Article
Biology
Hannah G. G. Reich, Emma F. F. Camp, Liza M. M. Roger, Hollie M. M. Putnam
Summary: This review explores the role of trace metals in the physiological performance and functional ecology of coral holobiont in oligotrophic environments. It emphasizes the importance of metal exchanges among holobiont partners and their contribution to partner compatibility, stress coping ability, and overall organismal fitness and distribution. The review also highlights the influence of abiotic factors and climate change on trace metal availability and the potential consequences for coral survival. Future research directions are suggested to further understand the impacts of trace metals on coral holobiont symbioses and nutrient cycling in coral ecosystems.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Elisa Lahcene, Anawat Suppasri, Kwanchai Pakoksung, Fumihiko Imamura
Summary: The impact of tsunamis on coral reefs is investigated using the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami as a case study. The study reproduces tsunami hydrodynamic characteristics and develops fragility curves for the impacted coral reefs in the Maldives. A vulnerability map of Male City and its surrounding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is presented.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sterling B. Tebbett, David R. Bellwood, Erin R. Johnson, Tory J. Chase
Summary: This study found that algal turf sediments from Lizard Island and Orpheus Island in the Great Barrier Reef contain various metals, and the loads of some metals increase significantly with turf length. These findings suggest that longer algal turfs could be an important pathway for these metals to enter food chains.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Henrique Bravo, Stefano Cannicci, Filip Huyghe, Martine Leermakers, Mohammed A. Sheikh, Marc Kochzius
Summary: Coral reefs are important ecosystems that are vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic disturbances, with reef health decreasing closer to urban centers like Stone Town. Trace metal analyses revealed varying levels of contamination among different reef sites.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Melita Samoilys, Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip, Robert Myers, Pascale Chabanet
Summary: Communities of coral reef fishes are changing due to global warming and overfishing. To understand these changes and inform conservation, knowledge of species diversity and distributions is needed. The western Indian Ocean (WIO) contains the second highest coral reef biodiversity hotspot globally, yet a detailed analysis of the diversity of coral reef fishes is lacking. This study developed a timed visual census method and recorded 356 species from 19 families across four countries in the WIO to examine patterns in species diversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Louise J. Delhaye, Marc Elskens, Constanza Ricaurte-Villota, Luis Cerpa, Marc Kochzius
Summary: This study investigates the trace element concentrations in surface sediment samples collected in the Antarctic Peninsula. The results show lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Co, V, Zn in Hope Bay, while moderate to significant enrichment in Cu, As, Cd in the Bransfield Strait and around King George Island. Twelve stations present a moderate ecological risk. The results suggest a natural origin for the element enrichment, possibly related to volcanism and the geology of the area.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chih-Feng Chen, Yun-Ru Ju, Chiu-Wen Chen, Frank Paolo Jay B. Albarico, Yee Cheng Lim, Chongtai Ke, Yu-Rong Cheng, Cheng-Di Dong
Summary: The current pretreatments for determining microplastics (MPs) in coral reef sediments may underestimate their abundance due to ignoring MPs embedded or encrusted in biominerals. A two-step sequential digestion method was used to confirm this underestimation in the South Penghu Marine National Park. The results showed that MPs abundance after biomineral removal was significantly higher than after organic matter removal. The presence of MPs in biominerals suggests uncertain and underestimated assessments of MPs contamination levels in mineral-rich sediments.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jodie A. Schlaefer, Sterling B. Tebbett, David R. Bellwood
Summary: Most studies only quantify sediment in one reservoir or one sedimentary process, with over-representation of measurements in the water column and sediment trapping rates. Sediments on reef substrata and transitions from water column to benthos were rarely quantified. Only about 20% of sediment measurements were accompanied by quantification of hydrodynamic drivers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Georgy I. Shapiro, Jose M. Gonzalez-Ondina, Mohammed Salim, Jiada Tu, Muhammad Asif
Summary: This study introduces a relocatable operational ocean model (ReOMo) utilizing the nesting with data assimilation algorithm, demonstrating high computational efficiency and better resolution compared to the parent model.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
F. M. Mendrik, T. B. Henry, H. Burdett, C. R. Hackney, C. Waller, D. R. Parsons, S. J. Hennige
Summary: The study found that the impact of microplastic on corals depends on the type of microplastic, coral species, and temperature. Microplastic fibers reduced the photosynthetic capability of Acropora sp., while exposure to microplastic spheres significantly improved photosynthetic performance in Seriatopora hystrix.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Evgeny Yakovlev, Andrey Puchkov, Alexey Malkov, Daria Bedrina
Summary: This article focuses on the content of heavy metals in the bottom sediments of the estuary of the Pechora River. The study found that the concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments are low, indicating a low level of environmental risk.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sara E. Cannon, Simon D. Donner, Angela Liu, Pedro Gonzalez C. Espinosa, Andrew H. Baird, Julia K. Baum, Andrew G. Bauman, Maria Beger, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Matthew J. Birt, Yannick Chancerelle, Joshua E. Cinner, Nicole L. Crane, Vianney Denis, Martial Depczynski, Nur Fadli, Douglas Fenner, Christopher J. Fulton, Yimnang Golbuu, Nicholas A. J. Graham, James Guest, Hugo B. Harrison, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Andrew S. Hoey, Thomas H. Holmes, Peter Houk, Fraser A. Januchowski-Hartley, Jamaluddin Jompa, Chao-Yang Kuo, Gino Valentino Limmon, Yuting V. Lin, Timothy R. McClanahan, Dominic Muenzel, Michelle J. Paddack, Serge Planes, Morgan S. Pratchett, Ben Radford, James Davis Reimer, Zoe T. Richards, Claire L. Ross, John Rulmal, Brigitte Sommer, Gareth J. Williams, Shaun K. Wilson
Summary: Scientists and managers often assume a positive relationship between local human disturbance and macroalgae on coral reefs, but this study finds that specific macroalgae taxa may respond differently to human disturbance. By examining genus-level monitoring data, the study reveals that no genera were positively correlated with all human disturbance metrics, highlighting the need to consider specific algae divisions or genera in assessments. The convention of using macroalgae percent cover as an indicator of local human disturbance may overlook important signatures of anthropogenic threats to reefs.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Feng-Yu Wang, Min-Yun Liu
Summary: Microbial communities in coral reef sediments reflect the environmental conditions and can be influenced by human activities. The study found high abundance of Pseudomonadota, Planctomycetota, and Bacteroidota in the sediments of Liuqiu Island, indicating eutrophic environments. The microbial communities showed temporal variations and potential response to strong climate events like typhoons or heavy rainfall.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Xiyang Dong, Haoyu Lan, Liangtian Huang, Haikun Zhang, Xianbiao Lin, Shengze Weng, Yongyi Peng, Jia Lin, Jiang-hai Wang, Juan Peng, Ying Yang
Summary: This study assessed the microbial communities in surface sediments from 16 coral reef sites at different depths in the Xisha islands using gene- and genome-centric metagenomics. The results revealed the diversity and functional potential of the microbial communities, as well as the presence of antibiotic resistance genes. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the microbial ecology in reef sediments.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kalyan De, Sabyasachi Sautya, Santosh Gaikwad, Aditi Mitra, Mandar Nanajkar
Summary: This study evaluates the accumulation, origin, and fate of marine debris in the intertidal coral habitats of Mumbai, India. The results indicate that marine debris pollution poses a threat to coastal coral communities, and adopting integrated coastal zone management methods and policy frameworks can help mitigate the impact of debris in coastal environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)