Ang, Leo Lai Chan, Walter Dellisanti, Chi Chiu Cheang, Wing Kuen Chow, Jian-Wen Qiu
Summary: The study identified five community types in Hong Kong's coral communities, with the most common one dominated by massive and upward-plating corals. Coral cover and generic richness were negatively correlated with water quality parameters, indicating constraints on the development of coral communities. Management actions are recommended to reduce bioerosion and monitor sites affected by bleaching.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Cameron J. Baker, Celine H. Frere, Craig E. Franklin, Hamish A. Campbell, Terri R. Irwin, Ross G. Dwyer
Summary: This study used animal telemetry to analyze the social behaviors of estuarine crocodiles in the wild, revealing that they are more social than previously thought. The individual's sex, degree of site-fidelity, and proximity to the mating season influenced the spatial overlap between potential mates and conspecifics.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel F. Gomez Isaza, Rebecca L. Cramp, Craig E. Franklin
Summary: This article systematically reviews the responses of aquatic animals to wildfire disturbances. By studying and summarizing literature, it is found that wildfires can cause complex ecological and physiological changes in aquatic fauna and their ecosystems, and several methods and tools are mentioned for assessing the impacts of wildfires on aquatic animals.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biology
Craig E. Franklin, Michaela Handel, Kathryn Knight
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biology
Craig E. Franklin, Sheila N. Patek, Patricia A. Wright
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Niclas U. Lundsgaard, Rebecca L. Cramp, Craig E. Franklin
Summary: This study examines the effects of acute ultraviolet-B radiation (UVBR) exposure during early life stages on amphibian population dynamics. The results indicate that higher doses of UVBR exposure in tadpoles lead to faster metamorphosis, but result in smaller size and poorer condition in the resulting frogs. Additionally, the study provides empirical evidence of UVBR-induced telomere shortening, which may contribute to life-history trade-offs and post-metamorphic condition.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Pauline Narvaez, Renato A. Morais, David B. Vaughan, Alexandra S. Grutter, Kate S. Hutson
Summary: Cleaning symbiosis is crucial for maintaining healthy biological communities in tropical marine ecosystems, but it may also facilitate the transmission of parasites. Experimental evidence shows that the bluestreak cleaner wrasse, L. dimidiatus, is susceptible to some parasites but exhibits resistance and can temporarily transport parasites.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Coen Hird, Craig E. Franklin, Rebecca L. Cramp
Summary: Aquatically respiring animals exposed to low pH waters suffer inhibition of ion uptake and loss of branchial integrity. Environmental calcium levels are pivotal in maintaining branchial junction integrity, with supplemental calcium reversing the negative effects of low pH in some animals. The mechanism by which animals overcome the damaging actions of low pH and low environmental calcium levels remains unknown. This study examined the effects of environmental calcium levels on the response to low pH in acid-tolerant frog larvae. It was found that additional calcium improved resistance to sodium efflux at low pH, and the expression of a calcium transport protein played a role in the acid tolerance of the larvae.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
A. S. Grutter, S. Bejarano, D. Sun, P. J. Mumby
Summary: Cleaner fish have complex effects on benthic community, with the abundance of fish on coral reefs being differently affected by grazer functional group. The study suggests that benthic communities have resilience to the loss of cleaners, but the absence of cleaners has negative ramifications for fish populations and physiology.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Darren McPhee, Jabin R. Watson, Doug J. Harding, Andrea Prior, James H. Fawcett, Craig E. Franklin, Rebecca L. Cramp
Summary: Increasing drought frequency and duration pose a significant threat to fish species in dryland river systems. This study found that body size significantly affects the thermal and hypoxia tolerances of fish, with smaller fish being less hypoxia tolerant and larger fish being less thermal tolerant. The results suggest that both very small and very large fish in dryland rivers are at significant risk from the combined impacts of a warming and drying climate and water extraction.
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Cameron J. Baker, Celine H. Frere, Craig E. Franklin, Hamish A. Campbell, Terri R. Irwin, Ross G. Dwyer
Summary: Animal social systems are dynamic and influenced by changes in population demography and resource availability. This study investigated the social organization and connectivity of a wild population of estuarine crocodiles based on a 10-year telemetry data set. Results showed that these crocodiles formed spatially segregated communities along a river and estuary, with social structure and organization being temporally dynamic. The proximity to the mating season and an individual's maturity status influenced the associations among conspecifics.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Kaitlin E. Barham, Cameron J. Baker, Craig E. Franklin, Hamish A. Campbell, Celine H. Frere, Terri R. Irwin, Ross G. Dwyer
Summary: In species with costly conflict, individuals use alternative movement tactics to minimize competitive interactions. This study investigated how the behavior of male estuarine crocodiles shifted over an 11-year period in relation to ontogeny, body condition, and physical injuries. Results showed that males sorted into different movement classes, with larger males maintaining confined territories, while smaller males adopted high movement or low movement tactics. Our study provides insights into the mechanisms and costs of movement tactics in wild crocodile populations.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Niclas U. Lundsgaard, Coen Hird, Kathleen A. Doody, Craig E. Franklin, Rebecca L. Cramp
Summary: Ecological carryover effects refer to the delayed effects of the environment on an organism's phenotype, which have significant impacts on individual fitness and are important in conservation biology. Climate change introduces more variable environmental conditions that can negatively affect early life stages of animals with complex life histories, leading to physiological and fitness consequences later in life. However, due to the latent nature and long temporal scales of carryover effects, this phenomenon is often understudied and overlooked in short-term studies.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Adam T. Downie, Nicholas C. Wu, Rebecca L. Cramp, Craig E. Franklin
Summary: Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun affects the physiology of vertebrates, with fish and amphibians being the most susceptible taxa. Adult and larvae life stages are also more vulnerable to UVR stress. Animals inhabiting temperate and tropical latitudes are the most susceptible to UVR stress. Understanding the effects of UVR on vertebrates is important for conservation and mitigation strategies.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biology
Craig E. Franklin, Patricia A. Wright
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Coen Hird, Craig E. E. Franklin, Rebecca L. L. Cramp
Summary: Anthropogenic ozone depletion has led to an increase in UVBR levels reaching the earth's surface, causing harmful DNA damage in amphibians. The repair response to UVBR and temperature varies among different amphibian species. This research emphasizes the importance of considering species-specific physiology when predicting the effects of changing UVBR and temperature in aquatic ecosystems.