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
Biodiversity Conservation
Andreas Dietzel, Sean R. Connolly, Terry P. Hughes, Michael Bode
Summary: This study found that recent mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef have larger and more continuous spatial footprints than previous bleaching events, posing an unprecedented threat to coral species resilience. In contrast to the impacts of a severe tropical cyclone, the bleaching events isolated severely affected reefs from the nearest mildly affected reefs by greater distances, highlighting the significant threat to coral species posed by the spatial footprint of these recent bleaching events.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kirsi S. Oldenburg, Juanita Urban-Rich, Karl D. Castillo, Justin H. Baumann
Summary: Ocean plastic pollution is a global issue causing ecosystem degradation, with microfiber abundance in coral samples showing spatial variation. Results indicate rayon as the most common microfiber pollutant, and potential for reducing rayon pollution in coastal waters through alterations to waste water infrastructure.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wenhui Zhao, Yi Huang, Steven Siems, Michael Manton
Summary: The study revealed a significant negative correlation between total cloud cover anomaly (TCCA) and lagged sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the Great Barrier Reef region, which is greater in magnitude and spatial extent compared to the SSTA-ENSO correlation. This suggests that local-scale reduced cloud cover plays a crucial role in the formation of warm shallow water and occurrence of thermal coral bleaching events in the region.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tracy D. Ainsworth, William Leggat, Brian R. Silliman, Coulson A. Lantz, Jessica L. Bergman, Alexander J. Fordyce, Charlotte E. Page, Juliana J. Renzi, Joseph Morton, C. Mark Eakin, Scott F. Heron
Summary: Coral bleaching has had a significant impact on reefs worldwide, with the realization of near-annual bleaching events in recent years. While technology allows for the prediction of large-scale bleaching, the ability to predict reef-scale and within-reef patterns in real-time for all reef users is limited.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caroline Costa Lucas, Italo Cesar Lima, Tatiane Martins Garcia, Tallita Cruz Lopes Tavares, Pedro Bastos Macedo Carneiro, Carlos Eduardo Peres Teixeira, Sonia Bejarano, Sergio Rossi, Marcelo O. Soares
Summary: This study examines the population structure and bleaching rates of the Siderastrea stellata coral in extreme reef habitats in the Tropical South Atlantic. It finds a link between turbidity and coral bleaching, with reduced turbidity during drought periods increasing the risk of bleaching.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(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
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Lisa Goberdhan, Stuart Kininmonth
Summary: Analysis of coral growth rates of Porites lutea colonies across shallow reefs in Fiji revealed declines in polluted areas and an influence of latitude on growth rates. The study also highlighted the importance of site-specific water quality and sea surface temperature in predicting coral growth distribution.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Henry A. Bartelet, Michele L. Barnes, Graeme S. Cumming
Summary: Coral reefs are heavily impacted by climate-induced disturbances, and the loss of coral reefs has a significant effect on people who rely on the ecosystem services they provide. However, the impacts of coral loss and the ability of individuals and businesses to adapt to it are not well understood, especially in the private sector. To address this gap, a survey was conducted among Australian reef tourism operators to understand their responses to severe bleaching and cyclone impacts. The results highlight the importance of response diversity, spatial heterogeneity, and learning for social-ecological resilience.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ken Ikehara, Toshiya Kanamatsu, Kazuko Usami
Summary: Submarine canyons are efficient pathways for sediment transport from shallow marine areas to the deep sea. This study reveals that tsunamis can play an important role in reworking surface sediment in coral reefs, and submarine canyons connected to coral reefs can efficiently transport shallow marine calcareous grains to the deep sea.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(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
Environmental Sciences
Catherine Lee Hing, Zara Guifarro, Damaris Duenas, Gabriela Ochoa, Alicia Nunez, Kirah Forman, Nicole Craig, Melanie McField
Summary: Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) has spread in Caribbean coral reef colonies, and Belize and Honduras have approached its management in different ways but with the same goal of evaluating and controlling the disease. Treatment with amoxicillin trihydrate powder and Coral Ointment Base2B has proven effective in halting the disease's spread and reducing mortality rates. Both countries have also continued to monitor the disease and share information. Reducing anthropogenic factors is crucial for supporting coral reef health and resilience.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yasmin Barros, Caroline Costa Lucas, Marcelo Oliveira Soares
Summary: The study provides a baseline assessment of benthic cover, salinity, temperature, and bleaching in an urban intertidal reef. The results show that fleshy macroalgae provide the most cover, followed by coral and sediment. Temperature and salinity characterize an extreme reef habitat, with S. stellata showing resistance to environmental stress.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Paul R. Muir, Terence Done, J. David Aguirre
Summary: The study investigated the variation in susceptibility to mass bleaching among closely related coral species and the validity of applying susceptibility data across different geographical regions. Results showed significant regional differences in susceptibility among coral species in the Great Barrier Reef and the Maldives, partly due to recent adaptation and acclimatization.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Allia Rosedy, Isabel Ives, Zarinah Waheed, Muhammad Ali Syed Hussein, Sindia Sosdian, Kenneth Johnson, Nadia Santodomingo
Summary: The impacts of climate change are becoming more evident, but turbid reefs have shown inherent resilience to heat stress events, mitigating the effects of climate change.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniel S. Ellis, Caio V. Z. Cipro, Camden A. Ogletree, Kathryn E. Smith, Richard B. Aronson
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2018)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James R. Guest, Peter J. Edmunds, Ruth D. Gates, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Andreas J. Andersson, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Travis A. Courtney, Robin Elahi, Kevin Gross, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Satoshi Mitarai, Peter J. Mumby, Hannah R. Nelson, Britt A. Parker, Hollie M. Putnam, Caroline S. Rogers, Lauren T. Toth
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Limnology
Ilsa B. Kuffner, Lauren T. Toth, J. Harold Hudson, William B. Goodwin, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Lucy A. Bartlett, Elizabeth M. Whitcher
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Carly J. Randall, Lauren T. Toth, James J. Leichter, Juan L. Mate, Richard B. Aronson
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Alex S. J. Wyatt, James J. Leichter, Lauren T. Toth, Toshihiro Miyajima, Richard B. Aronson, Toshi Nagata
Review
Environmental Studies
Jeroen Ingels, Richard B. Aronson, Craig R. Smith, Amy Baco, Holly M. Bik, James A. Blake, Angelika Brandt, Mattias Cape, David Demaster, Emily Dolan, Eugene Domack, Spencer Fire, Heidi Geisz, Michael Gigliotti, Huw Griffiths, Kenneth M. Halanych, Charlotte Havermans, Falk Huettmann, Scott Ishman, Sven A. Kranz, Amy Leventer, Andrew R. Mahon, James McClintock, Michael L. McCormick, B. Greg Mitchell, Alison E. Murray, Lloyd Peck, Alex Rogers, Barbara Shoplock, Kathryn E. Smith, Brittan Steffel, Michael R. Stukel, Andrew K. Sweetman, Michelle Taylor, Andrew R. Thurber, Martin Truffer, Anton van de Putte, Ann Vanreusel, Maria Angelica Zamora-Duran
Summary: The calving of icebergs from Antarctic ice shelves is a significant indicator of rapid warming and has global-scale implications on Southern Ocean ecosystems and continental ice movements.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-CLIMATE CHANGE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ian C. Enochs, Lauren T. Toth, Amanda Kirkland, Derek P. Manzello, Graham Kolodziej, John T. Morris, Daniel M. Holstein, Austin Schlenz, Carly J. Randall, Juan L. Mate, James J. Leichter, Richard B. Aronson
Summary: In this study, the composition and erosion activities on coral blocks in two coral reef gulfs in the eastern tropical Pacific were analyzed, revealing that the balance between bioerosion and calcification activities depends on rich trophic needs and environmental conditions, suggesting the unpredictable impact of contributing species on habitats.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Gijs G. Hendrickx, Peter M. J. Herman, Jasper T. Dijkstra, Curt D. Storlazzi, Lauren T. Toth
Summary: The study focuses on the impacts of climate change on coral reefs, developing a biophysical model that includes various environmental factors to better understand the processes affecting coral growth and reef development. The model is significant in considering hydrodynamics in the feedback loop, marking a step forward in predicting the persistence of coral reefs in the face of climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominique N. Gallery, Michelle L. Green, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth
Summary: Increases in local and global stressors have led to major declines in coral populations throughout the western Atlantic. However, the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, has shown an increase in abundance due to its resilience and genetic diversity. This species has a higher chance of maintaining resilience in the face of current and future disturbances compared to many other western Atlantic species.
MARINE BIODIVERSITY
(2021)
Correction
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominique N. Gallery, Michelle L. Green, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth
MARINE BIODIVERSITY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Robin Elahi, Peter J. Edmunds, Ruth D. Gates, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Travis A. Courtney, James R. Guest, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Lauren T. Toth, T. Shay Viehman, Ivor D. Williams
Summary: Identifying intact areas within ecosystems and understanding the factors influencing their existence is crucial for effective management. This study analyzed a large dataset from the United States and U.S. Territories to identify factors associated with coral oases. The results showed that light attenuation was a key factor for oasis occurrence, while the impact of other environmental predictors varied with the scale of observation. Human population density and sea-surface temperature variability also influenced oasis occurrence. The model developed in this study can help prioritize reef areas for conservation and inform management strategies.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lauren T. Toth, Travis A. Courtney, Michael A. Colella, Selena A. Kupfner Johnson, Robert R. Ruzicka
Summary: Coral-reef degradation is causing reductions in reef-building capacity and its associated functions. The persistence of these functions depends on coral-reef management's ability to balance reef accretion and erosion. This study reconstructs the carbonate budgets of Florida Keys reefs from 1996 to 2019 and finds that most reefs had positive budgets historically, but declines in coral populations caused a shift to negative budgets. The study also suggests that coral restoration has the potential to mitigate declines in reef accretion.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lauren T. Toth, Curt D. Storlazzi, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Ellen Quataert, Johan Reyns, Robert McCall, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Zandy Hillis-Starr, Nathaniel Hanna Holloway, Kristen A. Ewen, Clayton G. Pollock, Tessa Code, Richard B. Aronson
Summary: This study examines the impact of coral restoration on future coastal flooding using a combination of coral-growth measurements, carbonate-budget assessments, and hydrodynamic modeling. The findings suggest that successful restoration of Acropora palmata can mitigate the effects of coastal flooding and allow reefs to keep pace with sea-level rise.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lauren T. Toth, Richard B. Aronson
CLIMATE OF THE PAST
(2019)