Article
Engineering, Marine
Jatdilok Titioatchasai, Komwit Surachat, Jeong Ha Kim, Jaruwan Mayakun
Summary: Reef degradation and algae-farming fish alter coral-algal-microbial communities. Microbial community analysis showed differences in dominant bacteria between fair and degraded reefs and damselfish territories. Important potential pathogens were found on the degraded reefs inside damselfish territories. Overall, this study provides valuable information for reef conservation and coastal management.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Heloise Rouze, Pierre E. Galand, Monica Medina, Pim Bongaerts, Michel Pichon, Gonzalo Perez-Rosales, Gergely Torda, Aurelie Moya, Jean-Baptiste Raina, Laetitia Hedouin
Summary: This study reported the deepest photosymbiotic scleractinian corals collected to date (172 m depth) and identified the associated symbiotic communities using amplicon sequencing. The results expand the reported depth range of photosynthetic scleractinian corals (0-172 m depth) and provide new insights on their symbiotic associations at lower depth extremes of tropical coral reefs.
Article
Ecology
Anny Cardenas, Jean-Baptiste Raina, Claudia Pogoreutz, Nils Raedecker, Jeremy Bougoure, Paul Guagliardo, Mathieu Pernice, Christian R. Voolstra
Summary: The structure and function of the endolithic microbiome in corals are linked to bleaching susceptibility. Corals that are resistant to bleaching have endolithic microbiomes with greater functional diversity and redundancy, and lower endolithic primary productivity, possibly due to the dominance of chemolithotrophs. Lower primary production within the skeleton may help maintain nutrient-limiting conditions in the coral-algal symbiosis under heat stress.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jan-Claas Dajka, Victoria Beasley, Gilberte Gendron, Jos Barlow, Nicholas A. J. Graham
Summary: Extensive and dense macroalgal fields can compromise reef ecosystem function, but shading with shade sails can effectively reduce algal cover and promote herbivorous fish feeding, providing a viable reef management approach.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiwei Li, Gregory P. Asner
Summary: Three-dimensional shallow benthic complexity provides valuable information for coral reef conservation and management, as it reflects the physical conditions and biodiversity of shallow coral reef environments. This study mapped global shallow water benthic complexity using satellite images and found that high complexity regions are mainly concentrated in areas with high benthic biodiversity. However, a significant portion of coral reef regions with high benthic complexity remains unprotected. The global coral reef benthic complexity map generated in this study can contribute to improving marine protected areas, reef conservation, and management.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eylem Elma, Martin Gullstrom, Saleh A. S. Yahya, Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Holly K. East, Magnus Nystrom
Summary: We studied the extent of post-bleaching impacts caused by the 2014-2016 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event on benthic community structure (BCS) and herbivores (fish and sea urchins) on seven fringing reefs in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The results showed that all reef sites experienced post-bleaching alterations in BCS, with high coral mortality and increased turf algae cover. Herbivorous fish biomass increased after bleaching, correlated with turf algae increase in some reefs, while sea urchin densities significantly declined or disappeared. The severity of the impact varied across reefs, with greater impact on protected reefs compared to unprotected reefs. Our study provides a relevant reference point for future research and contributes to understanding post-bleaching impacts, trends, and evaluation of coral reef health and resilience in the region.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carolin Nieder, Chen-Pan Liao, Chen-Lu Lee, Kendall D. Clements, Shao-Lun Liu
Summary: The feeding interactions between coral reef fishes and the allelopathic macroalgae Galaxaura divaricata were observed, and it was found that the fishes targeted the nutrient-rich microscopic epiphytes on the surface of the algae rather than the algae itself. These observations substantiate the threat posed by the overgrowth of G. divaricata to coral recovery in degraded reef systems.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Clement Tanvet, Francesca Benzoni, Christophe Peignon, Gerard Thouzeau, Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa
Summary: Crustose coralline algae (CCA) play a crucial role in coral reef development and replenishment, but their abundance is negatively affected by anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Surprisingly, diverse and well-developed coral reefs have been discovered in natural conditions where CCA and corals are not expected to thrive. This study focuses on the extreme environmental conditions in Bourake lagoon and finds that while CCA abundance decreases significantly, coral larvae settlement remains high, suggesting the potential for coral acclimatization and adaptation to global change.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wentao Zhu, Yuxiao Ren, Xiangbo Liu, Duanjie Huang, Jingquan Xia, Ming Zhu, Hongyang Yin, Rouwen Chen, Xiubao Li
Summary: This study examines the impact of the Qiongdong upwelling on the coastal coral reefs of Hainan Island. The results show significant differences in environmental variables between upwelling and non-upwelling areas, with colder and saltier water and lower coral coverage in the upwelling areas. The upwelling areas also face severe threats from coastal development and local anthropogenic activities.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
William S. Fisher
Summary: The goal of coral reef management is to provide habitat for fish populations, and it requires reliable methods to characterize reef features that contribute to fish habitat. By examining data from broad-area reef surveys, correlations were found between fish population measures and physical coral features, particularly coral colony height. Characterizing this relationship will improve fishery management tools and support assessment of the decline in the physical stature of reefs worldwide.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carsten G. B. Grupstra, Lauren I. Howe-Kerr, Jesse A. van der Meulen, Alex J. Veglia, Samantha R. Coy, Adrienne M. S. Correa
Summary: Animal waste is an important part of nutrient cycles and can transmit diverse microorganisms through trophic interactions. The feces of grazers/detritivores were found to cause more frequent and larger lesions on corals compared to the feces of corallivores, indicating the harmful microbial activity in grazer/detritivore feces. Analysis of bacterial diversity in feces from different fish species revealed potential differences in coral-associated bacteria and coral pathogens, suggesting the role of consumers in coral symbiont dispersal. These findings have significant implications for environmental management.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jacey C. Van Wert, Leila Ezzat, Katrina S. Munsterman, Kaitlyn Landfield, Nina M. D. Schiettekatte, Valeriano Parravicini, Jordan M. Casey, Simon J. Brandl, Deron E. Burkepile, Erika J. Eliason
Summary: Consumers play a crucial role in nutrient cycling through excretion and egestion. While the excretion of fish-derived inorganic nutrients has been studied extensively, the importance of egestion for nutrient cycling has been neglected. This study investigated the fecal nutrient content of different fish species on a coral reef and found that different species exhibit unique fecal nutrient concentrations.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dwayne Minton, David Burdick, Valerie Brown
Summary: High sedimentation rates have a negative impact on coral reefs; this study quantitatively describes coral reef communities across a large sediment gradient; coral species richness decreases with increasing sedimentation rates.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Mark Hamilton, James P. W. Robinson, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Shaun K. Wilson, M. Aaron MacNeil, Ameer Ebrahim, Nicholas A. J. Graham
Summary: Changes in fish assemblages after coral bleaching and mortality can affect fisheries, particularly fish productivity and turnover. In Seychelles, fish productivity increased on reefs recovering to coral-dominated habitats, especially in fished areas, while it remained stable on reefs that shifted to macroalgae-dominated regimes. The benthic recovery trajectory strongly influenced post-bleaching fish productivity, emphasizing the importance of herbivore and invertivore species in sustaining small-scale inshore fisheries following climate disturbances.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Juan Shi, Chunhou Li, Teng Wang, Jinfa Zhao, Yong Liu, Yayuan Xiao
Summary: Coral reefs, known as tropical rainforests in the ocean, have a rich diversity of fish species. China has 2855 species of coral reef fishes, which can be categorized into nearshore and offshore. The diversity of coral reef fish species has a significant positive correlation with coral species diversity.
